How to Embed Video in Email Marketing?

Video isn’t just another marketing trend, it’s the medium audiences connect with most. Studies consistently show that people spend more time watching video than reading text, and businesses using video see higher engagement, stronger retention, and better conversions. A short clip can explain a concept faster than paragraphs of copy, build emotional connection, and drive action with ease.

That’s why video has found its way into every corner of digital marketing, from social media ads to website landing pages. And now, one of the most powerful places to use it is your inbox. Email remains one of the most direct and effective channels to reach customers, and pairing it with video can lift click-through rates, boost open rates, and create memorable subscriber experiences.

In this blog, we’ll break down how to embed video in email marketing the right way. You’ll learn why adding video to emails is so impactful, the different methods you can use (and which ones actually work across devices), best practices to get results, and how tools like Predis.ai can help you create professional, engaging videos without the heavy lift.

Why Use Video in Email Marketing?

Video marketing in email isn’t just eye candy it drives measurable results. Adding video can boost open rates, click-throughs, and even conversions, making emails far more impactful than plain text or static images. Let’s break it down.

The Numbers That Prove Video Works

• Including video in an email subject line can lift open rates by up to 19%.
• Emails with video content see 200–300% higher click-through rates.
• Viewers retain about 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to only 10% when reading text.

How Video Builds Connection and Trust?

Beyond metrics, video makes email marketing more human.

• Stronger storytelling: A short clip can explain ideas or demonstrate a product in seconds.
• Authenticity: Seeing a face, hearing a voice, or watching a product in use builds confidence.
• Emotional engagement: Video taps into tone, expression, and visual cues that text alone can’t deliver.

Brands That Got It Right

Some well-known examples highlight how effective video emails can be:

• Dell: Used GIF-style video in emails, which led to a 42% increase in click rates.
• Buzzfeed: Regularly adds playful video snippets in newsletters to keep readers entertained and clicking through.
• Small businesses: Many use quick product demos or founder updates in video form to stand out in crowded inboxes.

How to Embed Video in Email Marketing: Methods That Work?

Not all email clients handle video the same way, which means you can’t just drop a video file into your newsletter and expect it to work everywhere. The good news is there are reliable methods that marketers use to deliver video in email campaigns. Let’s look at the most effective ones.

1. Embedding with HTML5 Video Tags

If you want your video to play directly inside the email, HTML5 is the way to go.

Pros

• Gives subscribers a seamless viewing experience without leaving the inbox.
• Perfect for high-impact announcements or product launches.

Cons

• Limited support: only works on select clients like Apple Mail and some versions of Outlook.
• Risky if a large portion of your audience uses Gmail or other non-supportive clients.

👉 Best for audiences you know are using video-friendly email platforms.

2. Using Animated GIFs or Cinemagraphs

This is one of the most popular workarounds when full video support isn’t guaranteed.

Why it works

• GIFs are lightweight and supported across almost all email clients.
• They loop continuously, making them visually engaging.
• Great for creating a “teaser” that encourages viewers to click through to the full video.

👉 Use a short, high-quality loop that represents the most exciting part of your video.

3. Adding a Static Thumbnail with a Play Button

Sometimes the simplest method is the most effective. A clickable image that looks like a video thumbnail leads subscribers to watch the full video elsewhere.

Best practices

• Use a bold play button overlay so it’s obvious the image is clickable.
• Link to a landing page, YouTube, or Vimeo where the video is hosted.
• Track clicks easily to measure interest and conversions.

👉 This approach avoids technical issues and works on every email client.

4. Use Third-Party Tools and Platforms

Many marketers rely on platforms that integrate video with email marketing software.

Examples

• Predis.ai, Vimeo, Wistia, or Vidyard for hosting and embedding.
• Mailchimp and HubSpot for simplified video integrations.

Why it’s useful

• These tools optimize video display across devices.
• They offer detailed analytics like play rates and viewer drop-offs.
• Easy to set up without heavy coding knowledge.

👉 This method is ideal for marketers who want both performance and insights.

How Predis.ai Can Help in Video Creation for Email Marketing

The biggest challenge with video in email marketing isn’t embedding, it’s creating the right kind of video in the first place. That’s where Predis.ai comes in.

With AI-powered video generation, Predis.ai helps businesses across different industries produce professional, brand-ready videos without the need for advanced editing skills. Whether you’re a healthcare provider, an e-commerce brand, or a SaaS company, you can generate tailored content that speaks directly to your audience.

Predis.ai makes it easy to:

• Create short, email-friendly videos that grab attention without overwhelming subscribers.
• Generate eye-catching thumbnails and captions so your videos look polished and clickable inside the inbox.
• Produce variations for different platforms, making it simple to repurpose the same content for email, social media, or ads.
• Save time while still delivering high-quality, on-brand content that resonates with your audience.

Conclusion

Video has become one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s toolkit, and email is the perfect channel to use it. From boosting open rates and click-throughs to building stronger connections with your audience, the benefits of embedding video in email marketing are undeniable. We’ve looked at different methods whether it’s HTML5 tags, GIFs, clickable thumbnails, or third-party integrations and covered best practices that make your campaigns both effective and reliable.

If you’re just starting out, begin small. A simple GIF or thumbnail with a play button can already make your emails more engaging without technical complications. As you get comfortable, you can scale up to more advanced options and even experiment with personalized videos for different audience segments.

And remember, creating video doesn’t have to be time-consuming or overwhelming. Tools like Predis.ai make it easy to generate professional, email-friendly videos that capture attention and drive results. Try it out for your next campaign and see how video can transform the way your audience experiences your emails.