How do you send a video through email without running into issues like large file sizes or appearing like spam?
In this step-by-step 5 minute guide, we break down all the best practices for sending a video through email.
We take a look at common queries like dealing with large file sizes, thumbnails, GIFs, to hosting your videos, including CTAs, and optimizing the experience so recipients can watch and respond to your videos without any issues.
Why should you send a video through email?
Whether you want to answer a quick question, direct prospects to a landing page, or just check in with a client, bringing a friendly face into the inbox is a no-brainer.
Video emails have higher open rates and are more likely to get a response than their text-based counterparts. In fact Bonjoro customers get on average 70% open rates and just under 50% click-through rates on their video emails - how is that for engagement!?
Which brings us to this question—how do you send a video via email? Should you send the whole thing by embedding the video? Or take viewers to a second location?
The answer is—it depends. Size comes into play, here. As does context. Keep reading, and we'll guide you through.
How to Send a Video to your Newsletter Subscribers
One of the best ways to send a video through email is to include a linkable thumbnail in any email you send via your email marketing tool. This method works with any major email marketing tools like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, and so on. It's a great way to share videos with your email newsletter subscribers.
Here's how it's done on most popular email marketing platforms:
Upload the Video to a Hosting Platform: To share a video with your subscribers, you'll first need to upload it to a hosting platform like YouTube, Vimeo, or use a screen recorder like Loom or Bonjoro.
Embed or Link the Video: After uploading, you can either embed the video directly into the email or include a link to the video. Most email marketing platforms offer a video block in their email builder. Just drag this block into your email template and paste the URL of your video.
Send the Email: Once your video is embedded or linked, you can send your email out to your subscriber list as usual. Remember that engagement is crucial in email marketing. Consider including a captivating thumbnail and a compelling call-to-action to encourage your subscribers to watch the video.
Here's how the end result will look:
How to Embed a Youtube Video in Email
YouTube is an excellent platform for sharing videos because it accepts large file sizes and supports a range of formats. You can then easily embed this video right into your emails. Here's how to do it:
Method 1 (link):
Upload the Video to YouTube: Sign in to your YouTube account. Click on the video camera icon at the top right corner, then select 'Upload Video'. Choose the video you want to share and wait for the upload to complete.
Share the Video: After uploading, you can directly share the video via email. Click the 'Share' button under the video and then select 'Email'. Enter the recipient's email address, add a message if desired, and then click 'Send'.
Method 2 (thumbnail):
Upload the Video to YouTube: Sign in to your YouTube account. Click on the video camera icon at the top right corner, then select 'Upload Video'. Choose the video you want to share and wait for the upload to complete.
Take a screenshot of the video. Pause the video at a point that looks compelling to create a great thumbnail.
Copy/paste your video thumbnail into your email compose box, and add your standard email copy around the video.
Highlight your image, and add the URL of your video via the link option at the bottom of the compose window
Pro Tip: Take your image into Canva first to add a little play icon to the thumbnail. It looks so much more inviting to click and play:
How to Send a Video through Email via Gmail
There are two ways to send a video with Gmail.
The first way is better if you just need to attach a video to your email. The second is better if you want to share a personal video or screen recording with a colleague, customer, or sales prospect.
Attach a video in Gmail
- Compose a New Email: Click on the 'Compose' button to create a new email.
- Attach the Video: Click on the paperclip icon to attach files. Navigate to the location of your video file, select it, and click 'Open'. If the video is larger than 25 MB, Gmail will automatically upload the file to Google Drive and include a link in the email.
- Send the Email: Once your video is attached or a Drive link is included, finish composing your email and click 'Send'.
Embed a video in Gmail
- Record your video using a screen or webcam recorder.
- Add your video thumbnail in the body of the email, by clicking that option in your screen recorders sharing options.
- Add any supporting copy to your email, and send.
For this you can easily use any free screen or webcam recorder like Loom. Bonjoro has a free Chrome based screen recorder that gives you HD recording as standard, unlimited videos, and unlimited video length. Just download the Chrome extension, record your webcam or screen recording, and then grab the link only, or the link and thumbnail and drop it into your existing email.
Here's how it will look in your Gmail compose box:
How to Send a Video through Email via Outlook
The process for Outlook is similar to that of Gmail:
Attach a video to Outlook
- Compose a New Email: Click on the 'New Message' button.
- Attach the Video: Click on the paperclip icon to attach files. If your file is larger than 20 MB, consider uploading it to OneDrive first and then sharing the link.
- Send the Email: After attaching the video or including a OneDrive link, complete your email and click 'Send'.
Embed a video in Outlook
This method is exactly the same as in Gmail:
- Record your video using a screen or webcam recorder.
- Add your video thumbnail in the body of the email, by clicking that option in your screen recorders sharing options.
- Add any supporting copy to your email, and send.
You can use any screen recorder to create your video, but we recommend using Loom or Bonjoro.
How to Send a Personalized Video Email Using Bonjoro
With Bonjoro you can record and share personal videos through email instantly, and their free plan lets you send your first 50 videos for free.
You'll add your customer's email into Bonjoro, record your video via their simple web or mobile app, and send it out. Super simple!
Here’s an example showing how your video would appear in your recipient's email inbox:
When the recipient clicks your video thumbnail they arrive at your video landing page where they watch your video.
This video landing page can be customised with your own branding and call-to-action, which is handy if you want the recipient to take an action, like booking a call with you.
You can even embed other apps like your Calendly right onto the video page itself, which makes it even easier for your recipient to complete the step.
Compared to a standard text based email, the experience so much more engaging. That's why Design Pickle have sent over 12,000 video emails with Bonjoro, with an 85% open rate - and that includes cold prospecting emails!
If you're sending a video through a platform like Bonjoro, you'll have the benefit of being able to track things like opens, views and clicks, and replies. Meaning, you can track the results of your video outreach efforts from email to the point where they drop off or convert.
How to Get People to Click your Video Emails
Here are a few things to think about before sending your video out into the world:
Make it Clear There's a Video Inside
If you're sending a video, just say so. The simple act of adding the word video can increase open rates by 19%. We've seen this first-hand, too. Our top performing Bonjoro videos included video in the subject line—and many of them were pretty simple. For example, one of our big winners was "I made you a video."
Spend Time on Subject Lines
Convince and Convert found that nearly 70% of email recipients decide that an email is spam based on the title alone. Avoid this fate by making the subject line clear and descriptive. The aim isn't a bait and switch approach, so when in doubt, choose clarity over being clever (hopefully you can do both).
>> See our list of the Top 10 Video-Email Subject Lines right here <<
Send the Video that Best Suits the Situation
Not all videos are created equal.
Before you start sending users video emails, make sure that the video you send aligns with the buyer's journey. You'll also want to personalize the content based on the data you have including purchase history, the information provided in a lead generation form, etc. If nothing else, at least use the person's name to warm things up.
Is it an introduction or a follow-up? Keep things light and opt for a one-on-one video.
Consider linking out to a landing page where users can watch the video and take action at the same time. Here’s a real example from the team at Design Pickle that shows how to absolutely nail cold prospecting with email! Click on the image to play it...
How to Send a Large Video File through Email
Often, the video you want to send exceeds the file size limit set by your email client. Here are some ways to share larger videos:
- Use a File Compression Tool: Software like WinZip or 7-Zip can reduce the file size of your video, allowing you to attach it to your email. However, this method may reduce the quality of your video.
- Use a File Transfer Service: Services like WeTransfer or Filemail allow you to send large files via email. These services typically generate a download link that you can share with your recipients.
- Use Cloud Storage Services: Platforms like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox allow you to upload large files and share a link via email. Your recipient can then view or download the video directly from the cloud.
How to Send a Large Video through Email from Phone
To send a large video from your phone, you can use a similar process:
- Upload the Video to Cloud Storage: Using the app of your preferred cloud storage service, upload your video.
- Share a Link: Once the video is uploaded, generate a shareable link.
- Send the Email: Open your email app, compose a new email, and paste the link into the body. The recipient will be able to view or download the video using the provided link.
File Size Limits for Sending Videos via Email
Different email clients have varying file size limits for attachments:
If your video exceeds these limits, consider using one of the methods described above to share your video.
In conclusion, sharing videos via email may seem complex at first due to various file size limits and processes. However, by utilizing the right tools and methods, it can be a smooth and effective way to communicate, whether you're sharing a personal moment or promoting your business. With this guide, you should now be well-equipped to share videos via email.
Send 50 video emails free with Bonjoro
Sending videos out through email is a great way to increase engagement and build relationships straight from the inbox. Bonjoro users can email videos from their account, no messing with YouTube or Photoshop required.
