video email marketing in 2009: facts, stats, limitations, possibilities

Video Email Marketing in 2009Facts, Stats, Limitations, Possibilities

Lisa HarmonPrincipal and Co-Founder, Smith-Harmon

Chair, User Experience Roundtable, Email Experience CouncilPresident, Email Marketing Best Practices Roundtable

Justin FosterCo-Founder & VP Market Development, LiveclickerFounder & President, Video Commerce Consortium

Founder, Email Marketing Best Practices Roundtable

2009 Liveclicker Video Commerce Webinar Series, Part III of IIIAugust 12, 2009

Tweet about this webinar using #videoemailFollow us on Twitter! @lisaharmon, @videocommerce

Upcoming Events

Email Marketing Roundtable, Video Commerce Consortium▪ Largest consortium of interactive professionals dedicated to

advancing the art and science of video commerce @ www.video-commerce.org

▪ Largest roundtable of email marketers dedicated to peer-to-peer exchange of email marketing best practices @ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/emailroundtable

▪ Free Membership!

Shop.org Annual Summit, Sept. 21 – 23▪ “40+ Specific Things You Can Do to Make Money Next Week”▪ Email Marketing Roundtable: “Video and Email Marketing”

StreamingMedia West, Nov 17 - 19▪ “The Quiet Revolution in Video Commerce”

http://www.video-commerce.org/

http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/emailroundtable

Justin Foster – follow @videocommerce Co-Founder & VP Market Development at Liveclicker Founder & President of the Video Commerce Consortium Currently working on the following initiatives:

Actively studying the impact of video on e-commerce performance Building Liveclicker and the VCC into world-class resources for

professionals seeking to advance video for commerce Communicating the value of video commerce through case studies,

whitepapers, webinars, industry reports, events, blogging, and general industry thought leadership

About the Presenters

Lisa Harmon – follow @lisaharmon Principal and Co-Founder at Smith-Harmon Chair, User Experience Roundtable, Email Experience Council President, Email Marketing Roundtable Currently working on the following initiatives:

Pushing email strategy and creative to optimize subscriber experience and program performance Leading the EEC Email Design Roundtable in it’s efforts to share email creative best practices with the industry Working to better integrate email into seamless cross-channel experiences

Poll

A – Differentiated inbox experience

B – Boost subscriber engagement

C – Drive key metrics (CTR/CVR)

D – Innovate / experiment

E – Just curious right now / not sure

Take Our Poll: Why are you interested in video for email?

Top Concerns re: Video in Email

Hosting/StreamingOther/Don't KnowPoor Subscriber Ex-perienceProducing/Acquiring VideosSpam filters/Render-ing Issues

n = 287. Registrants attending “Video Email Marketing in 2009” 8/10/2009

Attitudes re: Video in Email

Open-MindedNot PossibleToo LimitedSeeking Optimization


Expertise re: Video in Email

CluelessNoviceIntermediateAdvancedExpert


Facts, Limitations, Possibilities

FACTS LIMITATIONS POSSIBILITIES

Why Video consumption, CTR, CVR, engagement

Relevance, market acceptance

Trends

How Technical methods, deliverability issues

Quality, audio, ISP coverage, email clients.

New R&D

When Static v. progressive content consumption

Acceptance, cost

New experience paradigm

Where Creative considerations

Distraction v. Engagement

Universal delivery, heightened loyalty

Who Technical considerations, Openness to video

HTML, image blocking

Dynamic video delivery

The promotion of video in email has grown because…

Rising access to high-speed Internet has created a shift in how people desire to consume content online

The expense of creating and hosting video is falling

Video viewing increases engagement by adding context to products and building brands

“Video in email can increase clickthrough rates by as much as 2X – 3X” - David Daniels, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research

May 4, 2009

Why Video in Email?

Why Video is Relevant?

As the email channel matures, so do email subscribers: simply receiving an email is no longer the novelty it once was.

It’s become necessary for email marketers to differentiate themselves in the inbox by using more thoughtful strategies and tactics.

Video brings an exciting “third dimension” to what’s traditionally been a two-dimensional experience.

Static image with

click through to

video

Optimized video .gif – plays

directly in preview pane or mail client

Certified video – plays full video with

audio, but at AOL only

(currently)

Embedded Flash video –

delivery problems

almost everywhere

Shows video directly in email?

No certification requirements?

Broadly supported?

No deliverability issues?

“The results are conclusive – the only reliable way to embed video in email is through the use of animated .gifs”

- 2009 Campaign Monitor Video in Email Study- January, 2009

4 Ways to Deliver Video in Email

What Methods Have You Tried?

A – Static Image

B – Optimized Video .gif

C – Certified Video

D – Embedded Flash Video

Take Our Poll: What Methods Have You Tried?

PROS:

Compatible with nearly all mail clients No learning curve Established best practices

CONS:

It’s not really video in email Subscriber must click through for video and audio

Static Image: A static image simply features a still of one of the frames of the video

Use strong visual cues to indicate video presence to encourage subscribers to click through to web-hosted video.

Static Image with Video Call-to-Action

1999:Animated .GI

F

2009:Video .GI

F

Video .GIF v. Animated .GIF

Video .GIF: A video .gif uses a compressed, streamed animated .GIF to deliver video-quality content.

Video .GIF

PROS:

Compatible with most mail clients (~75% - 90%)

Displays video directly in email Does not cause ISP blocks Does not require the end user to download the video prior to viewing

CONS:

No audio Works most places, but not everywhere Limited player controls Requires enabled images Production and delivery expense

http://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/12306418413e2d0b

PROS:

Currently the only solution in the market providing full-motion audio and video directly in email without clicking to landing pages Inbox placement guaranteed Works regardless of whether images are enabled

CONS:

Only works at AOL (9, 10 clients, AOL Webmail) Additional cost for video delivery via GM partner Production expense

Certified Video: Goodmail Systems is rolling out its CertifiedVideo service.

Certified Video

http://webmail.aol.com/43792/aol/en-us/Suite.aspx

Email Client Support for Video, by Inclusion Method Fat Mail Clients Video .GIF? Certified Video? CommentsAOL 10.0 YES YESAOL 9.0 YES YESApple Mail 3.0 NO NO Video .GIF not supported.Entourage 2008 YES NOLotus Notes 6.5 YES NO Requires special file encoding for video .GIF to

work.Lotus Notes 7.0 YES NO Requires special file encoding for video .GIF to

work.Lotus Notes 8.0 YES NO Requires special file encoding for video .GIF to

work.Outlook Express YES NOOutlook 2000 YES NOOutlook 2003 YES NOOutlook 2007 NO NO Video .GIF not supported. First frame displays

only.Thunderbird YES NOWindows Mail YES NO

Web Mail ClientsAOL.com YES YES Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Gmail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Windows Live Mail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Yahoo Mail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Yahoo Classic YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Comcast YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Cox Webmail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)AT&T Webmail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)RoadRunner Webmail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Verizon Webmail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Earthlink Web Mail YES NO Subject to user agent limitations (IE, FF, Chrome,

Safari)Mobile Mail ClientsiPhone 3.0 YES NO Dependent on connectioniPhone 2.2 YES NO Dependent on connectionBlackberry Curve YES NO Dependent on connectionBlackberry Bold YES NO Dependent on connection

Email Client Market Share

Email Client Market Share Report, FingerPrintApp. September 2008.

http://fingerprintapp.com/email-client-stats

ISP Support for Video, by Inclusion Method

ISP Subscribers

Video .GIF? Certified Video?

AT&T 14.8MM YES NOComcast 14.7MM YES NORoad Runner 8.6MM YES NOVerizon 8.5MM YES NOAmerica Online 7.5MM YES YESEarthlink 3.0MM YES NOCharter 2.9MM YES NOQwest 2.8MM YES NOCablevision 2.4MM YES NOUnited Online 1.5MM YES NOEmbarq 1.4MM YES NOWindstream .96MM YES NOMediacom .73MM YES NOCenturyTel .63MM YES NOCitizens .57MM YES NOHughesNet .42MM YES NOInsight Broadband .42MM YES NOClearwire .42MM YES NO

Top 23 US ISPs by Subscriber, Q3 2008. Alex Goldman.

http://www.isp-planet.com/research/rankings/usa.html

Browser Support for Video .GIF, by Market Share

Browser Market Share* Limitations/CommentsInternet Explorer 6.0 27.21% 8 FPS. Internet Explorer 7.0 23.09% 10 FPS. Firefox 3.0 16.21% 16 FPS.Internet Explorer 8.0 12.46% 16 FPS. Firefox 3.5 4.54% 16 FPS.Chrome 2.0 2.37% 12 FPS.Safari 4.0 2.22% 10 FPS.

All browsers are not created equal. Video .GIF playback compatibility is dependent on the underlying user agent of the web browser or mail client.

Browser Version Market Share. Net Applications. 8/10/2009.

Which email clients block images by default?

EmailClient

Default Images on?

Default Links on? Default Changeable?

AOL 9.0 Software NO NO YES

AOL.com, AIM.com Web NO YES YES

AT&T Web NO YES YES

Earthlink Web YES YES YES

Gmail Web NO YES YES

Hotmail / Windows Live Mail Web Depends Depends YES

Lotus 8 Software YES YES YES

Mac Web NO YES NO

NetZero/Juno Web YES YES NO

Outlook 2003, 2007 Software NO YES YES

Yahoo Classic WebYES Inbox

NO Spam Folder YES YES

Yahoo Mail Web NO YES YES

LEARN MORE:

Certified Email (Goodmail): Unblock images at AOL, BT, Yahoo, Telus, Cox, Comcast Certification Program (Return Path): Unblock images at Windows Live Mail

http://www.goodmailsystems.com/products/certified-email/

http://www.returnpath.net/commercialsender/certification/

Best Practices for Video .GIFs

DO:

Use video as a tool to create engagement and richer visualization, not as a subscriber distraction.

Key takeaway: Use video as a primary call-to-action, rather than supporting visual element.

Ensure the first frame of the video

is acceptable for the ‘exception’ mail

clients that show static images only.

Key takeaway: Add call-to- action on the first frame of the video so Outlook 2007 will still display a meaningful image.

Best practices are still emerging for video .GIFs in email, but the following rules should be followed to maximize performance/experience.

https://email.vzwshop.com/servlet/website/ResponseForm?OSPETC_9_9_TA_ue_wkhnkHt_uLPlsLmmLk_6_f3EWiLHlFpgKRDkkDJhtE_0LlmfhKL_EqYFthQpLpgmLkHJmpOLDJht


DO

Pay attention to your video infrastructure.

Key takeaway: 1MM email subscribers, 25% open rate, 5MB video can consume 1.25 million megabytes (1,250 gigabytes) of bandwidth in a single email campaign. Experiment with dithering and frame

rate to reduce the bandwidth load required of the end recipient.

Key takeaway: Reducing the number of colors per frame from 256 to 128 can reduce the size of a video .GIF by 25% without noticeably impacting output quality.



DO

Measure audience engagement.

Key takeaway: While engagement metrics for video .GIFs are not perfect, they are directionally useful

and will give you new insight into your email audience.

Consider technology for .GIF creation.

Key takeaway: Unless you want to create 8 – 20 versions of a .GIF to account for the variances in compatibility in mail clients, and manually compress files, technology

can dramatically automate the production of email video.


DON’T

Make videos that require greater than 150kB – 200kB/

sec in data transfer to display properly.

Key takeaway: Measure the connection speed of visitors on your web site to get an idea of % of your email audience on dial-up.

Use video as a secondary or tertiary item in the email.

Key takeaway: Go “all the way” or “not at all.” Otherwise, video can actually hurt your results.

NEVER, EVER use Flash or Javascript to attempt to get

video to play in email, unless you are using CertifiedVideo™ and sending only to an AOL audience.



REI “Statistically significant” increase in CTR, CVR, AOV

- March, 2009

SAP Increased CTR from 7% to 32%

- January, 2009

Olympus 49% increase in CVR over several emails.

- April, 2007

eBags 65.5% increase in sales in YoY test of video v. no video.

- June, 2009

ResultsResults

Key Takeaways

CertifiedVideo™ currently represents the truest incarnation of full video in email. However, its limited adoption by ISPs hinders usefulness for now.

Video .GIFs, on the other hand, represent a step toward universal video in email coverage, yet technical limitations remain, like audio support.

For today, when executing video in email campaigns, the recommendation for

the highest quality and broadest reach of video in email is to combine CertifiedVideo™ where it works, supplement with video .GIFs where it does not, and take advantage of auto-image rendering at CertifiedEmail™ ISPs to broaden the coverage of video in email.

Common Questions

Q: How large are the video files? What’s the recommended size?A: Size isn’t really that important for video .GIFs, because the videos download progressively in the background once the user opens the email, even though they stream immediately. It’s much more important to ensure that the amount of bandwidth required of the end subscriber not exceed 150kB – 200kB/second, unless you know your audience can accept higher throughput.

Q: How long should my email videos be?A: With Certified Video, length may be less of an issue because audio can be used to capture the attention of the reader. With video .GIFs, videos are typically no longer than 30 – 45 seconds. A best practice for longer videos would be to use subtitles or text displayed throughout the video to maintain attention.

Q: How can I find out how much of my audience can view video?A: Check out FingerPrintApp.com. For less than $50, you can take a snapshot of your subscriber list on your next email campaign to determine what mail clients are being used.

Q: How can I find out more?A: Your first call should be to your agency or ESP to check whether they’re already partnered with Liveclicker. If not, email [email protected].

Q: I don’t know anything about making video. Where should I start?A: Liveclicker recommends starting out with an email design specialist with particular experience in using video in the channel. Smith-Harmon is one of many great options. Your ESP may also have some experience. Or email [email protected] for references.

Common Questions

mailto:[email protected]

Questions and Answers





Video Email Marketing in 2009Facts, Stats, Limitations, Possibilities





2009 Liveclicker Video Commerce Webinar Series, Part III of IIIAugust 12, 2009

video email marketing in 2009: facts, stats, limitations, possibilities

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