Online video is quickly becoming an important marketing channel, as recent comScore data shows that nearly half of the U.S. population is reached by internet video ads. At the same time, Epsilon reports that email marketing is one of the most trusted forms of brand communication among consumers, while video sites, such as YouTube, rank toward the bottom of the trustworthiness scale.
Marketers can build on the trustworthiness of emails and consumers' ever-growing interest in online video by incorporating video links in their marketing messages. According to the 2010 Video Email Marketing Survey, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of marketers say that videos increase email click-though rates, and the same percent believe videos help convert marketing message recipients.
The Web Video Marketing Council, ExactTarget and Flimp Media conducted the survey, and officials for these institutions feel the results reveal a new trend toward including videos in emails. Adoption of online video marketing is rising rapidly, with 70 percent of marketers saying they use this platform. Concurrently, video and email integration is becoming more common, with 50 percent of marketers saying they embed videos in their marketing messages, and another 24 percent are considering video placements in upcoming email campaigns.
In addition to catching clicks and boosting conversion, video content embedded in marketing messages could be a sound way to ensure emails reach consumers' preferred inboxes. As Brafton reported earlier this month, Gmail and Microsoft's Hotmail now offer decluttering features that gauge consumers' interaction with messages to prioritize incoming mail; videos can create a dynamic message experience that may move brands to the top of inboxes.
