November 2026 · 7 min read · By the Moov Studio team
Email is still one of the best-performing marketing channels, and video is the most engaging content format. Put them together well and you get emails that stand out in the inbox and get clicked.
The catch: most email clients don't play video inside the email. Here's how to combine email and video properly, what actually works technically, and how to measure results.
Why Use Video in Email Marketing?
- More opens: words like "video" or "watch" in the subject or preview text spark curiosity.
- More clicks: a thumbnail with a play button is one of the most clickable elements you can put in an email.
- Better understanding: a 60-second video explains a product better than five paragraphs.
- More memorable: people remember what they see and hear far better than what they skim.
- More personal: a face or a personalized message builds trust (see our personalized video marketing guide).
What Kind of Videos Work Best in Email?
- Explainer videos: introduce your product to new leads. (What's an explainer?)
- Product updates and feature launches
- How-to and onboarding videos for new customers
- Customer stories and case studies
- Personal sales videos: a short message for one prospect
- Webinar or event replays
- Brand videos for newsletters and campaigns
5 Ways to Add Video to an Email
1. Thumbnail with a play button (recommended)
Use a still image from your video with a play button overlay, linked to a landing page or hosted video. It works in every email client, which is why it's the standard.
Tip: link to a page on your website rather than YouTube, so viewers land somewhere with a clear next step.
2. Animated GIF preview
Turn three to five seconds of your video into a GIF with a play button, linked to the full video. Movement in the inbox grabs attention.
Watch out: keep GIFs small (ideally under 1 MB), and put the key message in the first frame, because some Outlook versions only show the first frame.
3. Embedded HTML5 video
Some clients, mainly Apple Mail and iOS Mail, can play video directly inside the email. Most others, including Gmail and Outlook, can't. If you embed, always include a fallback thumbnail that links to the hosted video.
4. A simple text link
"Watch the 60-second video →" is the easiest option, though less visual. It's fine for plain-text or personal sales emails.
5. Attachments (avoid)
Attaching video files makes emails huge, hits file size limits (often around 20–25 MB), and increases the chance of landing in spam. Use a link instead. For large files sent one-to-one, share a Google Drive, Dropbox or Vimeo link.
Where to Host Your Video
- Your own website: best for conversions. The viewer lands next to your call to action.
- Vimeo or Wistia: professional players, no competitor recommendations, and detailed viewing analytics.
- YouTube: free and great for reach, but viewers may drift to other videos.
Common Challenges (and How to Solve Them)
Limited email client support. Use thumbnails or GIFs linked to hosted video, so it works everywhere.
Slow loading. Never embed heavy files. Compress thumbnails and GIFs.
Spam filters. Large attachments and image-only emails trigger filters. Use a good balance of text and images, and link to video instead of attaching it.
Mobile display. Most emails are opened on phones. Use responsive templates, big tap-friendly play buttons, and test on real devices.
Tracking. You can't measure "views" inside an email, so track clicks on the thumbnail and watch time on your hosting platform.
How to Measure Video Email Success
Track these together:
- Open rate: did the subject line work?
- Click-through rate: did the thumbnail and copy make people want to watch?
- Play rate and watch time (from your video host): did they actually watch, and for how long?
- Conversions: sign-ups, demo requests or purchases from that email.
Tip: add UTM parameters to your video links so you can see email-driven traffic in Google Analytics, then test thumbnails, subject lines and video length to see what improves results.
Best Practices Checklist
- ☐ Mention "video" in the subject or preview text, when it's true
- ☐ Use a custom thumbnail with a visible play button
- ☐ Link to a landing page with one clear call to action
- ☐ Keep videos short (60–90 seconds for most marketing emails)
- ☐ Add captions, since many people watch on mute
- ☐ Test on Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail, on desktop and mobile
- ☐ Track clicks, watch time and conversions
Need a short video that makes your emails convert? Our explainer packages include formats ready for email, web and social. See the pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you embed a video in an email? Technically yes, with HTML5, but only some clients (mainly Apple Mail and iOS Mail) play it. Most marketers use a thumbnail image with a play button that links to the video instead.
What's the best way to send a video by email? Use a thumbnail with a play button, linked to the video on your website or a host like Vimeo or YouTube. For one-to-one sharing of large files, use a cloud link such as Google Drive or Dropbox.
Does Gmail support video in email? Gmail doesn't play embedded video inside the email, but it does display thumbnail images and GIFs, and links work normally.
Does putting video in emails increase click-through rates? In general, yes. A thumbnail with a play button is one of the most clickable elements in an email. Test it with your own audience to measure the impact.
What size should a GIF in an email be? Ideally under 1 MB, and no more than a few seconds long, so it loads quickly on mobile.
Give Your Emails Something Worth Clicking
A great email deserves a great video behind the thumbnail. Moov Studio has been creating animated explainers and brand videos since 2018, delivered in every format your campaigns need.
See our pricing or browse our work.
Have a project in mind? Tell us about it and we'll get back to you with a quote.