Do Videos in Email Improve User Experience and Business Outcomes?

Short answer: often yes - but it depends. Video can significantly improve email engagement metrics (open rates, click-through rates, time-on-message, replies and conversions), but results vary by audience, execution, deliverability and mobile behavior. This article summarizes industry data, compares three real-world scenarios (real estate agents, newsletter publishers, and B2B/service providers), explains technical and UX trade-offs, and gives practical, testable recommendations.

1) What the data says: literature review of studies and A/B tests

Below is a concise review of industry reports, vendor case studies and A/B-test findings that focus on how video in email affects engagement metrics.

Open rates and subject-line impact
- Several sources report that including the word "video" in a subject line can increase open rates (commonly cited improvements are ~6-19%). These figures originate from vendor analyses and older industry roundups (e.g., Syndacast and HubSpot). Treat them as indicative rather than definitive because outcomes depend on list quality and relevance. Syndacast / HubSpot
Click-through rates (CTR) and clicks-to-action
- Vendor reports frequently show large CTR lifts when videos are linked or previewed in emails. For example, Campaign Monitor and other sources have cited CTR increases in the range of 2-3× or "up to 300%" in some campaigns after adding video thumbnails or animated GIF previews (campaign-dependent). Campaign Monitor
Time-on-message and conversions
- Video increases time spent with content and can improve conversion rates when the video clarifies product value or demonstrates a service. Vidyard's "State of Video in Business" reports that video increases purchase intent and drives higher conversions across marketing funnels. Vidyard 2021 report
Replies and personalized outreach
- Personalized video in sales or outreach emails often increases reply rates. Vendors such as BombBomb and Vidyard cite multi-fold increases in replies (commonly 2-8× in published case studies) when short, personalized videos are used vs. plain-text messages. BombBomb resources / Vidyard
Unsubscribe and spam complaints
- Most reports show little or no systematic increase in unsubscribe or spam complaint rates from adding video - provided the video is relevant and the sender maintains good list hygiene. However, misleading subject lines (e.g., "video" but no video) can increase complaints.

Caveat: Many of the above numbers come from vendor case studies or aggregated reports - useful for directional guidance but not substitutes for controlled A/B tests on your list.

2) Comparative case studies: three targeted scenarios

A. Real estate agent communications

Real estate agents often use video to build trust, show properties, and provide quick personal updates.

Common tactics
- Property walkthrough videos embedded as thumbnails, agent intro videos, local market updates, and personalized follow-ups after showings.
Data highlights
- Vendor case studies (BombBomb, various realtor tech vendors) report:
- A/B-test example (hypothetical but reflective of industry case studies):
Interpretation
For sales-oriented, relationship-driven communications (real estate), personalized video performs especially well for replies and trust-building. Short videos (20-60s) that put the agent on-screen deliver the most measurable lift in engagement and appointment-setting.

B. Email newsletters (publishers and curated lists)

Publishers add video to newsletters to boost engagement, increase time-on-message and drive traffic to ads or membership pages.

Common tactics
- Embedding short explainer videos, linking to full video articles, or using animated GIF previews in the newsletter.
Data highlights
- Publisher case studies and Wistia/Vidyard industry surveys show:
- Example metrics from aggregated reports:
Interpretation
For informational newsletters, video helps engagement metrics (CTR and time-on-site) and can increase ad or subscription conversions when used to preview premium content. However, overloaded inboxes or slow-loading emails can negate benefits, so strategic placement and concise video length matter.

C. B2B outreach and professional service providers

B2B sales teams and consultants use video to explain complex services, demonstrate product value, and personalize outreach.

Common tactics
- Personalized intro videos, product demos embedded via thumbnail, short case-study clips, or screen-share walkthroughs linked from email.
Data highlights
- Vidyard and other video-sales platforms report increased reply rates and meeting conversions when personalized video is used. Typical vendor claims:
- Example A/B-style scenario:
Interpretation
B2B buyers appreciate clarity and time-saving. Short, personalized videos that answer “why this matters” tend to drive better outcomes than generic, longer content. Personalization and relevance are key.

3) Technical and UX considerations (embedding vs. thumbnail, autoplay, mobile, deliverability, accessibility) + statistical caveats

Video in email isn't a one-size-fits-all tool. Technical choices and UX design determine whether videos help or harm engagement.

Embedding vs. thumbnail-linking

Embedded native video:
- Pros: Plays inside supported clients (Apple Mail, iOS Mail, some Android clients), seamless UX for those users.
- Cons: Many clients (Gmail, Outlook Windows web/desktop) don’t support native video; fallback content will show for many recipients.
Thumbnail or animated GIF linking to hosted video:
- Pros: Universally compatible; control over playback on your site or landing page; consistent analytics.
- Cons: Requires an extra click; may reduce immediate engagement for some audiences.

Recommendation: Use a clickable thumbnail or an animated GIF preview that links to a hosted video landing page with tracking. Provide an accessible transcript under the thumbnail.

Autoplay and load times

Autoplay: Generally discouraged in email because it can be intrusive, consume mobile data, and is often blocked by clients.
Load times: Large emails increase load and may push users to ignore or delete. Use thumbnails and host the actual video externally (YouTube, Vimeo, or your streaming service) to keep email payloads small.

Deliverability and spam filters

Videos themselves aren't spam triggers, but heavy HTML, poor coding, or misleading subject lines can increase spam risk.
Maintain best practices: authenticated sending domains (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), clean lists, and relevant subject lines (don't promise video if none present).

Accessibility

Provide captions, transcripts, clear alt text for thumbnails, and consider users on low bandwidth or with disabilities. Accessibility improves UX and avoids alienating segments of your audience.

Mobile behavior

Most email is opened on mobile devices. Use mobile-first thumbnail dimensions, ensure the linked video page is responsive, and keep videos short (30-90s recommended for outreach; up to 2-4 minutes for product explanations).

Statistical caveats and test validity

Vendor case studies often show best-case scenarios and suffer from selection bias. Always run controlled A/B tests on your own lists.
Statistical significance: ensure sufficient sample sizes, run tests for a meaningful duration, and track primary metrics (open, click, reply, conversion) and secondary metrics (time-on-page, bounce, unsubscribe).
Segment-by-segment behavior varies: what works for buyers in one vertical (e.g., real estate) may not translate to transactional service emails.

4) Actionable recommendations and best practices

Prioritize relevance and brevity
Use short (20-90s) videos that answer a single question: who you are, what you offer, or why the recipient should act.
Use thumbnail + link as the default pattern
Include a visually compelling thumbnail or GIF with a play button that links to a hosted video page with captions and trackable UTM parameters.
Personalize where it matters
For sales and relationship-driven emails (real estate, B2B outreach), record short personalized videos; they yield larger reply and meeting conversion lifts than generic videos.
Optimize for mobile and accessibility
Ensure the video landing page is responsive, provide captions/transcripts, and keep file sizes off the email itself.
Test and measure with clear hypotheses
Don’t assume vendor claims will match your list. Run A/B tests with clear primary metrics and statistical thresholds (see next section).
Maintain deliverability hygiene
Authenticate sending domains, keep HTML lightweight, and avoid deceptive subject lines (e.g., promising a video when there’s none).

5) A/B test designs and metrics to track

Design tests that answer specific business questions. Here are two practical test templates.

Test A - Listing/Newsletter engagement (Thumbnail vs. Image)

Hypothesis: A video thumbnail will increase CTR to content vs. a static image.
Sample split: Random 50/50 on an active subscriber list (n ≥ 5,000 per variant recommended for smaller expected lifts).
Variants:
- Control: Static image + CTA
- Variant: Video thumbnail (GIF preview recommended) + CTA linking to hosted video
Primary metric: CTR to content (clicks per delivered email)
Secondary metrics: Time-on-page, conversion (subscription or signup), unsubscribe rate
Success threshold: predefine a minimum detectable lift (e.g., 10-15% relative CTR increase) and calculate sample size for statistical power.

Test B - Sales outreach (Personalized video vs. plain text)

Hypothesis: Personalized 30-45s video increases reply and meeting-booking rates.
Sample split: Randomized subset of qualified leads (at least several hundred per variant; smaller effect sizes require larger samples).
Variants:
- Control: Plain-text personalized email
- Variant: Email with thumbnail link to a 30-45s personalized video
Primary metrics: Reply rate, meetings booked
Secondary metrics: Open rate, unsubscribe rate, demo/watch completion on video page
Success threshold: Look for meaningful lift in reply/meeting rates (e.g., 2× reply rate or significant absolute increase).

Conclusion

Video in email can materially improve user experience and business outcomes - especially when used to personalize outreach, demonstrate products, or preview content. However, results depend on audience, format (thumbnail vs embedded), and execution. Use the recommendations above, run controlled A/B tests on your lists, and prioritize mobile and accessibility.

Video in Email: When It Works and When It Doesn't