Motion catches attention in a crowded inbox. GIFs and video thumbnails can increase clicks when used sparingly.
GIFs
- Most email apps show animated GIFs; some older desktop clients show only the first frame.
- Make the first frame meaningful on its own.
- Keep GIFs small; large animations slow emails. Compress carefully.
- Good uses: product spinning, before-and-after, a quick demo.
Video
Most email apps do not play video inside the email. The common approach is a thumbnail image with a play button that links to the video on YouTube or your website.
- Use an attractive thumbnail; get your video’s thumbnail with our YouTube thumbnail downloader.
- Add a play icon to show it is a video.
- Mention “video” in the subject or preheader.
Keep emails light
Compress images with our image compressor, and avoid several heavy animations in one email.
Accessibility
Avoid fast flashing animations, and add alt text.
Read images in marketing emails.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Email marketing: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
