Video In Email

[kremner]

I like the idea of video streams in emails. I'm concerned however that spam filters etc. might detect the presence of the video component of the email and send the message to junk mail etc. Any thoughts on video email?
Thanks

[torka]

If any of your intended audience work in an office environment, it's very likely the video-embedded email will be either sent to spam or rejected for being too large.

Speaking personally, unless the video is tiny, tiny, tiny, I'd be pretty annoyed if you were to slow down my system and/or overload my inbox by sending me a video I didn't ask for and may not even want.

To me, it's a bit like music that starts playing automatically when I hit a web page. Maybe I don't want to hear the music right then, or maybe I'm in a place where music isn't appropriate. It's rude and annoying and I will not visit again any site that imposes itself on me in that way.

Ditto with email that includes unasked-for video.

Don't assume that just because you like the video, I will like it, or that I'll want to see it, or that I'll be in a place where it's appropriate (or even possible) for me to view you video. If you want to send me a video, send me a link and let me choose whether to view it or not.

My

--Torka

[veronica]

Originally Posted by torka

If any of your intended audience work in an office environment, it's very likely the video-embedded email will be either sent to spam or rejected for being too large.

Speaking personally, unless the video is tiny, tiny, tiny, I'd be pretty annoyed if you were to slow down my system and/or overload my inbox by sending me a video I didn't ask for and may not even want.

To me, it's a bit like music that starts playing automatically when I hit a web page. Maybe I don't want to hear the music right then, or maybe I'm in a place where music isn't appropriate. It's rude and annoying and I will not visit again any site that imposes itself on me in that way.

Ditto with email that includes unasked-for video.

Don't assume that just because you like the video, I will like it, or that I'll want to see it, or that I'll be in a place where it's appropriate (or even possible) for me to view you video. If you want to send me a video, send me a link and let me choose whether to view it or not.

My

--Torka

I agree with you, make sure the recipient is happy to receive video email. Some people don't like it, especially if they have a slow connection .

[Zafar Ahmed]

I do not think this is a great idea because still most of the people do not have high speed internet connection to see videos. So I dont think its gonna work.

[kremner]

Many thanks to you for your replies regarding video email. I am looking in to a couple of different services that seem to (i) avoid spam filters and (ii) allow the recipient the option on whether to play the video ... thus you don't have to have the video forced upon you if you don't want it.

Thanks for the posts!

[tobias77]

I hate the idea when opening an e-mail, a Flash player or Quicktime executes and starts a video. Such mails, if not already deleted by the spam filter upfront, are quickly removed without having a deeper look at them.

Go with text mails, these are getting read for sure :-)

[kremner]

Hey guys / gals and thanks for the posts.

Actually, I am pleased to report that I am having some good success with the video email service I have chosen. The "click to play" approach avoids forcing the message on people that don't want it. And the service is white-listed with the major email handlers ... so that's not a problem. The biggest challenge seems to come with corporate security systems deploying high security settings. They seem to throw the email into bulk on an unpredictable basis.

Thanks from Jonathan Kremner. I will keep you updated on how this goes.
Best, JK

[Curtis]

Hi Kremner, I am interested in doing the same thing you have proposed here attaching videos to emails for a select group of my clients.

I want to give them the option to play it and hope by using a link redirecting a video stream that the server security won't junk it. Is this what you're doing?

How would I go about doing this?

Many thanks,

Curtis

[kremner]

Hello Curtis:
Sorry it took me a while to reply. Here's a link to the service I ultimately went with:

www.talkfusion.com/1598068

There are 2 levels of service they supply: corporate (which I have) and individual (which is cheaper but does less). I really like the tracking features and the business templates they provide at the corporate level. It's working well for me in my consulting business. Check it out and let me know what you think. Good luck from Jonathan Kremner

[rvnet]

1. Personally I don't like receive videos in my emails. I am with others.

2. But your niche product might be different and you need that email marketing, I guess. In that case let your users subscribe what they want to receive. Like keep two radio buttons in your subscription form - one opt to vedio emails and other no to video emails. Based on that you can send marketing emails to your subscribers.

3. Ask your subscribers to add your email to their safe list, so email won't be end in spam folder.

4. If they want to receive video in emails, keep a RSS feed for them to come and look the videos.

Just my thoughts ...


Radhika