Step-by-step Tutorial

How to embed video into your Iterable email campaigns

Playable is fully integrated with Iterable, making it quick and easy to add videos to your emails

Engage your audience, increase post-click activity, and sell more products with Iterable video email

Video ❤️ Email

Easily add video to your email marketing campaigns.

High quality video that plays automatically on 99% of inboxes.

Patented Video Email technology works with any email platform.

Increase Video Views

Video is the most engaging content. Email is the most trusted channel.

Start sending your best content to your best audience.

Maximize the reach and ROI of your video marketing.

Optimize Engagement

Video stimulates interest and desire more than any other content type.

Video email viewers are better qualified to drive post-click activity.

Get more clicks. Sell more stuff.

Step-by-step Tutorial: How to embed video into Iterable emails using Playable

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create, embed, and send a Video Email using Iterable and Playable, which plays automatically at the moment of opening the email – like these examples.

If you want to use an MP4 video specifically, or videos from YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or other channels, you may prefer our other tutorials and video guides.

Prepare your email template in Iterable

1. Create a new email in Iterable

  • Navigate to Messaging > Campaigns
  • Click Create New Campaign
  • Enter a Campaign Name, Labels, select Blast for Campaign Type, and select a Message Medium
  • Select send and suppression lists
  • Click Continue to templates

2. Add an HTML Code Block

On the Select Template screen, choose an Existing Template or Create a New Template and click Continue to Design.

Simply drag and drop the HTML Code Block to where you want the video to appear in the email. You will return to this step shortly to add the video via this code block.

When you are done, click Save Template.

Import your video into Playable

3. Create your Playable account

If you are new to Playable you need to create a new account.

Once you are logged in you will see the Playable’s Welcome page, click Videos to continue.

Please note that Playable offers a 30-day free trial account to test drive the platform. After which you can upgrade your plan or purchase extra plays as required.

4. Access your Playable videos

You will start on the Playable home page of your new account. To start creating a new video for your email click Videos.

5. How to add a new video

To commence the process of creating a new video for use in your email simply click + Add Video.

6. Upload your video to Playable

Create a title for your video, this will be used to locate it in the future in your Playable account and in reporting. Referencing the dimensions of the image position holder in the email template you can now enter the size (width) of the video content you are looking to create, or keep the optimum size as suggested by Playable.

You have 2 options on how to upload your video content to Playable:

  • Copy & paste a URL of the video’s location – Playable accepts content from all the major hosting platforms including YouTube, Vimeo, Brightcove, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
  • File Upload  Upload a file from your computer. All video file formats are accepted, including MP4, AVI, and MOV.

Once you have selected your video, click the Apply button to upload your video file.

7. Automatic video preview

As your video is uploaded Playable creates a 10-second preview. You can choose to use this version of the video or create your own version using our Online Editor.

If you wish to use the video created by Playable, select Click Action from the menu to continue preparing the video.

If you prefer to create your own version of the video select Editor from the menu.

8. Edit your email video

Having completed the configuration of your video it is now time to edit your video. To commence this click Editor.

Our Online Editor is designed to enable you to create a video clip from the full-length video you uploaded. It is this edit that will be played in your video email. In the Editor, you can crop the video to focus on key content and select multiple scenes to change the duration of the video.

As you are creating your video email the Editor will show you the total duration and allow you to preview the edits, and re-edit until you are happy with your final cut. Once you are happy with your edit click the Continue button.

9. Enhance your email video

You are now ready to add enhancements to your video, including CaptionsWatermarkEndcard, or Footer. Simply select the enhancement you wish to add and follow the onscreen prompts to add it to your video.

You now have completed creating your video clip, so click the Compile button to continue.

Playable now compiles this video, creating multiple versions, which will be used to ensure each recipient receives an optimized video most suitable for their device, bandwidth, and connection.

10. Add a Call-To-Action (CTA) link

As the video is playing within the recipients’ email the option exists to include a Call-To-Action (CTA) link within the video.

To set your Click Action, add the link/URL of the destination page you want any clickers of the video to be re-directed to, and save it.

11. Preview & sample your video email

Preview how your video email plays in the major email clients by using the drop-down above the preview window.

You can also send a sample of your video email for internal review. Click the Sample button, complete the form, and hit Send. You can add a message to the sample. This is useful when circulating for internal feedback.

Once you are happy with the sample click Embed in the left-hand menu to continue.

Copy the Embed Code from Playable

12. Embed the video into your Iterable campaign

To embed the video into your email template select Iterable from the drop-down list of email providers, on the Embed page.

The HTML Embed Code, optimized to Iterable, will appear below. Always use the latest Embed Code to ensure capturing all changes made to the video and settings.

Click the Copy to Clipboard button to grab all the Embed Code to paste it into your Iterable email template.

Paste the Embed Code into Iterable

13. Paste the HTML into Iterable template

Return to your Iterable email template, from the previous step.

As you used the Copy to Clipboard button to grab Playable’s HTML Embed Code, simply paste it into the HTML Code Block.

Then Save Changes and continue.

Continue to design, test, and send your campaign using Iterable

14. Test and send your video email

Your video content is now embedded in your email template within Iterable, you can preview this and see the video playing.

To send your video email to continue to test and send your campaign in the normal way.

Seeing Is Believing

Enter your email address to send a sample video email to your inbox. Mouseover the video to preview the full campaign.

Memphis Zoo Creates Memories With Video

Theme parks The Memphis Zoo can invite families to their facilities with these entertaining high-quality video emails, as easy as opening their inbox.

Crealy Rides Now In Entertaining Videos

Theme parks With high-quality video email, Crealy Theme Park can show off their new and exciting rides, right in everyone's inbox...so get in line!

Celebrate Independence With Video Email

Gambling The Plaza Hotel & Casino can allure customers to their events and attractive facilities in HD video email, get ready for selling tickets!

Dinner Is Served At LongHorn Steakhouse

Restaurants Grill season is here, and LongHorn Steakhouse's delicious cut of meat and most popular dishes will make customers crave with video emails.

Learn More