What are the benefits of embedding Video by Playable in an email over an animated GIF?

Embedding Video in email by Playable delivers 12 key benefits over the use of an animated GIF when you are seeking to add moving image content to your email campaigns.

1. Small file size

Playable delivers a video payload of approximately 10% of a comparable GIF file. This translates to faster load times, higher quality user experiences, and higher conversion.

2. High quality image formats

Playable delivers MP4 video, animated WebP files, or HLS streams for devices and email clients that support the formats. These file formats offer a richer color palette compared to GIF, and superior file sizes, resulting in a higher quality user experience and higher conversion.

3. Fast First Frame

Playable loads and displays a Fast First Frame (average file size is just 20,000 bytes) before the main video is loaded. This results in a more immediate video experience for viewers, and a superior video email experience for all recipients.

4. Alt Image

With Playable, you don’t have to worry about Outlook only showing the first frame in a GIF. Playable enables you to choose any frame to display on legacy Microsoft Outlook clients. Playable doesn’t charge for Plays on Microsoft Outlook.

5. Network Policy

Playable adjusts the video payload depending on network connection of each user. For example, viewers on a cable or WiFi connection get a higher resolution video compared to viewers on a cellular connection. This means all recipients are able to view your video at the best quality relative to their connection.

Playable can also apply different Network Policies to customize the network adjustments based on your particular market or audience.

6. Real-time reporting

Playable offers real-time reporting, including Dwell Time, a measure of how long viewers are looking at your email.

7. Real-time A/B content optimization

Playable enables you to compete alternative videos. Based on real-time open and click data, the most engaging version will be shown to more viewers. Our algorithm is mathematically proven to optimize overall audience engagement.

8. Smart Video Editor

Playable includes a web-based WYSIWYG video editor, which is designed to make it quick and easy to create your video email clip.

9. Captions

Video captions are proven to increase engagement. The Playable Video Editor enables you to easily add captions to your video.

10. Endcard

The Playable Video Editor includes the ability to easily add an end-card to your video email clip, featuring a call-to-action message. For our tips on creating the most effective end card click here

11. Audio

Playable’s click-play feature allows you to deliver high quality video and audio to the majority of inboxes, after the viewer clicks to watch & listen.

12. Live video streaming

Playable can deliver your live video streams directly into the recipients email, delivering significant shifts in user engagement as shown by ESPN when it used this feature during the NBA play-offs.

Summary

Playable certainly offers some compelling benefits over the animated GIF. In conjunction with this case for Playable, it is also useful to consider our recent analysis on Why embedding a video in email is better than adding a GIF and an A/B split test we conducted on AutoPlay Video vs a Static Image within an email