Can I include Flash/video or animated files in my campaigns?

Videos in email

Most email programs will not display video files or animated GIFs due to security concerns. Some will not display an image at all, and some will only display the first frame. 

This means in many cases you will need to setup a text link or an image to launch your video playback, as outlined in "Method 1" below. In these cases, recipients are actually taken to the web version of the campaign (and thus outside of their email application) where they are able to view the video/animation without any issues.

Please note: The video will have to be added to the second page of your campaign as videos cannot play in the inboxes of email clients.

To include a video in your campaign, follow these steps:

Method 1 - Available for All Video File Formats (.avi, .flv, .mov, .mp4, .mpg, .swf, etc.)

1. Determine if the video will be hosted on an external website or uploaded to the Content Library. 
   • For a video hosted on an external website, you will be able to link to that URL as outlined in the following steps. 
     or
   • For a video hosted on our system, you will need to upload the video file to the content library. Note the maximum video file size is approximately 60 MB (which translates to an .mp4 video file of approximately 10 minutes in length with H264 encoding at 640x360 resolution and stereo sound). For larger video files, the content will need to be hosted on an external website (such as your own web server or another third party video hosting site).
2. Determine if you will use a text link or an image as the call to action to launch the video playback. 
   • For a text link (such as "Click here to play video"), enter the desired text into your campaign content.
     or
   • For an image (such as a JPG file that includes a play button), upload the image file to the content library, and then insert the image into your campaign content.
3. Select and activate the text or image that will launch your video playback.
   • For a video hosted on an external website, highlight/select the text or select the image. Click the Create Link icon in the editing toolbar, enter the URL for the external website that hosts your video file, and click the Create Link to URL button. When a recipient clicks the text or image, they will be taken to that URL to view the video.
     or
   • For a video in the Content Library, highlight/select the text or select the image. Click the Insert Image or File icon in the editing toolbar, click Use next to the video file, and click the Link button when prompted to Replace or Link. When a recipient clicks the text or image, the video player on their computer or mobile device will play the video.

Method 2 - Only Available for .mp4 Video File Formats 

If your video is an.mp4 file, you also have the option to insert the video file directly into your campaign content.

1. In order to insert the link to your .mp4 video files, the video will need to be hosted on our system. Upload the video file to the content library.
2. Position your cursor in your campaign content where you would like for the video to appear. Click the Insert Image or File icon in the editing toolbar, and click Use next to the video file.
3. A still image of the first frame of the video will automatically display with a play button. When the recipients click that image, they will be taken to the web version of the campaign (and thus outside of their email application) where they are able to view the video.

Please note: The video will play automatically for those recipients whose email clients allow it. The majority of email clients, for example Outlook, do not allow videos to play automatically for security reasons.