Add video to an email

Email clients don't support embedded video playback — clicking a play button inside an email doesn't work the way it does on a webpage. Instead, use one of two approaches to feature video content in your broadcasts.

Option 1: Thumbnail image with a link

This is the most reliable method and works in every email client.

Take a screenshot or export a thumbnail from your video
Add a play button icon over the center of the image so it looks clickable
Insert the image into your email broadcast
Link the image to the video URL (your on-demand library, YouTube, or Vimeo)

When a client clicks the image, the video opens in a new browser tab.

[IMAGE TODO] Take a screenshot showing an example email in the email editor with a video thumbnail image inserted (with a play button overlay visible on the image), and the link settings panel open showing the video URL destination.

Choose a thumbnail that clearly shows what the video is about — a frame of you mid-instruction or a class setting performs better than a title card.

Option 2: Animated GIF preview

A GIF adds motion and teases the content without relying on video playback.

Convert a short clip (5–10 seconds) from your video to a GIF using a tool like EZGIF or Filmora
Insert the GIF into your email as an image
Add a call-to-action button below the GIF linking to the full video

Keep GIFs under 1MB when possible — large GIFs can slow email load time and trigger spam filters.

Linking to on-demand videos

To link to a specific video in your Arketa library:

Go to On-Demand → Videos
Click the three dots next to the video → Share
Copy the checkout URL
Use that URL as the link destination on your thumbnail or CTA button

[IMAGE TODO] Take a screenshot showing the On-Demand → Videos page with the three-dot menu expanded on a video, showing the "Share" option and the checkout URL copy dialog.

This takes clients directly to the video's purchase/access page.