Do you want to embed videos in emails? Try this solution

Due to security reasons, most major email clients and platforms do not allow you to embed videos in emails. While some do support HTML5 videos, it's a complicated process, and there's a chance that most recipients won't be able to see the video in their inbox anyway.

But by using a practical solution, you can ensure that all recipients of your emails can see your video if they choose to: use a static screenshot of your video and place a play button on it, or create a GIF instead. Then link it to your video.

The screenshot method

There are many ways to take a screenshot The Ultimate Guide on How to Take a Screenshot The Ultimate Guide on How to Take a Screenshot Most people would think that taking a screenshot was a simple and straightforward process, and that it would be the same On every platform they find. Well, they would be wrong. The process of taking screenshots... Read More Windows users can use the native Snipping Tool How to Take the Perfect Screenshot in Windows How to Take the Perfect Screenshot in Windows The best way to take a screenshot depends on the version of Windows you are on. We show you the subtle differences, provide troubleshooting tips, and reveal the best tools and keyboard shortcuts. Read More a screenshot on your mac ? Here are the best shortcuts, tips, and apps for macOS screenshots. Read more . If you prefer to take the screenshot with a browser tool, you can opt for a plugin or extension 7 Chrome Tools for quick and easy annotations 7 Chrome Tools for quick and easy annotations Capturing and annotating web pages, images or portions of articles can Be useful for work, school, or even personal research. Chrome offers a good selection of annotation extensions. Read More Firefox users now have a choice. Read more.

Add a play button using Canva

Once you've saved your screenshot to your computer, you can upload it to Canva and place a play button on it.

To create your screenshot:

1. Click the Create a layout button and click Use custom dimensions. A typical YouTube embed is 640 pixels by 360 pixels. If you want to use a larger screenshot, you can choose 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080.
2. Click Uploads> Upload your own images to get your screenshot into Canva. Click on the image once it has uploaded to insert it into your design. You can resize and drag the image to get it exactly where you want it.
3. Go Elements and look for Play button . You will find two free options:a blue button and a gray button. Click on the button of your choice and you can resize it by dragging the controls in or out. You can also adjust the opacity if you want. (If you don't like the free game icons available on Canva, you can also find a free-to-use icon on sites like Pixabay or Wikimedia Commons and upload it to Canva.)

If you prefer to do this process online, you can use programs like Photoshop or GIMP to achieve the same results.

The GIF method

If you prefer to have some movement instead of a static image, you can use a GIF. It's incredibly easy to create a GIF from a YouTube video How to Easily Convert YouTube Videos to GIF How to Easily Convert YouTube Videos to GIF Do you want a quick way to convert any YouTube video into a fast yet high-quality GIF? ? This site is the perfect tool for you. Read more . Services like Gifs.com also let you place a play button over your GIF, signaling to viewers that there's more to see.

To download GIFS created with Gifs.com, you'll need to sign up for a free account, and if you're creating a professional email, you might want to consider the upgraded account for $7.99 per month. (That said, the watermark is somewhat inconspicuous, only in the bottom right corner of the GIF.)

To create your GIF, do the following:

1. Copy and paste the link to your online video at Gifs.com. Once the video loads, click Sticker button. Select the start and end points of your video to use in the GIF.
2. Search play or play button to see the options available to you. Once you've found the play button you want to use, click it to add it to your GIF. You can drag to move the play button and resize it by dragging the controls in or out.
3. Click the Create GIF button and make sure to set the GIF to private.
4. Once the GIF is generated, you can download it to your computer and insert it into your email.

Embed the image or GIF and add a link

Now that you have your image or GIF ready to go, you can upload it using your email client, platform, or newsletter service of choice. This process will vary depending on how you plan to email them:

• If you are using the panorama customer, create a new message, go to the Insert tab and click on Images . This will open an upload dialog where you can browse to the file on your computer and add it to your email. Right click on the image and select Hyperlink . A dialog box will open. Paste the URL of your email in the Address field.
• If you're using Gmail, create a new message, click Image and in the Insert Photo dialog, go to the Upload tongue. Click on the Insert images online button to make sure that when you upload it, it doesn't appear as a regular attachment. Browse to the file on your computer and once it's uploaded, it will be automatically inserted into your email. Click on the image or GIF and then click on the Hyperlink button to add your link.
• If you've opted for a newsletter service, be sure to see what options they offer for embedding images and GIFs in a newsletter.

What tips and tricks do you use to share video content via email? Let us know in the comments.