There`s more than one way to deliver video e-mail
Retailers are starting to use video to target consumers. Although tests
are just beginning, vendors say the results bring in higher response rates
than text or HTML e-mails. But there are different approaches to the
technology and because video e-mail is new no single technology has emerged
as a leader. The ongoing argument is whether messages should be embedded
into the e-mail or delivered by streaming video through an Internet
connection.
Los Gatos, CA-based Storymail uses the video embedding technique to
deliver its messages. “The quality is guaranteed because it doesn’t play
until all the content is fully loaded and is not broken up with bandwidth
downloads,” says Timo Allison, director of market development. However, it
is possible that it could take too long for a recipient to download a
message, which can make marketing efforts useless. But Allison says
that while there is a risk of losing the customer the technology gets around
the obstacle by using software that can identify what a recipient can
download.
Other video e-mail vendors, such as TMX Interactive, deliver video e-mail
through a recipient’s Internet connection. The company uses sniffer
technology to identify what type of connection a recipient has and then
delivers the appropriate version of the message, says Blair Lyon, founder
and president. The concern with this approach is that recipients with slow
modems will not view the message or even the same message as others
with faster modems. “Once we see what the end user needs we serve them a
scaled down version of the message and that’s the most important thing that
the marketer wants,” Lyon says. “A marketer only has three to five
seconds to get a consumer’s attention. If nothing plays or they see a blank
screen because they’re waiting for a download, then they won’t read the
message. It’s a waste of a marketer’s money.”
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