You can help boost engagement and conversion with your messages by including media like images, GIFs, videos, and more. You can add your own media files to both campaign and journey messages or choose a ready-made image from our rotating media gallery. Messages you send can include one image, video, GIF, or contact card, although you can include different pieces of media in a subsequent campaign or journey messages.
For guidance on media placement, dimensions, and more, see FAQs: MMS messages.
In general, the best kinds of media to use include one of the following:
- Promotions for seasonal sales of specific products
- Great images of products or collections of products
- Videos that feature your brand’s leadership or other media personalities inviting subscribers to shop with a discount
To add media to a journey or campaign message:
- Click on the + icon in the message composer.
- Select the type of media you want to add to your message. Note that some media types are only available for certain message types. For more on available options, see Message media types.
- Follow the prompts to add media to your message. Once added, your media appears as a small rectangle beneath your message.
- Send a test message to yourself to verify its appearance.
iOS vs. Android media files
It’s important to keep in mind that iOS and Android handle media attachments differently. You can provide the best experience for subscribers by segmenting your audiences based on their operating system, and sending slightly different messages to each.
| iOS | Android | |
| Video preview links | Videos and video fallback images only display if the subscriber has your contact card saved. | Do not see either video or fallback image. Android subscribers see only the message text. |
| Contact cards | Full support |
Supported by newer Android devices only |
Message media types
Not all media types are available for all device types, and may appear differently on different devices. For example, video preview links will appear only on iOS devices. If you want to include a video preview link, make sure that your audience segments for subscribers using iOS.
Note that the file size of media you include in messages has a direct impact on MMS deliverability and speed. If you’re sending a message to a large audience, consider reducing the file size. Note that maximum file sizes are reduced in the period leading up to Black Friday/Cyber Monday to ensure deliverability.
| File type | Optimal file size | Maximum file size | Black Friday/Cyber Monday maximum file size |
| Static image or GIF | 200KB | 600KB | 300KB |
| MP4 (video or audio) | 200KB | 500KB | 300KB |
Image or GIF
As a default, you’ll almost always want to include a static image or animated GIF in every message you send to subscribers. Messages with images typically receive significantly more engagement with subscribers than those that do not. Also, the more tailored your images or GIFs are to your message, the better.
Not sure what image to include? No worries – you can select an image from our rotating gallery of ready-made image gallery:
Images over 500 KB are automatically compressed.
Native audio or video
Native audio or video embeds an MP4 file into your message, which subscribers can tap to watch or listen. Native video files are great for sending subscribers product promo videos, special offer videos, or messages from influences or brand founders. You can include native audio or video files in both campaigns and journey messages.
Note that native audio or video files don’t include text, so make sure to include message copy + a shortlink.
Video preview link
Video preview links embed a video into your message that subscribers can watch in their messaging app. Video preview links also add text + a link to the video preview, to which you can add Google Analytics UTM tracking. If a subscriber’s device can’t display the video, they see a fallback image that you select instead. You can include native audio or video files in both campaigns and journey messages.
Because video preview links automatically include a shortlink, you don’t need to include one in your message copy.
Video preview links must include the following:
- Link URL
- MP4 video file
- Fallback image
- Video preview title
Dynamic product image
Dynamic product images use an image from your store in a message you send to subscribers. This option is great if you’re building back in stock, low inventory, price drop, or other product data journeys. A key advantage of dynamic product images is that you don’t have to select a specific image – an image of the product that triggered the journey is automatically selected instead.
If you don’t have an image associated with the product that triggered the journey, a generic fallback image is used instead.
You can only use dynamic product images with journeys that use your product data.
Virtual contact card
Virtual contact cards let you embed your contact information in messages that, when tapped, save your contact information to subscriber devices. Once subscribers save your contact info, messages you send will appear on subscriber devices as the name you set in Company Settings and will also display your contact image. You can include virtual contact cards in both journeys and campaigns, although you’ll typically get the best results if you include them primarily in welcome messages.
Note that contact cards appear slightly differently depending on subscriber devices:
For more, check out Contact cards.
Create GIFs and add them to text messages
You can create new GIFs from uploaded images or images from your product catalog to add them to your text messages.
- Click Create GIF while creating a campaign or journey text message.
- In the Create GIF window, upload or choose the images you want to include in the GIF. Images over 500 KB are automatically compressed.
- (Optional) Adjust the Aspect ratio cropping (e.g., square, portrait) to specify the size and shape of the GIF.
- (Optional) Adjust the Transition speed to speed up or slow down the transition between individual images in the GIF.
- Click Insert GIF.