Playable
Playable allows you to add auto-play video content to your Braze email campaigns through reusable Braze Content Blocks.
This integration is maintained by Playable.
About the integration
The Braze and Playable integration allows you to deliver high-quality video content that plays automatically within the inbox. Playable automatically optimizes video delivery based on the recipient’s email client, device, screen size, and network conditions.
Videos are exported directly to Braze as Content Blocks, making them reusable across multiple email campaigns.
Embedded videos are not natively supported by many email clients and can significantly increase email size, which may cause messages to be marked as spam. Playable addresses this by delivering optimized video content with appropriate fallbacks for different email clients. For more details about video in email, see Can I embed videos in emails?
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Playable Account | A Playable account is required. If you don’t have one, sign up for a Playable account. |
| Braze API Key | A Braze REST API key with content_blocks.create and content_blocks.update permissions. This can be created in the Braze dashboard from Settings > API Keys. |
| Braze REST Endpoint | Your Braze instance REST endpoint, such as https://rest.iad-01.braze.com. Your endpoint will depend on the Braze URL for your instance. |
| Video Content | Videos uploaded to Playable or imported from supported sources such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. |
Implementation
Step 1: Connect your Braze account
- Log in to Playable.
- Select Braze as the integration platform.
- Enter your Braze credentials:
- API Key: Your Braze REST API key.
- REST Endpoint: Your Braze instance REST endpoint.
- Click Continue to Dashboard.
Create a dedicated Braze API key for the integration and grant only the required content_blocks.create and content_blocks.update permissions.
Step 2: Select a video
After connecting your Braze account, you’ll see the videos available in your Playable library.
- Preview a video using the Play button.
- Select the video you want to export.
- Click Export.
Step 3: Export the video to Braze
When exporting a video for the first time:
- Enter a Video Title for the Braze Content Block.
- Use only alphanumeric characters, hyphens, and underscores in the name.
- Optionally select Export as Draft if you want to review the Content Block before making it active.
- Click Confirm.
Playable creates the Content Block directly in your connected Braze account.
Use descriptive Content Block names that identify the video or campaign, such as summer_sale_hero_2026.
Step 4: Update an existing Content Block
If a video has already been exported to Braze, it is marked with an Active badge in Playable.
When exporting it again, you can:
- Override Existing: Update the existing Content Block with the latest version of the video.
- Create New: Create a separate Content Block with a new name.
Use Override Existing when you want to update an existing video without creating duplicates. Use Create New when you need a separate version, such as for A/B testing.
Step 5: Use the Content Block in Braze
- Log in to your Braze dashboard.
- Navigate to Templates > Content Blocks.
- Find the Content Block created by Playable.
- Add the Content Block to your Braze email campaign.
Content Blocks can be reused across multiple email campaigns.
Video compatibility
Playable videos autoplay in 98%+ of inboxes, including:
- iPhone Mail
- Gmail
- Apple Mail
- Outlook for iOS
- Outlook for Android
- Outlook for Mac
- Newer versions of Outlook 365 for Windows
- Yahoo Mail
- AOL Mail
Legacy Outlook for Windows and other clients that do not support autoplay receive an optimized static image or video thumbnail with a play button instead.
Always test your email across the email clients used by your audience before sending a large campaign.
Best practices
Content Block naming
- Use concise, descriptive names.
- Include campaign or date identifiers when useful.
- Use only alphanumeric characters, hyphens, and underscores.
- Avoid creating duplicate Content Blocks when an existing block can be updated.
Video selection
- Use videos optimized for email; 15–60 seconds is a recommended range.
- Choose a clear thumbnail for fallback scenarios.
- Preview the video before exporting.
- Test the final email across major email clients.
Content Block management
- Use Draft mode when a video requires review before going live.
- Use Override Existing to update an existing Content Block.
- Use Create New when maintaining separate video variations or A/B tests.
- Regularly review and archive unused Content Blocks in Braze.
Campaign integration
- Place video content where it is visible early in the email when appropriate.
- Include a clear call to action after the video.
- Test email rendering before launching the campaign.
- Monitor engagement metrics to optimize video placement and content.