What should I write in an email with a video link?

Three or four short lines. Who you are, why you are writing to this person in particular, and that the video is short, with its length in seconds. Put the link on its own line and say what to do if they are interested, such as the booking button under the video. Leave out your job history and any apology for sending a video.

What is the difference between the note on the video page and the email?

The email gets them to click. The note on the page is what they read after clicking, with the play button in front of them, so it only needs to set up the video in one or two sentences. If both say the same thing, the recipient reads it twice and the note feels like padding.

Should I say how long the video is?

Yes, in seconds, just before the link. "A 40 second video" tells the recipient what they are committing to and makes the link easier to open. Keep the stated length honest, and keep the video under a minute for a first message so the number stays small.

What subject line should I use for an email with a video?

A plain, specific one. Name what the video is about and who it is from, such as "Short video from Aisha about the designer role". If someone referred you, put their name in the subject. Avoid "Quick question" and anything that hides the fact that there is a video.

What to write in the note and email you send with a video link

By Pranav Reddy, founder of hi.video · Updated September 10, 2026 · 5 min read

You have recorded the video. Now there are two small pieces of writing left, and people rush both of them.

The first is the note that sits above the video on the page the recipient opens. The second is the email or message that carries the link to that page. They do different jobs, and a common mistake is writing the same paragraph twice.

Two pieces of text, two jobs

The email has one job: get the person to click. It has to say who you are, why them, and that the thing behind the link is short. If it does that in four lines, it has done enough.

The note on the page has a different job. By the time the recipient reads it, they have already clicked.

They are looking at your cover frame with the play button in front of them, and the note is the sentence or two they read before pressing it. It sets up the video. It should not summarise it.

If the email and the note say the same thing, the recipient reads it twice, and the second reading feels like padding.

What the note above the video is for

Keep it to two sentences. The first says why you sent this. The second says what the video is, or what you would like them to do after.

Thanks for taking a look, Priya. This is 40 seconds on why I think your onboarding emails are the right place to start, and the button below books a call if you agree.

That is the whole note. Their name is already on the page, so you do not have to repeat it, though it does no harm.

Do not use the note to apologise for sending a video or to restate your CV. Every extra sentence is one more reason to not press play.

Skip anything that depends on timing, too. "Hope you had a good weekend" reads oddly on a Wednesday three weeks later. The recipient might not open the link for a while, so write the note as if they could read it next month.

The email that carries the link

Subject line first. Plain and specific beats clever. "Short video from Pranav about the support lead role" tells them what it is. "Quick question" does not.

If you have a mutual contact or a specific trigger, that goes in the subject: "Video intro after Sam's recommendation".

Then the body:

Hi Priya,

I'm Pranav, and I run a two person consultancy that fixes onboarding email for software companies. Sam Ortiz suggested I get in touch after your conversation last week.

Rather than write a long email, I recorded a 40 second video with one specific idea for your signup flow:

(paste your hi.video link here, on its own line)

If it is useful, there is a button under the video to book 20 minutes. If not, no reply needed.

Pranav

That fits on one phone screen. The link sits on its own line with the length stated just before it, because a link that says "40 seconds" next to it is easy to click and a bare link is easy to ignore. On the Pro plan the link includes your own username, which makes it look more personal.

Each template below is short on purpose. Fill in the specifics, cut anything you would not say out loud, and send.

Template for a job seeker

Subject: Video introduction for the product designer role

Hi Marcus,

I've applied for the product designer role through your careers page, and I wanted to put a face to the application.

This is a 45 second video on why the job and my last two years at a healthcare startup fit together:

(paste your hi.video link here)

My portfolio and CV are in the application. If it would help to talk, the button under the video opens my calendar.

Thanks for your time,

Aisha

The note on the page: "Thanks for watching, Marcus. This is the short version of why I applied. The long version is in the portfolio."

There is a longer treatment in video cover letter: what to say.

Template for a consultant or freelancer

Subject: One idea for your checkout page, 50 seconds

Hi Lena,

I'm a freelance conversion designer, and I spent ten minutes on your checkout this morning because a friend mentioned your shop.

I noticed one thing that I think is costing you orders, and it was quicker to show you than to write it up:

(paste your hi.video link here)

If you want to talk it through, the button under the video books a slot. If you would rather have it in writing, reply and I'll send a paragraph.

Dev

The note on the page: "Lena, this is the one thing I'd change first on your checkout. The screen recording shows exactly where."

Template for a sales first touch

Subject: 30 seconds on why I'm writing to you specifically

Hi Tomás,

Your careers page shows three open support roles and your help centre was last updated in March, which is often when repeat tickets start to pile up.

I recorded 30 seconds on what I would look at first:

(paste your hi.video link here)

If this is not a problem for you right now, say so and I will leave you alone. If it is, the button under the video books 15 minutes.

Jo

The note on the page: "Tomás, 30 seconds on repeat tickets and why I think your help centre is the quickest fix."

What to leave out

These turn up in first drafts and weaken the message.

Any explanation of what hi.video is or why you used video. They will see when they click.
"I know you're busy." They know. It reads as an apology before you have said anything.
A second link. One link, one button. The page already has the button.
Your full job history. The video is 40 seconds and the CV is attached, so the email does not need a third version.
Attachments other than the one you promised. A video link plus three PDFs looks like a pitch deck.
A line insisting the video is real and not AI. You do not need to defend it. Every hi is made with the hi.video recorder, which has no uploads and no AI avatars, and the trust page explains what the "Recorded in hi.video" label does and does not tell a viewer.
A deadline you cannot back up. "I'll follow up on Friday" is fine if you will. "This offer expires" is not.

If you are starting from nothing, record your first hi, then come back and pick the template closest to your situation. For more on the email and LinkedIn cases, see adding a video to a cold email and sending a video link on LinkedIn.