Quick question: How did you go shopping for your last major non-food purchase?
If you’re anything like most Americans these days, you started your search – and quite possibly finished it – online. Online shopping has exploded in popularity. This means that if you are an ecommerce business, you need to find ways to stand out from your competitors. One of the most potent ways to do that is through video marketing.
In this handy guide, we’ll dive into how video marketing works, why it’s so important for ecommerce brands, and how you can create compelling product marketing videos that drive engagement – and sales.
Let’s begin!
The Power of Video Marketing in Ecommerce
Using videos for ecommerce brands and product marketing is far more than just a marketing trend, some buzzwords designed to get applause in a board meeting. Video marketing has proven itself to be a pivotal part of a successful digital marketing strategy for nearly all brands, especially ecommerce ones.
Here’s why product marketing videos are more common than ever in digital marketing:
- Higher engagement. Ever heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”? It’s true, because an image can convey more information than text can – and videos do so much more. Videos also capture attention more effectively than text or static images do, and can explain complex information rapidly, keeping viewers engaged longer.
- Increased conversion rates. Shoppers who view product videos are more likely to make a purchase than shoppers who do not. Ecommerce product videos help customers visualize how a product works and fits into their lives. This reduces uncertainty and increases confidence – especially when the videos are user-generated or testimonial-driven. (More on this later.)
- Improved SEO. Search engines like websites with video content. Incorporating ecommerce product videos into your site can improve your organic search rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
- Mobile optimization. More customers shop on their mobile devices every day. Videos are a mobile-friendly way to showcase your products; they load quickly and are easy to watch on smaller screens if filmed in portrait mode. This makes ecommerce product videos perfect for on-the-go shoppers or shoppers browsing from their couch while “Great British Baking Show” is on in the background. (I’ve never done this, promise.)
What Makes a Great Product Marketing Video?
Making successful product marketing videos involves much more than just filming your product from different angles, calling it a day, and going to watch Netflix. You should plan your product videos out, including visuals, messaging, and even a little bit of storytelling.
- Have a clear purpose. Before you start creating your product videos, think about what you want to achieve. Are you doing glamorous “epic” product shots to inspire and catch attention? Are you educating potential customers about how to use your product, or how it might see use in their lives? These are all very different types of videos in product marketing, so having a clear purpose will guide both the content and style.
- Know your target audience. Marketing to 55 year-old engineers is very different from marketing to 25 year-old engineering students. Marketing to parents is different from marketing to single people. Understand your target audience – their pain points, their motivators – and tailor your message to address their needs and preferences.
- Be a storyteller. Even a simple product glam video can harness the power of storytelling. Think about it: What are you showing first? What’s the “climax” of the video? These are all storytelling beats, so try to think of yourself as crafting a narrative with even the simplest, most straightforward ecommerce product videos. Instead of simply list features, show your product solving a problem or improving a customer’s life.
- Use high-quality visuals. The quality of your video reflects the quality of your brand in the eyes of many potential customers. Invest in good lighting, clear audio, and professional editing – all of this creates a significantly more polished final product.
- Include a strong Call to Action (CTA). Every ecommerce video marketing strategy should end with “have a great CTA.” Whether you want viewers to visit your website, subscribe to a newsletter, or make a purchase, make sure it’s clear what you want them to do next.
What Are the Types of Ecommerce Product Videos?
There are many different types of videos used in ecommerce product marketing. Here are just a few of the more effective ones.
- Product demonstrations. These videos show your product in action. They highlight key features and prominent benefits, and help potential customers understand what makes your product unique from your competitors – and indispensable in their lives.
- How-to guides. These are instructional videos that teach customers how to use your product. They are particularly useful for complex or technical products. They can also include troubleshooting videos or repair guides for things like appliances.
- Unboxing videos. Remember how you felt as a child during the holidays, unboxing an exciting new present? These videos tap into that nostalgia and excitement you felt, creating a sense of anticipation and highlighting the experience of a customer opening something for the first time.
- Customer testimonials. These videos feature real customers who share their positive experiences with your brand and products, which can build real trust and credibility. These videos are exceptionally effective at persuading potential buyers who might be on the fence.
- Explainer videos. These are similar to product demonstrations or how-to guides, but distinct enough that they really deserve their own section. These videos are short, and can be animated or live action.
How to Create Ecommerce Product Videos
While we can’t tell you how to make videos for your specific product – you know your brand better than we do! – if you’re going to start doing ecommerce video marketing, it involves care across planning, execution, and post-production. Here’s a step-by-step guide to expert product marketing videos:
- Planning. Start with a clear concept. What is the main message you want to convey? Refer to the above list and consider the purpose of your video, and go from there. Create a storyboard or script to outline the flow of the video, ensuring that the final product aligns with your goals.
- Filming. You need to actually film the video to get one out there! Whether you’re using a smartphone or professional-quality equipment, focus on getting high-quality footage. Pay attention to things like lighting, angles, and shot composition. Make sure the product is the star of the show.
- Editing. This is where your video really comes to life. Use editing software to trim unnecessary parts, and add things like music, captions, and special effects. Keep the video concise; if it’s going over a minute, or 2 minutes at absolute most, it’ll be longer than recommended for most ecommerce videos. Remember, you can always make multiple videos, and multiple shorter ones tend to be more effective and versatile than one longer one.
- Optimization. Once the video is ready, optimize it for SEO! Include relevant keywords in the title, description, and tags. Remember that not everyone watches videos with the sound on, so edits like adding a transcript or captions aren’t just great for accessibility, they’re excellent for letting people of all types enjoy your videos. This also improves searchability.
- Distribution. Share your video! You can use it on multiple platforms, like your website or social media channels, on landing pages, or in email marketing campaigns. Tailor the video format to each platform; a long-form video on YouTube should be in landscape, while videos for TikTok or YouTube Shorts should be in portrait mode.
Ecommerce Video Marketing: 5 Best Practices
- Keep It Short and Sweet. The average attention span is short these days – and it’s even worse for people who are regularly online. Keep your video brief but informative. Again, we recommend having a maximum length of around 2 minutes, but really, it’s better if you can keep it at 1 minute or even shorter. A video that runs too long can lose viewers before they ever get close to your CTA.
- Don’t talk about features; talk about benefits. Your customers need to know how your product will improve their lives. Don’t just tell them that it includes a “stereoscopic gyrograph” or whatever – they might not know what it means. Tell them how having a stereoscopic gyrograph will address their pain points.
- Try to stay professional. Not everyone has access to expensive cameras and microphones, but a video that looks amateurish will make your brand look amateurish. Inconsistent audio, muddy visuals – these are the sorts of things you want to avoid. Consider renting professional equipment or hiring a professional.
- Incorporate your branding. Make sure your branding is clear and present through the video. This includes things like your logo, brand colors, and a consistent tone of voice. If you’re selling fun toys for kids, don’t have a boring video; if you’re selling lawn care equipment, don’t make it look like it’s for kids.
- Test and iterate. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of videos and formats. Use analytics to track performance and refine your approach based on what works best.
Try to Harness User-Generated Content
Remember how, all the way back in the first part of the blog, we talked about things like user testimonials and how we’d talk about them later? Well, now’s later.
What if there was a way to get great content for all of the aforementioned categories – how-to guides, unboxing videos, product demonstrations – without you actually having to take the time, effort, and money to make it?
There is: User-generated content, or UGC. These are types of videos that are made by real customers showing them using your content in various ways.
UGC is valuable because it can show other curious potential customers how real people are enjoying your brand’s products, without the niggling doubt in their minds of “hey, isn’t this just an ad?” When a viewer watches a testimonial of someone who enjoyed your product and would recommend it, that’s powerful social proof and can encourage hesitant customers on the fence to take the plunge.
We’ve written about the power of UGC in marketing, and if you want to know more about how to get the best user-generated videos, how to use them, and what makes them so effective, we recommend you go to that blog and read it!
However, to briefly reiterate:
- These videos are often much more authentic and relatable, and don’t trigger the suspicion in a customer’s mind that they’re watching an advertisement that could be misleading.
- These videos don’t need full professional quality equipment and editing; if someone is talking to their phone camera about how much they love your product, it’s understandable if it’s not the most polished thing in the world. (That said, you should still make sure it’s all audible and the video is clear).
- User-generated content can help fill niches by making content for markets you might never have independently thought to reach out to or been able to market to – for instance, a user who speaks a different language can help you reach that language without specifically making ads for it.
The Power of Ecommerce Product Videos
As we’ve shown through this blog, video marketing is an indispensable part of modern ecommerce digital marketing. From product demonstrations to UGC customer testimonials, ecommerce product videos can engage an audience, provide potent social proof, help your users get more value out of their purchase, boost your SEO, and ultimately drive sales and increase your bottom line.
By following the guidelines and best practices we’ve outlined in this ecommerce video marketing guide, you can create compelling, engaging video content that doesn’t just showcase your products – but which builds a strong connection with your customers.
The landscape of digital marketing will continue to evolve, and if anyone tells you they know what the next big thing is, they’re probably lying. But video marketing is here to stay, and embracing it will be key to maintaining a competitive edge.
Want help embracing the power of video? Talk to an expert ecommerce video marketing agency like SevenAtoms today, and let us help transform your ecommerce business.
