Use Ecommerce Product Videos To Increase Your Sales
Ecommerce product videos are essential for ecommerce businesses to increase sales. And these videos can take many different forms. The purpose of each video will depend on your particular campaign goals and where it will be placed. This means that you will have to be ready to record many different voice-overs and multiple bumpers.
Some of the main reasons you’ll want to create ecommerce product videos are:
- Enhancing your conversions – these videos can be placed on the product page, on a welcome series email, or Instagram and Facebook.
- Increasing the average order value (AOV) – the placements can be the same as the ones mentioned above.
- Bringing in new customers – your videos can be displayed as part of your Facebook and Instagram advertising . You can also put them up on YouTube as a welcome series.
In this blog, we’re going to be looking at the different types of ecommerce product videos you’ll want to consider. We’ll also be looking into the best practices that you should follow when you create these videos yourself.
Let’s dive right in.
But first, why is video marketing great at getting you results?
With video marketing, you can tell your customers your product or brand’s story in ways that will help keep them engaged. They can help bring your products to life. Of course, you can use a still image with a good caption to let customers know about the product. But with video, you can show them how it can be used and display all the amazing benefits and features too.
A few ideas are:
- Showing potential customers what current customers like about your products the most.
- Telling them why they should trust your brand and why you are better than your competition.
- Keeping it light-hearted with some well-placed humor.
Good quality videos will help make your customers feel more comfortable about buying your products. This is because they will be able to clearly see the quality of the product you are offering them. It will also make it easier for the viewers to share this across their social media. This in turn, will increase your reach and brand awareness.
“49% of online shoppers say not being able to physically touch a product is one of their least favorite parts of shopping online.” – Big Commerce
So what are the types of product videos you can use to increase sales?
There are many different types of product videos that you can use to bring in all that traffic that you need. In this blog, let’s look at five types that can get you the results you need. They are:
- How-To videos
- Product In Use Videos
- Close Up Videos
- Installation Videos
- Story Videos
How-to ecommerce product videos
Your quintessential how-to video will simply show how to use your products. These videos are great for anybody who has a complicated product where the features provide the main benefit. It could also be perfect for anybody with a product that actually has multiple uses.
The example above from Breville Precision Brewer is made to flaunt the features of the coffee brewer. It also shows customers how easy to use the product actually is.
Product in use videos
If you want to pull attention to your product, this type of video is the best way to do it. You can use real people (your customers), or those who fit well with your target audience. When you show customers how the product can become a part of day to day life, you help make it part of their lifestyle.
This type of video is great for any product which has a use that can be demonstrated.
The video example above is awesome for a few different reasons. It is entertaining yes (especially that voice), but it also showcases the spirit of the brand well. All in less than 30 seconds..
Close up ecommerce product videos
Just like the name suggests, this type of video will give customers a close up look at the product. Does the product that you are selling have a lot of little details that could be beneficial to the customer? Then this type of video will help them make that decision to buy. For example things like jewelry or leatherwork, or any other item that includes intricate craftsmanship. You also don’t have to do the video creation on your own. If you have a budget allocated, there are services that can help you with anythin from minor edits to full production.
Installation ecommerce product videos
If you want to show your customers how they can set up or install a product, choose this type of video. Videos will give a clearer and more ‘real life’ idea than images and text alone. The main idea behind installation videos should be to make the installation process easy and as fast as possible. This means that you will need to have plenty of practice before you shoot.
Story ecommerce product videos
Story videos are done to tell the story of the product to the customer. It tells them why the product was made, how it was made and what ‘greater good’ the product will do. If you feel that you have a product with a good story behind it, make use of this type of video storytelling. The example below is from Gaiam – a Shopify store that tells the story behind their product effectively. It actually takes a unique perspective and tells the story of how the product was inspired.
Since you now know some of the main ecommerce product video types that you can try out. Let’s also look at the best practices that should be followed when creating them, along with some example videos that can inspire you.
Best practices to follow when making ecommerce product videos
There is no mistaking it. Making videos that are of high quality takes a lot of work. But it also gets you results. Video marketing is the perfect tool for you to increase traffic and convert customers on your website. Maybe you have never done this before, but as the saying goes, there is a first time for everything. So we have some best practices for you that we believe will help you create effective videos for your ecommerce business.
Identify your audience
Do some market research to identify who your actual target audience is. You will be putting in effort, money and time and the last thing you want, is for these videos to not show results. You should know without a doubt, what your ideal customers are looking for in the product.
What are the biggest issues that they have had with products that they have bought in the past? Are they trying to solve any of these issues, if at all? You should also get customer feedback from people who are happy with what they got from you. These can then be used as the benefits in your videos that you create. This example below is of a candid video that will help you understand how you can get through to your customers.
What are your KPIs and goals?
What exactly do you want to achieve with the videos that you are making? Would you like to have more subscribers? Maybe you want to enhance the number of social media shares and your direct sales as well? When you know what your KPIs are, it will give you a clearer understanding of the way forward.
You must have a budget
You need to think of your return of investment, just like you do with any other form of marketing. When you have a budget set up, you will be able to leave a margin that is well thought out. And you’ll be pushed to come up with creative solutions for your videos, where your budget won’t allow for more expensive options.
Always look for high quality
While we did say that you need to have a budget, you shouldn’t cut corners to the extent that you compromise on the quality of the final output. Do whatever you can do, well!
One way to handle this would be to do some competitor research. See what strategies they have taken up to ensure that they get more sales. Once you know where the bar has been set, you can create videos that will set you apart.
Don’t make ecommerce product videos that are too long
This is one rule of thumb that you must follow. The average consumer is much more likey to watch a video that is just 60 seconds long. What you want to be doing is delivering a powerful message on why your product is beneficial to customers. What you do not want to do is distract them from that key point. If you have too much filler content in the video, this main information will get drowned out
Always prepare a script
You always want to stay on track with your videos whether they are live or have been pre-recorded. The best way to accomplish this is to work with script. This will effectively stop you from ‘rambling on’. It will also help you focus on the key points that you want to tell your customers. Your script will need a hook just like in the case of copywriting. This tool will make the video appealing to your audience. It also needs to have a call to action.
Always have a call to action
If your video lacks a call to action, customers will not know what they need to do once they have watched the video. You can ask them to visit your website or give you a call to get the information they need. You can also ask them to click on a button or any other action that is needed in order for them to engage with what you have created.
If the video is just open-ended, customers will be confused and not know what to do next. Make sure that your video makes it easy for buyers to visit you, find you and buy your products online.
The right equipment matters
You do not always have to have gear that costs you an arm and a leg. Even using a good smartphone is enough if you know what to do. If you do have the budget however, you definitely can invest in equipment. On the other hand, you can also use the right professional services that will allow you to get good videos done. With the right professional help and gear, you will be able to create videos that have better quality and less background or digital noise.
Edit correctly and add some music
Once you have completed your video, you can edit it to your preferences and also add music along with other features. You can add subtitles and captions (which is very important) and take out any ‘wobbly’ moments in the video. You will also be able to improve the overall quality. Again, we must stress that working with a professional is good here because the right edits will make your video visually appealing and it will help you get more engagement.
Share your videos on all your platforms
Once you have invested all that money, time and effort to produce a good video, you need to make sure that it is available and visible, and that it brings you a better reach. Consider repurposing your videos so that you can use them on your website (especially your product pages), social media, email marketing campaigns, and blogs. The more ideas you have about involving all your marketing channels, the better use you will have for the videos that you make. The more you do this, the more ROI you will have as well.
Why should you start creating ecommerce product videos?
In a nutshell: to stand apart from your competition, to inform and engage your customers, and to get more ROI on your marketing campaigns. We know that at first, it can be challenging (especially if you are new to this). But it’s never been easier to get started with video marketing – especially with the help of flat-rate services, like Kimp. To learn more about our new video design services, reach out on our live chat at www.kimp.io. And whether you decide to start small or go big right away, know that with ecommerce product videos you’ll reach new milestones for your ecommerce brand.