You already know that video belongs on your social media platforms, in your product ads and on your homepage as a vibrant gateway into the world of your brand. But did you know that you can also use video to convert visitors on your product pages, whether on your own website or on other e-commerce platforms?
According to research from MultiVision Digital, customers are 64% more likely to buy a product if they watch a product video first. On top of this, according to Google, product videos online even push traffic back toward your brick-and-mortar touchpoints - 40% of people surveyed are drawn to check out a physical store after watching a product video online.
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Video can galvanize product pages, showcasing a product’s colours, dimensions and uses in a way that helps customers visualize how it’ll fit into their lives. A vivid, concise video can educate as it entertains, proactively answering consumers’ questions and thereby markedly increasing sales.
Your own website is the perfect place to utilize the magic of video. You have free reign to position it wherever you choose and in a way that makes sense for your unique user experience.
When people arrive at a product page on your website, they’re probably thinking seriously about committing to that product. You’ve got their attention, and now you need to hold onto it for dear life.
How you do this is very important. As Tracey Wallace, editor-in-chief at BigCommerce, says, video has the power to overcome the gap between real life and online shopping by supplying the customer with an almost tactile experience, which 49% of online shoppers feel they miss out on.
Firstly, when it comes to product page videos, shorter is better for piquing interest in the product’s features. Home Chef’s videos, for example, showcase its ingredients with quick, colourful shots. They’re just enough to whet the appetite so the customer is inspired to take the next step toward purchasing.
Prioritize visuals and captions over background music and voiceovers on your product videos. Most shoppers will view your video as they browse and won’t bother to put the sound on, so don’t worry about creating that perfect soundtrack. Focus on telling the visual story, like HTC did with this simple clip, which focuses on the sleek design of its hardware products.
It’s important to show the human impact of the product, so depict the product in its "natural environment" and choose a setting that viewers can relate to. For one of our clients at Lemonlight, Luggage Tech, we created a minute-long video that followed real travellers around as they used the brand’s technology. It was vibrant and natural so viewers could easily imagine using the product themselves.
Remember that people watch videos as a way of evaluating whether a product’s specifications suit their needs. A great video will give plenty of detail - it should clearly show the size, colour, and functionality of the product. Take inspiration from Apple’s product launch videos, which are always razor sharp and depict a 360-degree view of features.
Don’t limit your product videos to just your own website - showcase your product on online e-commerce platforms, including Amazon. When it comes to Amazon videos specifically, setting your video apart is more of a science. In such a large forum where millions of sellers are promoting their wares, it would be ridiculous to think you could beat out the rest through price alone. That’s why the visual presentation of your pages is key - making your videos more beautiful and convincing than your digital neighbors’ will help you stand out.
Use your Amazon videos to increase conversion rates by enticing and easing browsers into buying with these tips:
Display a main video at the top of your product pages that gives visiting customers a live experience of the quality of your product.
Because these page results are often based on keywords that users have typed in, the results are hyper-targeted and can give you great access to customers who are likely to love your product. By adding a video to this area of your listing, you’ll have a better chance at standing out among your competition and gaining top buyers.
Another opportunity Amazon’s platform provides is video shorts, which are further down the product page, right above the Customer Reviews section. They come from users of the product, so they carry third-party authority - a crucial credibility builder for your brand.
This video slot provides a great opportunity to lock interested customers into purchasing. Customers who reach these videos have already scrolled down, showing you that they’re pretty close to being convinced. Guide them into decision-making by keeping this section of your page as active as possible by encouraging customers to post videos in their Amazon reviews.
Your storefront is a custom brand destination within Amazon that you can use to highlight your collection of products, just like an inviting store window entices shoppers to come inside.
If you have products you want to highlight for potential customers, use a storefront video to spotlight them. Draw out key features and details that are less likely to be noticed in other product summaries.
Amazon may be a dominating presence in the market, but if you take advantage of best practices to stand out with video, you can make the platform your own.
Brands have the tendency to focus their strategy on their biggest earning platforms, but if you don’t craft engagement over your entire e-commerce universe, you’re missing out on extra opportunities to highlight your products. Wherever customers go to interact with your brand, use video to add a spark and connection to their experience, making them more likely to convert.
Etsy, for example, recognized the importance of video for both sellers and buyers. In 2016, it introduced a video editing tool that enables shop owners to shoot video on their smartphones and upload and edit as they go. eBay also has good video integration now, so you can embed video links into your listings and bring products to life for bidders.
Using video to boost conversions is simple: Wherever you want to bring your products to life for customers, add a video. People love online shopping, but in some ways, the medium has flattened the browsing experience. Deepen the dimensions again and give customers an immersive experience by placing a short and sweet product video into their journey.
By Expert commentator
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