Nearly every online store owner has the same problem.
Coming up with engaging eCommerce video ideas can feel downright overwhelming and intimidating.
But what if there was a way…
To know with utmost certainty that every video you publish to your social media accounts will be a hit with your audience before you create it?
Well, there is:
Whether you are shipping 1,000 units per month, or you're just launching your first eCommerce store, use these five proven video ideas to create gain consumer attention and showcase your eCommerce store's products like a multi-million dollar retailer.
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Why Use Video Marketing?
If you’re ready to boost conversions and drive more traffic to your product pages, it’s time to add video to your marketing mix.
That's because creating compelling eCommerce video content is one of the best ways you can showcase the value of your products, increase your customers' confidence in their online purchases, and decrease costly returns.
Did you know that some of the internet's biggest retailers:
have online video hubs to educate new customers and connect with their loyal fans?
That's the power of eCommerce video marketing.
Still not sure if you should invest in product videos for your online store?
Consider this:
- By 2020, online videos will make up more than 80% of all consumer internet traffic (85% in the US)
- An estimated 81% of businesses are using video as a marketing tool in 2018.
- A 2015 study by Animoto revealed that 4x as many consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it.
- According to Wyzowl, 97% of marketers say that video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service, and 76% indicated that it has helped increase web traffic and sales.
- 80% of consumers believe demonstration videos are helpful when making purchases.
- Wyzowl revealed in 2017 that 79% of consumers would use video to get information about a product than read the text on a page.
- 84% of consumers felt convinced enough to buy a product after watching a brand video about it.
What Kinds of Videos Should You Create?
To join the video content revolution, you’ll need entertaining and educational content that is memorable and share-worthy.
If you are thinking about using the power of video in 2019, here are five video topic suggestions to add inspiration, value, and knowledge to your target audience:
1. Answer common, frequently-asked customer questions
Typically, if one viewer asks a question, many more of your customers could benefit from solving this problem too.
To decrease the number of unhappy customers who are ready and willing to post negative reviews online, create a series of FAQ videos for your eCommerce store.
A short, three-minute video can help solve common customer issues and decrease the number of angry and disgruntled consumer complaints to your inbox.
To implement this video customer service strategy, make sure you have a special message recorded on your company’s main telephone number to let your customers know that you will answer their FAQ's via your video channel, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
If you post one or two online Q&A videos each month and embed them on your website, you can be an online resource for new and returning customers too.
Canada Goose – With pricing ranging from $395 to $1250, this 338 million dollar, Canadian luxury retailer uses a quick, 40-second how-to video to show customers how to extend the life of their purchase, during the spring and summer months.
2. Go Live with Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook
Keeping your followers engaged with great content is easier with real-time video. With Livestream on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram your brand can now have its own real-time broadcast station.
When you “go live” on your social media channels your followers can ask you questions, send you emojis during your real-time video session, and if they miss a broadcast, they can replay it.
For online store owners, live streaming is a great way to engage with your customers during promotional events.
For example, a home retailer having an in-store event could broadcast either live on-the-floor or behind the scenes to give their followers the inside scoop on sales and new products.
Mejuri– This affordable luxury retailer provides fine jewelry at a fraction of the price. Using IGTV on their Instagram account @Mejuri, they share how-tos and product information using vertical, mobile-first video content.
3. Show consumers how to use your products
To boost product sales and video views, simple how-to videos can help customers interact with your products virtually.
According to eCommerce provider Invodo’s 2011 shopping report, 52 percent of consumers say that watching online product videos makes them more confident in making online purchase decisions.
To educate your existing customer base, fill your online video library with four or five interesting or helpful videos that help customers understand the value of your store offerings.
Or feature user-generated content from Instagram or Youtube to show real people using your fashion or beauty products.
Beauty Bakerie– A cruelty-free cosmetics company uses a video tutorial from a beauty influencer Jelena Peric (@j_make_up), to showcase a before and after makeup look on their Youtube channel.
4. Create a welcome video for your email list
The success of your customer retention strategy relies on the first few touches, and this introduction to your company starts with your welcome email.
If you want to build trust with new shoppers, including a welcome video in your email is a great way to encourage brand loyalty and build trust with new shoppers.
By providing a quick introduction to your company, you can give a friendly hello to new customers and show off what your brand does well.
To create this video inexpensively, create a voice-over or a specific intro bumper to a product video you’ve already created.
For added distribution and branding, select this welcome video as the main video on your YouTube page, and it will be the first video people see when they land on your channel.
To be most effective, send your welcome email 48 hours of a new shopper making a purchase or signing up for your mailing list.
Jet.com– This affordable online retailer makes shopping easier by offering everything from organic groceries and living room furniture to fitness trackers. Before being purchased by Walmart in 2016 for 3.3 billion dollars, Jet would welcome new shoppers to its site with a warm greeting and hello message from their CEO, Marc Lore.
5. Capture behind-the-scenes video of your facility and staff
Every brand and company has a unique story represented by its’ products, services and their employees.
You can reinforce your brand's unique selling proposition (USP) by creating a meaningful social relationship with your consumers or clients through video content.
To create a strong and lasting connection, invite customers to take a short video tour of your company’s offices and operations.
As a business owner, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase the day in the life of you.
By giving online shoppers behind-the-scenes access to your business, you help to build a special relationship between your raving fans and the people who make and market your products.
Frank Body– An Australian made, coffee-based, 20 million dollar skincare brand uses a behind the scenes look into one of their fun and cheeky product photoshoots to boost sales and brand recognition.
How to Promote Your Video
Creating a professional video for your online store is great, but it is ultimately meaningless unless you can drive traffic to your content.
Here are a few ideas to help get the word out:
1. Promote your videos socially.
Share your new videos as status updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or your other social media channels.
Also, insert social buttons below or above the video content. These buttons function to remind your target audience to share this vital information with their colleagues or friends.
2. Build relationships with key team members and influencers.
Bloggers, online journalists and editors at industry journals are key online influencers that can champion and promote your online video content effectively. To make sure that your campaign is successful, make an effort to reach out to these people.
Use a free online database like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) to secure valuable media coverage and connect with journalists and reporters looking for reputable sources.
Don’t forget to tap into your network of internal public relations and social media colleagues, as they typically have established online relationships and connections with key influencers.
3. Drop a video link at the end of your email signature.
You should reference your latest store video at the bottom of your email but avoid the obvious “click here,” link message.
Instead of writing a lengthy blurb advertising the video you can create a compelling call to action message to invite your prospect to click-through, view the content and complete the next step in the buyer’s journey.
4. Never waste an impression.
To get your store's videos in front of your prospects, you should use every tool in your marketing toolbox to draw in the right viewers at the right place and the right time.
- Consider driving traffic by using direct mail. Whether you are sending postcards or letters, enclose a link to your latest product video in the mailer. To track views and measure the effectiveness of the direct mail piece, make sure to create a unique web link to measure the direct traffic to the video.
- Add a banner on your blog’s sidebar to promote your weekly or monthly video series.
- Promote the videos on your company’s telephone hold message or your voicemail for one week after the launch of the content.
5. Optimize your content to take advantage of long-term gains in the search engine results.
Don’t neglect basic search engine optimization practices to extend the reach of your video content marketing efforts.
- Use keywords in your video titles that match the phrases your targeted consumers use to find content online.
- Host the videos on your site and use embed codes to syndicate the content. Make sure that there is a link back to your website in the code.
In the age of edutainment, smart retailers cannot ignore video marketing as an effective way to delight, inform and educate their customer base.
By following these proven video marketing ideas, you will not only position yourself as a leader in your industry, but you can also create content that creates an emotional connection and moves your targeted buyer to take action.
How do you use eCommerce video marketing to increase sales? What type of videos do you have on your site? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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