Anyone can build an online shop on Shopify, a leading eCommerce platform. Unlike with Amazon, the leading online store established itself as such by being very user-friendly. However, Amazon vs. Shopify seem to tie when it comes to difficulty in turning a profit.
Video proves a true difference maker in that regard.
Research has shown that website visitors are much more likely to buy a product after viewing a video.
A 2017 e-commerce survey by Monetate shows that the average eCommerce add-to-cart conversion rate is 9.03%. However, the study has not been able to reflect truly on the numbers based on location and the device being used. A similar study by Wordstream, but a more specific one, shows an overall conversion rate of 2.35%. However, the top 25% of companies convert at 5.31% and the conversion rate is an impressive 11.45% for the top 10%.
eMarketer report states that in 2017, retail eCommerce sales worldwide reached $2.3 trillion and is estimated to reach $4.8 trillion in 2021. As eCommerce becomes more and more popular, the stores that will stand out from the rest are those that give customers the most comprehensive shopping experience.
The huge difference between the average for all businesses and the top companies is huge, and the question here is how do you scale up your conversion rate and capitalize on the untapped opportunities. Using a Shopify video as a customer retention tool to increase the shopping cart conversion rate has proven to be effective. Let’s explore and find out how.
Reasons for using video
US adults spend about 6 hours daily on watching videos, and a Zenith report predicts that in 2019, people will spend more time on the internet than watching TV. It doesn’t get better. The shift from TV to the internet is the perfect set-up for producing more video content and attract more people to your website or your video channel.
Purchasing a product online is different from being able to physically see a product and hold it in your hands. BigCommerce found that more than half of all online shoppers say their least favorite part of shopping online is not being able to touch a product.
A video is more impactful than a static image. Customers expect to be able to see a product from all angles, view color choices and even to be able to zoom in to see details.
Other reasons include:
- Google favors and prioritizes sites with video. Your site has a higher chance of ranking in search results.
- Video is more clickable and shareable. People share videos more than text and are more inclined to click on a video thumbnail.
- Video can convey information more simply and quickly. It can also convey emotion and subconsciously make customers feel a certain way about a product.
- Product videos decrease product returns and customer complaints because they offer a more complete product story.
Create a video strategy
This may not be as difficult as you imagine. Some of the simplest strategies are often the most effective. Video content can be very expensive to implement, but given the fact that almost everyone has a smartphone with an HD camera today, you can still create effective videos, even if you don’t have an extensive budget. The type of video you create will depend on where you want to post it.
Product page video: Product page videos are created to increase conversions and your average order value. They should include shots of a product in use and 360-degree shots to show all angles.
Email marketing and video: A study by eMarketer states that nearly 50% marketers who used video in email campaigns saw an increase in the CTR, increase in average time spent reading the email, and a substantial increase in the sharing and forwarding. Welcome videos can introduce customers to your brand and show them what it is all about. You can thank a customer for a purchase and offer a discount on the next purchase.
Using a content video for email marketing can be very successful. For example, perhaps your product is a camping stove. Your content video could have tips for making meals on the stove and recipes.
Video can even be used when an email cart is abandoned to remind the customer of the value of the product.
Social media videos: Social media videos attract new customers, increase conversions and increase your average order value.
Use video analytics: Gain detailed insights about people who viewed a video on your eCommerce website by using video analytics. By using analytics to find out information such as a viewer’s location, device type, and their viewing activities, you can figure out how to approach them with more effectively.
Create product videos
Think about how you want to present your product and what information you want to include in your product video. Why would customers choose to buy your product and how could they benefit from it? Is there a good backstory that would make it more appealing?
Choose a format: The best video format for you depends on your product and your budget. When it comes to narration, you could have someone on camera showing off a product, use a voice-over or choose to simply use titles and captions.
Create a script: When planning your script, think about the questions your audience will have about your product. Try to answer those questions with clear, concise explanations. Your script’s tone should match your brand’s personality.
Gather your resources: Before you start shooting, gather all the equipment and props you’ll need. Use the best equipment you can afford because a video with poor recording quality and lighting is worse than no video at all.
Engage with viewers: Use calls-to-action in your videos to ask customers to sign up for your newsletter or like your page on social media.
Some tips:
Subtle details can make a difference between a video that converts and one that does not.
- Give customers an accurate depiction of product size by putting a recognizable object in the frame.
- Use a tripod to reduce shakiness. A coffee table or a stack of books offer a cheap, easy replacement if you don’t have a tripod.
- Use natural light as it always looks better on camera than artificial light.
- Strategically place any lighting sources to avoid shadows.
- Avoid unnecessary background noise – it can make your video look unprofessional and distract viewers.
- Audio can make or break a video. Using an external microphone for your camera improves audio quality.
- Background music can help to create the mood you want for your video – upbeat, romantic, energetic, etc.
Effective strategies
If you want people to buy your product, you must provide them with all the information they need to make a decision to buy. They will want to know about features, such as size, shape, texture, and color. They will also want to know its benefits for them and how it improves their lives.
Show features and benefits
Bellroy Wallets is a company that effectively uses featured product videos on their product pages. Each wallet has a video that shows its features, such as exactly how zips work. Tortuga Backpacks is another company that produces a video for each backpack and also offers support videos showing key features and how to fit it in.
Doing an unboxing video of your product and explain all the features. This is especially valuable if you use unique packaging. Getting an influencer to do this is even better.
Focus on one key feature
Rather than showing all the features, it may be better to focus on one key feature that makes your product better than that of your competitors. A Qubt sells its software by focusing on how fast and easy it is to use. The video shows a woman setting up the personalization software in less time than it takes a barista to make a cup of coffee.
Show people using a product
Watching other people using a product makes customers imagine doing the same. A good example is a silly, light-hearted video showing a customer wearing a Land’s End jacket to stay dry – its effectiveness is demonstrated by someone dumping a bucket of water over the person. You clearly realize the benefit of wearing this jacket.
Show all the angles
Customers should be able to see all angles of a product, almost as they would if they were holding it in their hands and examining it.
Tell a story
The best product videos tell a story. Don’t be intimidated – your story doesn’t have to be a complicated one. A short BlenderBottle video tells a simple story about athletes working hard, putting in the hours and overcoming failure to reach peak performance – themes that resonate with most athletes.
Entertain
The Will it Blend marketing campaign still sticks in everyone’s minds. Founder of BlendTec, Tom Dickson, attempted to blend unusual items to show the power of the blenders in a series of YouTube videos.
Add humor
In a 30-second product video, Man Crate not only manages to convey brand personality but to do it with humor.
Embrace honesty and emotion
Rescue Chocolate, an online store, creates vegan and organic chocolates and donates to animal rescue organizations and shelters. When city councilors in Montreal passed a ban on pit bulls, the founder of Rescue Chocolate, Sarah Gross, created a video for Facebook that reached over a million people and the lives of thousands of pit bulls were saved.
Use pain points
In a video by Native Union of the Night Cable, we understand some of the pain points of traditional charging cables – they’re hard to find, they’re too short and the slip. This video shows how Night Cable solves all these problems.
Instructional or tutorial videos
Instructional or tutorial videos help to sell certain products, such as those that are more technical in nature. Videos can translate difficult to digest content into a more digestible format. For example, in a Camtasia video, the instructor introduces the software and walks users through how easy it is to record, edit and share a video.
User-generated videos
UGC-based ads get 4x higher CTR and a 50% drop in cost-per-click than average. Videos of customers using your products are trusted more by other shoppers than any promotional content you produce. Invest in collecting customer review videos and testimonial videos to showcase on your Shopify store.
To Conclude
Shopping online is different from traditional shopping in a brick-and-mortar store because customers can’t touch a product. Video helps you to bridge that gap, making it easier for your customers to experience a more satisfying online shopping experience on your Shopify store. If you want to compete successfully, using video plays a crucial role in showing customers what they want to see.
