Running an online store can be challenging, especially with so many e-commerce giants out there. However, it’s a space you can’t afford to ignore. While setting up an e-commerce store might seem daunting at first, there are ways to make the online shopping experience easier for your customers, through use of videos.
To succeed, your brand’s appeal matters more than ever. With numerous options, catching a potential customer’s eye might take just a second, be it on social media or in emails.
As a business owner juggling orders and decisions, marketing may not be your top focus. But adding videos to your e-commerce website can be a game-changer. It can boost sales and make your brand more recognizable.
Why are Videos Essential to E-commerce?
Online shopping is getting even more popular, and big traditional stores are adapting to this trend. E-commerce, which means buying things online, is not going away anytime soon. In fact, experts think that by 2025, the money spent on online shopping will go over $1.3 trillion. Now, it’s crucial for your brand, and the image of your business, to be really good because people have lots of choices. Sometimes, you only have a moment to grab their attention as they quickly browse through Instagram or read an email.
Creating videos for your online shop can make more people notice your brand and buy your products. Let’s learn how to do that.
Using Videos to Sell More Through Your E-Commerce Store
1. Share Your Story
You can get people interested in your online shop by sharing your story through a video. This video can tell the story of how your company started or what its purpose is. When you put this video on your “About” page, it will really catch people’s attention and they might spend more time there. This story-telling video can be a useful marketing tool for a long time.
Here are some ways to get the most out of your “About” video:
- Share it in a welcome email to new customers or potential customers.
- Use it to show people who might want to work for your company what your mission is when you post job openings.
- Put it in your social media posts, especially when you have exciting news or partnerships to share.
Remember, the point of an “About” video is to not only show what you sell but also to let people know what your company stands for and believes in. It’s a way to get the right people interested in your business and make them aware of what you do.
2. Recycle Old Videos
To succeed in reaching shoppers who use their phones to buy things at any time, you need to make a strong impression on popular platforms like Twitter, and Instagram. Videos get a lot of attention on these platforms. Your online store’s products may be showcased there too.
Not only can you use videos for paid ads on Facebook and Instagram, but you can also use the same videos on your website. For example, you can merge a few ads into a product video or transform a sponsored Instagram Story into an instructional video. This way, you get the most out of your investment in advertising.
3. Address Your Target Audience, Solve Their Problem
Being clear and helpful matters a lot to people who buy things. Nowadays, customers want to know that a brand is honest and has a purpose beyond just making money.
To address the questions and concerns your customers might have, make easy-to-follow guides, tutorials, and FAQ videos. Here’s how you can use these in your online store:
- Plan educational videos for your products on the pages. This way, customers can quickly learn how to put things together.
- Share these videos on Instagram, YouTube, and other places where people can easily find and watch them when needed.
- After someone buys something and you ship it, send them a video that shows how to assemble the product.
When you create videos that help your customers with their problems, it shows that you care about them. And that’s always a good thing for your business.
4. Let Your Customers Sell
When you’re new to selling online, talking about how great your business is can feel uncomfortable. But it’s important to share why your shop is special. If this feels hard for you, testimonial videos can help.
Testimonial videos are like having your happy customers speak up for you. They are really helpful in marketing your online store for a couple of reasons:
- Boost Confidence: Putting these videos on the pages where you show your products can reassure people who are unsure about buying. Testimonial videos help build trust and nudge customers closer to clicking the “Add to Cart” button.
- Show You’re Trusted: When customers share good experiences, it shows others that your products or services are worth buying. This is like having proof that you’re a reliable choice.
Here are some ways to make the most of testimonial videos:
- When you ask a new customer for their review, mention what others have said too. You can even offer rewards like discounts or free shipping for their feedback.
- If someone leaves without buying after adding items to their cart, send them a reminder email. Show them the positive experiences others have had through these testimonials.
- Share a few of these videos on your social media pages. It’s a great way to show off happy customers.
Testimonials are a powerful tool in marketing because they let your satisfied customers do the talking for you. Here is how testimonial videos can be used to boost your business.
5. Do More with Email Marketing
Every day, a huge number of emails are sent and received, and this is expected to increase even more in the coming years. So, how can you make your emails stand out?
Your email is like a tasty dish, and videos can be the seasoning that adds extra flavor. Just a sprinkle of video content in your emails can make them more interesting. If you use too much, your email analytics will show you.
You don’t have to use videos in every email, but they can be really useful in these situations:
- Sharing Your Story: When you want to tell a story about your brand that connects with people.
- From the Boss: If the founder or CEO of your company has something important to say.
- New Stuff: When you’re introducing a new product or promoting a seasonal offer.
Adding videos to emails can make them more engaging and catch the reader’s attention, especially when you have something special or important to share.
6. Product Videos
Customers often trust a purchase more when they see videos about the product. Using these videos on your website is a good idea, and the best part is that you can customize them for various marketing plans.
Here are three common types of product videos:
- Tutorials: These videos show how to use your product in real-life situations. You can also turn them into DIY (Do It Yourself) videos for sharing on social media.
- Comparisons: These videos demonstrate how your product compares to others in the market. They work best when highlighting significant differences between your product and competitors.
- Explainers: Explainer videos focus on explaining your product’s features and what makes it stand out from the competition. They are for those customers who want to know all the details before making a purchase.
7. Easy-to-Find Product Videos
Make a special spot on your website where all your product videos are easy to find. This way, people interested in your products won’t have to hunt for them. Although you can still have videos on the pages of each product, having a specific section just for videos is a great idea.
You can gather all your product videos in a couple of ways. If you run an online store, you can create a special section on your website. Also, using YouTube is a good option to organize and showcase your videos. You can read more here about how to create great product videos.
8. Add Calls to Action
After people watch a video about your product, you can encourage them to buy by using call-to-actions (CTAs). These CTAs keep the buying momentum going when customers are interested.
Typically, product videos are shown on the product detail page, so the call-to-action is kind of automatic. But if you have a collection of product videos in one place like YouTube, you’ll need a clear call-to-action to prompt viewers to make a purchase.
There are a few ways to add these prompts. Depending on the video, you might ask viewers to buy directly from the video, or you can use a pop-up message to make a persuasive pitch.
Wrapping Up
There are countless online shops out there, making it challenging for people to choose where to buy what they need.
If you run a business, you have to come up with a smart plan to get people to visit your website and buy from you. Using videos is a powerful way to catch people’s attention and make a positive impression.
Video marketing offers various strategies. Create videos that interest visitors and guide them into your marketing plans. For example, ‘how-to’ videos work well to introduce your brand and attract people at the beginning of their buying journey. On the other hand, testimonial videos are great when you want to encourage potential customers to think about buying your products.