Video has become the driving force in marketing and ecommerce alike, signaling the need for modern businesses to get on board.
Beyond the fact that today’s customers are consuming more video than ever, the recent rise of product video has made it crystal clear to marketers that visual content is integral when it comes to sealing the deal with online shoppers.
Bear in mind that video marketing is about much more than just YouTube; likewise, video isn’t solely meant for enterprise companies with massive budgets. Any marketer in any industry, regardless of scope and size, can leverage video to sell their products.
From showing off your products in action to establishing trust with skeptical buyers, consider the following seven ways that video can both streamline and enhance the online shopping experience for your prospects.
Convert More Customers Through Video-Centric Landing Pages
While there are numerous elements that go into any given landing page, video has proven itself instrumental in improving conversion rates by up to 80%. Similarly, video content is easy to digest and encourages visitors to stick around the page versus immediately bouncing. Whether a landing page video serves as an FAQ or example of your product’s features, video content provides a quick and easy way to feed your prospects with information above the fold.
That being said, it’s crucial that marketers test elements of their videos to provide the best possible experience for viewers. Experimenting with shorter versus longer videos or auto-playing versus click-to-play, for example, may yield better results in encouraging prospects to engage with your CTA.
Use Product Demonstrations to Show What You Have to Offer
Oftentimes, video content serves as a much more accessible marketing medium versus traditional written content such as blog posts. Considering that consumers are four times as likely to engage with a video about a product versus having to read about that same product, marketers who fail to show off their products via video are likely leaving money on the table.
In short, products seem much more tangible and enticing when your prospects actually get to see them in action versus simply reading about them.
Social Proof Through Video Reviews
Perhaps the best videos for your products aren’t always the ones you create yourself.
Encouraging user-generated content in the form of video reviews provides prospects with a sense of social proof. Likewise, user-generated videos has been noted to increase brand engagement by over 28%.
Positioning Your Products with Video Testimonials
Testimonials serve as yet another form of social proof but also position your brand as a resource to potential buyers. Regarded by nearly 90% of marketers to be one of the most effective marketing tactics, testimonials delivered via video may very well be your product’s secret weapon.
By showing off your currently satisfied customers who’ve engaged with your products, you let skeptics know that you’re the real deal. Testimonials can easily be sprinkled throughout your product and landing pages to help establish a stronger sense of trust.
Win Customers and Credibility Through Courses and Webinars
At the core of every product is a problem that needs to be solved.
Through the power of online education, marketers can present themselves as the ideal resources and teachers delivering solutions to their prospects.
By creating and selling courses via poplar platforms such as Kajabi, brands can essentially profit off of their knowledge and turn their existing content into a product itself. Beyond positioning power, course creation is a simple, cost-effective solution versus physical products.
If you have knowledge or information that’s of value you to your audience, you have a product in the form of a course. Education is quickly becoming the go-to tool for modern marketers; meanwhile, avenues such as course and webinars make the process easier than ever.
Drive Traffic and Build Buzz with How-To Videos
“How-to” videos are amongst the most-searched style of content on YouTube; meanwhile, they can also represent a potential SEO goldmine if you’re mindful with your headlines and keywords.
Creating product-centric how-to videos is a win-win situation as you can both educate your prospects and rank for keywords simultaneously. These videos not only display your products in action, but also funnel viewers straight to your product pages.
How Social Video Seals the Deal
Last but not least, don’t underestimate the power of social video in regard to product promotion. After all, videos are fasting growing medium on social platforms and likewise receive heavy engagement from followers.
Beyond the inherently “viral” potential of these e-commercials, avenues such as Facebook Live are growing in popularity for brands looking to show off their products in a live setting. Regardless of what types of videos you make, be sure to double-dip your content on social to ensure your videos get the most mileage possible.
The Bottom Line
The numbers don’t lie: video is becoming a must-do for marketers and has become instrumental in selling just about any product online. With so many avenues to explore and ways to leverage visual content, the sky’s the limit for savvy marketers who understand what types of videos make their potential customers tick.
Rotem Gal is Vice President of Marketing for Inbound Junction