Updated: May 26, 2021
With 86% of businesses using video marketing as a tool in 2021, if you aren't using it, you're missing out.
So, if you are looking to incorporate video content marketing, here is some of the key criteria you should build into your strategy.
Figure out what your audience will be expecting or looking for
Understanding your audience is key to making great content. You need to consider what it is you are selling and who would be looking for it. You should also figure out how your customer would want to come across your video content marketing. Building your customer persona is key for creating relevant videos.
Ask:
What is my customers goal?
What solutions are they looking for?
What are their challenges?
What motivates my customer?
What will they be interested in seeing in video ecommerce?
Create eye catching, bold and confident material that engages
It takes 12 seconds for a consumer to decide whether a video is worth watching. So, there is pressure to hold your viewer as soon as they press play. To grab the attention of your consumer, use eye catching visuals that reflect your brand ethos, use music, story line and scripts. Be bold in your opening by getting your core message in early on.
You can take video content marketing one step further with interactivity. Interactive video platforms help brands to tag videos with clickable hotspots. This allows viewers to tap, swipe, drag and more to find out key information about products in a fun and memorable way. Video interactivity allows the consumer to play a role in the video, connecting them closely to their favourite brands. Using tag videos can boost conversion rates by up to 400%, especially if they are shoppable. Include call-to-actions like "buy now", "shop now" or "add to basket" to provide your viewer with a direct way to purchase your product.
Make sure your customer can understand you
While it's important to understand your customer, it is equally as important for them to understand you. Make sure your content is clear, concise and easy to grasp. If you are explaining a product, do it in short, simple sentences. The last thing consumers want is a wordy lecture filled with jargon. Use visuals to make it even clearer as 65% of the population are visual learners.
Give your customer a reason to trust you
It is important to show that your brand has credibility. So, within video ecommerce try to include reviews from previous customers and think about answering the question, "why should I buy from you?". If you have the budget you could consider including an influencer in your video. In fact, 63% trust influencer messages more than brand messages. So, including an influencer in your content will definitely boost your credibility.
For some more ideas, here are some key reasons why customers trust brands...
Include special offers to convince you customer to buy
Highlighting special offers in your video content marketing will give your customer the extra push they need to invest. Time sensitive deals such as free sign up for a limited time, free month trial, % off deals can encourage impulse purchases.
Make sure your video is short and sweet
No need to make a 60 minute feature length film, long videos just don't hold the attention of your customer. Try and tell your brand story in 30-60 seconds and if you can't, 2:30 minutes tops. Viewers have short attention spans so you don't want to loose them before you have told them the full story.
Next steps?
Once created, share your video across social media, in CRM and as video ecommerce on site landing pages.
If you want to find out more information on tag videos visit smartzer.com
Updated: Jun 1, 2021
It has become more common to see shoppable video across social media and on ecommerce landing pages.
Nowadays, clickable, hot-spot technology means that anyone can tap, drag, swipe, spin or zoom products to find out more information to convince customers to buy. Add-to-cart and buy now functionalities encourage purchases to be made directly from the video.
This drives the viewer quickly down the purchase funnel generating fast revenue. You may have seen some on-demand clickable campaigns from your favourite brands, but there are so many different ways to use shoppable, interaction video.
Here are some refreshing ways to use interactive video platforms that you may not have considered...
Shoppable livestream done differently
If you happen to be in touch with the latest video content marketing trends, it's highly likely that you will have come across live shop technology. Hosts broadcast to customers to sell products in real time by displaying their products or modelling them for the camera. Viewers can then click popups to shop along, directly from the stream. Live shops are a great way to recreate the in person store experience online and they can feature a variety of content. Some ideas that you could use in a livestream include:
Q and A's with the audience: get the viewers to ask questions in the chat bar and then answer them as you sell your product
Shoppable interviews: interview an influencer relevant to your brand and allow the audience to purchase the products displayed
Live shop runways: stream a runway show and use appropriate product tags for viewers to shop direct
There are a variety of interactive video platforms that can help you create a live shop, including smartzer.com
Shoppable editorials
Shoppable online magazines are an exciting and informative way to educate and convince your consumer. Feature dynamic videos in your online editorial to make it even more engaging and then share across your socials and on ecommerce. Viewers can click various products and click a "shop now" call to action, this is commonly seen in magazine apps. Net-A-Porter has a digital weekly magazine that functions like this. Customers can view editorial content via an app on their mobile devices, shopping directly from the content. Even the physical, paper copy is shoppable as readers can scan QR codes to be directed to product pages.
Shoppable runways
We mentioned shoppable runways before as livestreamed experiences. However, you can also re-purpose runway videos as on-demand shoppable interaction video. Viewers can watch recordings of exclusive shows, giving your customer a front row seat from the comfort of their home. Providing your customer with the opportunity to shop entire looks opens the door to product discovery and drives sales. You could consider sharing the runway videos to your social media, or use them on ecommerce landing pages, perhaps even in CRM.
T-commerce and shoppable story lines
With the rise in streaming services online such as Amazon Prime, Netflix as well as catch up services from TV channels, more of us are watching shows online on our smart TV's, smart phones, iPads and laptops. T-commerce allows viewers to shop directly from telly ads or even the shows themselves. Bravotv.com launched a TV series called "The Girlfriends Guide to Divorce" that viewers could click to shop what the characters were wearing. This provides an exciting, exclusive shoppable experience, allowing customers to dress like their favourite stars.
Customisable, decide your outcome style videos
Additionally, shoppable storylines allow viewers to become active participants in the content. Branching technology lets watchers to decide their own destiny by choosing pathways and customising what they see. This provides the most relevant experience for the customer and holds their attention until the very end. Check out the example below that allows viewers to create their own sweet, chocolate cookie treat:
For more information on creating interaction videos and live shop experiences, visit smartzer.com
Updated: Jun 1, 2021
The pandemic has forced everyone to adapt. Retailers have been among many who are facing permanent change even after COVID 19. The key change? A big move from offline to online solutions.
The global shift towards online selling and buying has highlighted the importance of the internet and how vital it is to drive immense revenue. In particular, the power of online video has to turn viewers into informed customers.
There has been a considerable surge in brands delving into streaming commerce formats. With no traffic to physical stores, brands needed to use different online methods to drive traffic to ecommerce. Brightcove’s Q1 2020 Global Video Index showed that retail and video content marketing views were up 135% year over year. Even with restrictions easing and the re-opening of the high-street, views continued to rise by 82%.
Using video content in marketing campaigns and on ecommerce is a great way to show products in a dynamic, exciting, engaging and clear way. Customers trust videos as they often give a 360 degree view of a product in action. This builds consumer confidence and encourages them to make the sale. Understanding the benefit of video, brands have looked towards advanced video solutions for showcasing products. For example tag videos that display detailed product information when clicked ie, shoppable videos. Additionally live streaming commerce formats that allow viewers to watch sales events in real time.
The beauty of interaction videos and livestream shopping
Streaming commerce consumption on smartphones increased by 235% this year, with time watched up by 83%. With more access to the internet than ever, customers are seeking better connections with brands. Shoppable video and livestream shopping has provided an online answer to this.
Interaction videos are 2-3 x more engaging than standard video, holding the attention of the viewer for over 80% longer. It is also 32% more memorable. The clickable aspects mean that the viewer is no longer passive, but an active participant in the content. Consumers can make their video experience highly relevant by selecting their favourite products, choosing a colourway, size and more to gain an understanding that pushes them to buy. Interactive, tag videos can be created using platforms like Smartzer.
Using livestream shopping in streaming commerce strategies can drive multiple sales in a short space of time. In the face of the pandemic, livestreaming has provided the closest solution to in-person shopping. Hosts can now broadcast to customers in real-time to showcase products and sell them straight from the stream. Watchers can click popups as items show and add them to their bag without leaving the video. This has been proven to drive impulse purchases, especially if hosts are celebrities or influencers.
Even with the prospect of life (eventually) getting back to normal, these formats have demonstrated success. With bricks and mortar stores opening, brands are definitely not looking to give these online solutions up. This is largely because the pandemic turned store shoppers into online shoppers with many realising the convenience of having a variety of products delivered to their doorstep. The online demand remains and will remain high, so features like shoppable video and livestream won't be going anywhere. Trends will continue to evolve to provide even better marketing solutions that generate revenue. For businesses looking to adapt a more digital approach to selling, video provides an engaging, memorable and extremely measurable format. The powerful metrics generated by streaming commerce and interaction videos mean that brands can learn and change to become bigger and better.
For more information on how to tag videos to make them interactive and shoppable, visit smartzer.com