Five tips to help you create product videos that convert

Video marketing is driving the content marketing strategy for every successful company. Forecast numbers show that the average person will spend 100 minutes watching online videos per day. In other words, online video consumption is gaining traction and expanding rapidly, providing the reason for online marketers to use video as a cornerstone of their content marketing and digital marketing strategy.

Moreover, reported statistics show that product videos appear in 70 per cent of the top 100 listings on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). And viewers are 65 to 85 per cent more likely to convert to returning customers after watching a product video. Clearly, high-quality product videos must form an integral part of a company’s marketing strategy.

Note: Statistics show that it costs five times as much to attract a new customer than to keep an existing customer. Thus, the first business rule is to prioritise customer retention strategies to avoid unnecessary customer acquisition costs.

The benefits of using product videos in your marketing strategy

Before we consider five tips to help you create product videos that convert as described by top video producers like Spiel, let’s look at several benefits of high-quality product videos.

 

1. Increases sales when used in the sales funnel

As highlighted above, product videos increase your sales figures substantially, primarily when used as part of the sales funnel. The article titled Align your Video Ads with Your Sales Funnel: Here’s How highlights the fact that “video is being leveraged as one the most successful methods of moving potential leads” into the sales funnel and helping them answer the sites’ CTA (Call-to-Action) by purchasing the product described in the video.

2. Add value to eCommerce websites

Live-action product videos are useful when attempting to ensure that visitors to eCommerce continue to purchase products from the digital store rather than revert back to shopping at a brick-and-mortar store.

3. Explainer product video content helps describe how to operate complex products

The best way to discuss this point is to cite an example. For instance, let’s assume you wish to purchase a high-end camera drone. The cost is high, and you want to make sure that you do not buy a product that you cannot use. Adding a simple “unboxing” explainer video to the product page showing what is inside the product box and fitting the drone parts together will more than likely close the deal. You will buy the drone because you know what is in the box and how to construct it to operate.

4. Buyers trust video footage rather than static imagery

A well-filmed video describing a product’s features is understandably seen as more trustworthy than looking at static photos or reading a text description of the product. HubSpot Research reports over 50 per cent of consumers want to see product videos rather than read text or view static images. And 90 per cent of customers say watching video footage helps them make buying decisions.

Tips to help you create product videos that convert

Now that we understand the benefits of using product videos as an integral part of your sales strategies, let’s look at five tips to help you create the best-quality product videos.

1. Ensure a high-quality end result

This point is critical to every successful video marketing strategy. Poor-quality videos of any kind will have the opposite effect on the consumer than high-quality videos. A low-quality video will drive away customers rather than convert customers.

Why?

In summary, consumers will perceive that the quality of your video translates into product quality. Therefore, anything less than an extremely high-quality video will give consumers the perception that the product is not worth buying because it’s of low quality. The actual product quality does not matter; it’s the customer’s perception that matters.

2. Introduce the product at the beginning of the video

If someone chooses to watch your video, they want to know more about the product. Instant gratification is essential to the modern consumer. Thus, it is vital to introduce the product right at the outset of the video; otherwise, the consumer will not watch all the footage and bounce off the product page to look at the competition for a similar product.

Therefore, it is critical to dive right into the product description at the start of the video without wasting any time.

3. Make sure that your brand voice is the same across all product videos

A brand voice refers to the personality and emotion infused into the brand. It includes everything from the language and words you use, to the character and images your marketing aims to evoke. Consistency in the brand voice is what drives customer loyalty. They are not necessarily loyal to an individual product. Instead, all the product lines are encompassed by the overarching brand. Thus, if your brand voice is different for each product line, you risk losing customer loyalty.

 Use the correct thumbnail image

A thumbnail image is often the first element that attracts the viewer. If the thumbnail image is not high-quality and representative of your brand and product, the consumer will not open the video. Therefore, it is critical to use the best image representing your brand and product to convert viewers into returning customers.

5. Ensure your video is mobile-friendly

Statistics show that mobile eCommerce is gaining traction amongst global consumers. Currently, more than 50 per cent of all internet traffic shopping originates from a mobile device. US numbers show that about 62 per cent of all smartphone users have made at least one purchase online. This figure translates into about 125 million smartphone users from the USA alone. Therefore, it is vital to make sure that your product videos are optimised for viewing on a mobile device.

Final thoughts

The fact that perceptions matter to the consumer cannot be emphasised enough. If your product video is not perfect, the consumer will perceive that your product is less than ideal. Consequently, the customer will not convert, move away from the product web page, and look at the competitor’s website for the same product but with the perception of a better-quality product.