Shoppable videos are becoming an ever-growing force. Some might say these are the future of video marketing and one of the biggest marketing trends for 2021.
Even if video commerce or video marketing (whatever you want to call it) is not a new thing, it has become a bigger phenomenon lately, thanks (considerably) to social media and its tools.
Since every household has a TV set, video has been the go-to strategy for brands. Through video commercials and commercial breaks, brands got the chance to reach millions of consumers daily. Powerful?! Definitely.
But recently, video usage has gone even further on its range. Now, due to social media, it has been on the rise and has given way to shoppable videos.
What are shoppable videos?
Let’s start by understanding the concept of shoppable videos. A shoppable video is defined as a multimedia content or interactive videos that allow the consumer to start an order or purchase directly from the video.
So, typically these shoppable videos intend to display products linking directly to the seller’s website, where the consumer might get access to further information about that specific product and make the purchase.
Plus, there are some more complex versions of these shoppable videos that allow the consumer to order straight from the video.
Awesome, isn’t it?! Let’s face it, this is the holy grail for shopping and those looking for shorter and faster shopping methods.
When compared to other non-interactive videos, the shoppable videos tend to lead to more sales. And it’s easy to understand why. Non-interactive videos display the vendor’s website URL (non-clickable) and, therefore, require a bigger effort from the viewer to access the product and as a result, will less likely lead to a sale.
Shoppable videos’ statistics that will blow your mind
Video marketing is becoming one of the strongest powers within marketing. And shoppable videos are expected to get a life of their own during 2021 and (as mentioned before) becoming possibly one of the biggest marketing trends for this year.
And it’s easy to understand why. Recent studies show that video is strongly driving sales on multiple platforms. For instance, the Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing Survey states that, in 2020, “85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool” and that “92% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy”.
The report also says that “87% of video marketers say video has increased traffic to their website”, while “80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales”. Persuasive for sure.
“80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales”
Wyzowl, 2021
Social media has been playing a major role in this growth. Whether a brand is on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, video has been widely used. Even LinkedIn has been using video as an effective tool.
And if you’re wondering if video marketing might be reaching its saturation point, maybe you want to rethink that. Video usage as a marketing tool has been around for decades and has been consistently holding on.
Besides, there are still many underused opportunities for marketers to be explored.
Where do we find shoppable videos?
To put it simply: everywhere! Just turn on your cellphone or computer.
Social media are the main focus for these shoppable videos. Facebook and Instagram are a native environment for shoppable videos. The same goes for YouTube or TikTok.
TikTok is the most recent platform advocating for shoppable videos. This short-form video app has been booming. Millions of people have been downloading the app and registering to use it. But for marketers, it’s still on the rise, with many still mistrusting the platform and still wondering whether or not to give it a chance. While others swear on its success as a marketing tool.
But there’s more. Just remember the live-streaming trend going on. Anyone can go live on every social media. Plus, there are also Stories (on Instagram and Facebook), where brands can share products or services linking directly to the seller’s webpage.
Some call the shoppable videos as “shoppertainment”, due to its entertaining feature. But in fact, marketers and video creators are making the most out of video content.
By publishing attractive content with links to the product/service webpage (the famous “swipe up” on Instagram, for instance) they are leading consumers to more simple and direct orders, or – in other words – to an “impulsive buy”.
On a deeper analysis, we might say that these shoppable videos are empowering e-commerce dealers and marketers so that they might achieve direct and instant sales.
The power of shoppable videos
Whatever you do, don’t underestimate the power of shoppable videos. Even if these are on the rise, they already represent a big opportunity for marketers and sellers, given that they allow them to display the benefits and advantages of their products directly to consumers.
They “strike” consumers right at the point of a potential buyer. So, in the face of some hesitation or doubt, a good video might “enlighten” the consumer and move towards a purchase.
So, if there are still any doubts, here’s some of the reasons why marketers need to succumb to the charms of shoppable videos:
1. Increase conversion and leads to sales
Consumers are more informed than ever. They now have extensive knowledge and information on the products/services they want to acquire, and therefore it’s no easy task to get their attention.
Video advertising might be the answer because it provides an added value for the consumer through a combination of attention-grabbing visuals and narrative. This allows consumers to have a better sense of the product quality and usage, as well as its benefits.
A good video gives a wider understanding of the product and its usage, thus increasing the sales.
2. Improve engagement
As mentioned before, shoppable videos are interactive. This means that by including interactive features in a video, marketers turn a passive viewer into an active one, thus increasing the engagement and enhancing the chances of viewers to hear all the main message points.
3. Boost page rank and increase clicks and shares
Videos are easy to understand, remember and share. Those betting on videos with relevant content will improve their SEO, thus leading to better search results and, consequently, boosting the page rank and views.
The more the views, the more the chance of bigger shares and clicks. And the fact is that video content is highly shareable (both by email or on social media, for instance).
So, with shoppable videos, marketers can boost their click-through rates. Having compelling content is the key to success and will lead to more clicks and more eyes on the brands/companies’ websites.
4. Shoppable videos work as virtual demos
When unable to interact directly with a product, consumers tend to resort to virtual demos, reachable anytime and anywhere.
5. Reduce return rates
Customers who see the product in usage before purchasing it, tend to be less unsatisfied with it or to return it. That’s where shoppable videos might do the trick. Product videos not only increase the conversion rates but also reduce the return rates.
6. Videos are a hit for omnichannel shoppers
Most consumers use their mobile devices to look for product information in multiple channels. This turned consumers into omnichannel shoppers. And most of them tend to buy a product when having access to a video.
Shoppable videos came to rule
Want to be a hit in 2021?! Just go with the flow and create the most compelling shoppable videos. These will, certainly, ensure any brand or company a huge hit on their engagement and click-through.
Through these videos, marketers can direct their consumers focus towards specifics products or services while entertaining them and also allowing them to interact with these products or services. And by making these videos shoppable, it’s likely to trigger positive responses on their costumers and lead them to an immediate buy.
