APR. 16, 2021
Unsplash / Austin Distel
Imagine, for a moment, that you launch your very own eShop platform on your site. As time goes by, people seem to be interested in it, and you receive more and more website visitors. However, your sales are somewhat flat. How much pressure would that put upon the rest of your operation?
As dreadful as it sounds, it’s not an uncommon occurrence. In fact, trying to turn curious site visitors into paying customers is one of the most challenging (and common) tasks any eShop business owner will ever have to undertake!
However, challenging is not the same as impossible.
With a highly targeted, well-implemented video strategy, you can generate content that purposely engages prospects, nurtures them, and prompts them to take action.
The thing is, though, that not all videos work the same. Depending on your specific marketing objectives, some will be a far better fit than others, while others might fail to meet your expectations.
So, in this article, we’ll follow the lead of some of the most experienced video companies and learn how they employ different types of video styles to accomplish the vital goal of boosting conversions, and how you can do the same!
Table of Contents
Showcasing brand values and building confidence
Even today, people find it hard to blindly trust online shopping. It makes sense, though – they can’t touch or see the product by themselves. So, if you want to win prospects over, first and foremost, you have to inspire confidence and be perceived as a reliable brand.
Marketing-wise, there are two types of videos that excel at fostering trust – Company Stories and Customer Testimonials.
Company Story Videos
Company stories – or company culture videos – are designed to convey a brand’s story, values, and feel. Simply put, they let an intended audience see the human element behind a business while marking it more approachable and trustworthy.
The idea is to use these videos to bring your prospects closer to your brand by telling a relatable story that revolves around your company’s core values — generally targeting topics that will deeply resonate with them.
Culture videos should always showcase your company’s true voice and unique identity, which allows you to be as creative and original as you want. There are no pre-established rules or structure!
And the possibilities are endless, really. You can develop a simple video that features your staff talking about what it is like to work in your company, a fun behind-the-scenes piece to show your offices, or even a more conceptual video to convey your core values. Whatever suits best your brand and tone!
Take a look at this fun and laid-back company story video developed by Basecamp as an example.
They’re a project management and team communication platform. However, this piece has nothing to do with that – It introduces part of their staff testing two types of coffee!
Customer Testimonial Videos
Testimonial videos feature past customers sharing their positive and unique experiences with your brand, product, or service. So, to say that they are perfect for building trust and persuading prospects about the value of your eCommerce is an understatement!
Basically, they help potential buyers see themselves reflected in the people (and their problems) on-screen. However, for testimonials to work, it’s paramount to make them as authentic and natural as possible. Audiences can tell when an opinion is fake or scripted, especially on video!
The secret is to let your customers talk without forcing their answers so that their stories can mirror more accurately the target audience’s own experiences. That way, you’ll create a more honest, effective, and impactful connection with them!
Check how all those elements play together in the testimonial video below. It features two customers talking very candidly about their experience; they look very happy and comfortable, and is there anything more convincing than a genuinely smiling customer?
Effectively communicating a product’s features
Ok, now that you’ve established yourself as a trustworthy eCommerce platform, it’s time to drive attention to your wonderful products.
Like we said earlier, proving your product’s value is a tricky thing for eShops because people can’t try or see your items firsthand. So, one of your most important jobs will be to clearly show prospects how amazing and beneficial your products can be for them.
Luckily, Product Videos and Explainers are perfect for that!
Product Videos
Product videos perform incredibly well on eCommerce platforms. It makes sense, though, because it’s the closest that potential buyers can get to a “hands-on” experience with your products.
In a nutshell, these videos focus on showcasing your product in the most realistic and authentic way. All while describing its key features and differentiators in interesting and dynamic ways. To achieve that, they usually present it from different angles to make the product look cool, valuable, and highly desirable.
Also, don’t forget that your product solves a particular problem that your target audience’s dealing with. So, when creating a product video, it’s critical to go beyond the “superficial” part of your offering and address that as well. Make sure to provide context and show it being used in scenarios that your audience can identify with.
All in all, be clear, precise, and deliver all the relevant information to help prospects understand how your product can make their lives easier, simpler, or better. Just like this Ring Door View Cam video that presents the product in plausible, everyday situations!
Explainer Videos
Explainers are one of the most popular types of video marketing pieces, and with good reason – Regardless of your company’s size or niche, they can help you transform the most intricated, flat, or boring business solution into an engaging and understandable brand message.
Basically, they combine powerful storytelling with gorgeous animation to simply (and very quickly!) describe your company’s products or services. Mind you; they aren’t designed to give a sales pitch or be overly promotional. On the contrary, they focus on telling a relatable story that revolves around your audience’s pain points. Subtly tackling how and why your product is the solution they need.
The great thing about explainer videos is they’re super versatile and can easily adapt to whatever type of eCommerce platform you run. So, depending on your brand identity, kind of business, and target audience, you can use traditional animation, motion graphics, whiteboard animation, live-action, and so much more!
Check this gorgeous motion graphics explainer video. In less than two minutes, it introduces Green Geeks’ not-so-easy-to-understand solution (an eco-friendly web hosting service!) charmingly, compellingly, and in a way that’s easy to follow.
Dealing with consumer concerns
At a certain point, potential buyers will be almost ready to commit to a purchase. They are familiar with your brand and understand what type of product (or service) you offer.
However, “almost” is the operative word there. You see, when shopping online, prospects usually have last-minute doubts or concerns that might prevent them from buying. So, you need to provide additional assurances to encourage them to close the deal.
There are two types of videos that can help you with uncertain prospects – FAQs and Educational Videos.
FAQs Videos
Just like a FAQ page on a website, Frequently Asked Questions videos provide highly precise information about your product, service, or eCommerce platform.
From how to use your product to your eShop’s return policy, they are designed to anticipate your prospects’ most common doubts and get them closer to the buying decision. All while making the whole informative experience more dynamic, meaningful, and entertaining!
For FAQs videos to be compelling, they need to be based on genuine and relevant questions that prospects usually have. The rule of thumb is that the more targeted and specific, the more effective your pieces will be at persuading them to take action – AKA, convert!
Take a look at this short how-to video developed by the Apple Support team as an example. It’s super clear and easy to follow! The best part? It provides all the information needed in less than 45 seconds!
Educational Videos
Educational videos are meant to educate (shocker!) an audience about specific problems they are having or relevant topics that they would be interested in — providing immediate value to them!
What makes these videos so popular is that they can adapt to any topic or subject. Whether you need to cover something complex, specific, or sensitive, you can make it digestible, appealing, and shareable with the right educational video.
On top of that, developing educational content will also help you foster consumer trust, boost brand awareness, and build authority. All great benefits that will make the process of nurturing prospects into becoming customers easier and smoother!
Check the following educational video that was developed to explain a tricky concept – inbound marketing. By combining a clear script and beautiful animation, it helps the viewer understand what’s inbound marketing, how it’s used, its benefits, and more!
Summing Things Up
When you manage an eShop platform, getting a solid amount of visitors is very important, and something that you most definitely should aim for. But, at the end of the day, what matters most is what percentage of those visitors convert into customers.
With the right video marketing strategy, you can build trust, nurture prospects, and turn them into paying customers. However, remember that each type of video is meant to achieve specific marketing goals. And understanding how and when to use them is imperative to get such results.
So, take your time, analyze your prospects’ behavior, and outline your next plan of action based on that. We promise you that if you combine that information with our tips, your conversion numbers will start going up!
