What is a shoppable video?
A shoppable video is a piece of video content that can showcase products and connect viewers to e-commerce platforms through accompanying links. In the process, consumers can instantly purchase those products through a convenient and engaging shopping experience. Many e-commerce sites and apps use these videos today to optimize the buying journey for customers.
Why are shoppable videos important?
Shoppable videos are great for retailers to use if they want to build a strong connection with consumers. These videos offer a unique way for businesses to promote their product offerings and get their brand in the spotlight. They also simplify the shopping experience for consumers, making it easy for people to find what they want and buy it through a seamless shopping experience.
Benefits of a shoppable video
There are numerous benefits of shoppable videos, such as:
Shoppertainment
Shoppertainment combines entertainment with the e-commerce experience to encourage customers to buy products and engage with the brands behind them. Using shoppable videos, you can offer entertaining content to customers which will help effectively convert them.
One way to use shoppertainment to your advantage with shoppable video content is to collaborate with influencers. For example, an influencer could make an "unboxing" video showing them engaging with one or more of your products in a live stream or pre-recorded session. Links can then take customers to each corresponding product to make it easy to buy them.
Increased conversion rates
You'll also be able to use shoppable videos to boost conversion rates. These videos can achieve this by allowing viewers to buy products directly through the videos. As soon as a product appears on the shoppable video, a visible link can direct the customer to a checkout page.
Increased engagement
Like other video content, shoppable videos are highly engaging. However, they're potentially even more so than other videos because of their uniquely interactive nature. The shopping element added to these videos is likely to further increase engagement and interest among viewers.
Improved user experience
People want an online shopping experience that's fast and simple, keeping them engaged and moving them swiftly along the buyer's journey to a purchase. With the help of a shoppable video, you can provide customers with a seamless and convenient shopping experience that moves them right along. A single video can inform customers about your brand and products and allow them to purchase your offerings without ever leaving the video.
Tracking and analytics
To help you gauge the performance of your marketing and sales efforts, shoppable videos also give you access to critical metrics and insights. You'll learn about viewer behavior and engagement through the data you collect, allowing you to optimize and improve your efforts accordingly. For instance, you can see how many people watch your videos and how many of those viewers convert into shoppers. You may also see metrics such as viewing time to determine how well your videos engage viewers.
Shoppable video examples
Many brands have used shoppable videos to their advantage in creative and engaging ways. The following are a few examples of successful shoppable video campaigns.
Wayfair
One shoppable video campaign that performed well was a joint effort between Wayfair and Sephora. Both companies wanted to boost sales through YouTube content, leading them to implement YouTube's TrueView feature to add an e-commerce element to their videos. Using this feature, consumers can browse products using dynamic product cards that appear in the video. Viewers can then click on each product card to conveniently shop straight from the video.
Ted Baker
In collaboration with filmmaker Guy Ritchie, Ted Baker produced shoppable videos highlighting specific items in the brand's collection. These videos used storytelling to connect with customers, with one video being a short thriller that featured actors wearing various Ted Baker items. The video on the Ted Baker website included clickable links on each article of clothing, but it didn't overwhelm viewers. Different shots would highlight different items, creating an interactive and entertaining experience.
Miracle Eye
Los Angeles-based retailer Miracle Eye used Instagram Stories on their profile to produce shoppable videos that showcased various products. Viewers could click on each post's "See more" button, which directed them to the Miracle Eye e-commerce platform. Of course, businesses that use Instagram Shopping could simply produce videos that allow customers to buy directly from the video, but Miracle Eye managed to find an effective workaround without it.
Best practices for creating shoppable video
To get the best possible results from your shoppable videos, there are some best practices to follow. Taking these steps will help you produce compelling shoppable video campaigns that build authority for your brand and boost engagement and sales in the long term.
Be inspiring
Shoppable videos offer a great way to inspire shoppers in creative ways. Retailers can show how their products would look and feel in different contexts, giving shoppers a better idea of how those products would fit into their lives. They can more effectively imagine owning those products and using them every day. So, it pays to be inspiring.
Have a clear picture of your target audience
Before you begin producing your shoppable video campaigns, you must know who you want to target with them. Segment your audiences and figure out what each segment wants and needs. Think about their common interests and the specific products or features that will benefit them. Knowing your audiences will also help you figure out what kind of video content will resonate most with them based on what they find appealing.
Use visually appealing graphics
While you don't need to have an enormous budget to produce engaging shoppable videos, you should still invest some effort into them. Use a combination of high-quality graphics and other visuals that grab and hold the viewer's attention. At the same time, don't overwhelm your audiences and instead try to incorporate visual elements that complement rather than detract from the rest of the video content.
Make it easy to shop
Your shoppable videos should also provide your customers with an easy way to purchase directly from the videos. You can achieve this by including clear and prominent links or buttons within your videos that allow for instant purchases.
Storyly enables brands to stream Shoppable Video Stories showcasing their products in their app or website, all without compromising the seamless journey. With Storyly’s interactive Shoppable Video Stories, brands can make shopping a special occasion for customers. While product tags and CTAs make your videos shoppable, the use of interactives like polls or emoji reactions ensure an engaging experience for customers. You can also host influencers for shopping events and promote your brand via Shoppable Video Stories.
Moreover, the in-Story checkout feature by Storyly allows shoppers to buy whatever items they see in the Story without having to leave it. They can add featured products to their cart, choose among product variations like size, color and go to the checkout all while they are in the Story. They'll then be able to complete their purchase in the Story using Apple or Google Pay, all in one easy step. This unique, single-tap conversion solution makes it easier and faster for customers to build their carts and checkout once they fall in love with your product!
Optimize for mobile
To ensure your videos succeed with all audiences, you must optimize them for mobile devices. All video and shopping experiences should provide users with the same great experience, whether they're using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Keep in mind that many people browse on mobile devices on the go, in the workplace, and at home. Giving your audiences a great experience on each platform will help maximize your reach and engagement, ultimately contributing to more sales.
Test and optimize (A/B testing)
Before you launch your shoppable video campaigns, testing is critical to ensure they get the results you want. Testing could entail running A/B split tests that use two different versions of shoppable videos. For instance, you might have two videos that use different messaging for their calls-to-action or varying visual elements. You can then run both of these videos in front of test audiences, collect the data they gather from viewers, and gauge performance based on the results.
Include a shoppable link early on
Your videos should include a link very early on to lead viewers toward a sale as soon as possible. Quickly promoting your products will keep viewers more engaged and let them know what they can get before they even have the chance to exit the video. In most cases, you're better off including a link within the first two or three shots of your video. However, you should also let your shots linger for a bit to give people a better feel for your products and their features.
Use shoppable videos to drive engagement and sales
With the right strategy and solutions, shoppable videos can help your business thrive. You'll differentiate your brand from competitors while increasing sales.
Want to learn about how Storyly Stories can help your brand make a difference with shoppable videos? Contact us now to find out.
