E-commerce has experienced a real boom, not least thanks to the pandemic. The advantages are obvious: convenient shopping from home around the clock – including free returns. One of the magic words for you as a marketer: “Shoppable Video Ads”. They offer the opportunity to inform, market and ultimately sell.
The highlight here is that the sale takes place directly on the social media platform or within the app, without the target group having to leave it. And shoppable ads are becoming increasingly popular: 31% of 2020 respondents said they had shopped directly through social media ads(up from 21% the previous year) .
Learn in the following article how you can effectively use this trend for yourself.
Definition: What is a Shoppable Video?
So-called shoppable videos are online videos that allow viewers to buy products directly from the video. This makes buttons or links within the video possible that lead the viewer to a purchase option within the social media app or platform.
The videos can serve different functions:
- Increase sales: For companies, shoppable videos are a way to promote their products and increase sales. They draw the viewers’ attention to the products and simplify the purchase decision process enormously.
- Image: Your own branding can also be enhanced with an image film, for example. At the same time, cleverly placed links and buttons help to generate sales.
- Recruiting: Today, a recruiting video is often the tool of choice for finding skilled employees. Through this, the interested parties can directly apply for a job – one click is enough.
Shoppable Videos: Advantages for a successful social media strategy
Shoppable videos are a growing trend in e-commerce. Companies can publish the videos on various platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Facebook or on a landing page. In addition to pure product information, customer reviews, purchase details and contact data can also be displayed as an additional service. They are currently considered one of the best ways to promote product sales and strengthen customer loyalty. And they offer a lot of other advantages:
1. a good feeling - for better sales figures
Shopping should be fun – and not degenerate into stress, create pressure or leave an uneasy feeling. Offline, this realization has already received a lot of attention. For example, in shopping centers that offer entertainment programs or special events.
Online, shoppable videos also offer viewers a high entertainment value. On the one hand, this tends to encourage people to buy the product shown directly. On the other hand, the video remains longer in the memory. Customers remember the product and are happy to buy it at a later date because of the positive impression. And that’s without having to look around at other providers first.
2. he came, saw and bought: "Instant Shopping" with Shoppable Videos
Shoppable videos allow you and your business to promote your products directly in a video.
Thanks to the call-to-action elements in the video, customers can react to the ad immediately. You do not have to leave the current website and possibly find your way around again in an online store. This reduces the bounce rate. In other words, shoppable videos close the gap between purchase intent and purchase.
Your videos can contain several products from different categories. This way you’ll be able to show several of your listings in no time.
3. innovative, expanded sales channel
Many users are now annoyed by having to click through the range of products on offer within a website or online store. They don’t want to have to search forever until they find the product they want. The bounce rate is therefore correspondingly high. Shoppable videos significantly shorten this path. Customers become aware of a product in the film and can access or purchase it immediately.
4. arouse emotions, cause a sensation ...
… and build trust. Interactive elements in the video allow you to communicate with your customers in real time. Most people feel this is a special service, which builds trust in your brand.
A well-made shoppable video appeals to viewers’ emotions through images, language and music. This allows you to present your products in a unique way. This creates an emotional bond between you and the customer.
5. faster purchase decisions and higher conversions through shoppable content
All these advantages lead to the fact that you have a huge opportunity to increase your sales with simple means. Simply by relieving your potential customers of a trip to the store – online or stationary.
Shoppable Videos: Which content format is right?
Basically, shoppable videos are produced in the conventional video format (MP4 format is widely used). You then add the interactive elements directly to the social media platform of your choice, for example on Instagram or YouTube. Interactivity allows viewers to respond directly to the video. Such elements can be, for example, a shopping cart button or a link to your online store.
The following options are available for the formats:
Shoppable product video
The name says it all: The Shoppable product video is all about the products. These are shown in the video or are related in some way to the plot of the video. For example, a Shoppable product video may contain links to the clothing worn by the actors in the video. Or even to electronic devices or vehicles that can be seen in the video.
Galaxus applies this type of storytelling with a dash of humor:
The idea behind Shoppable product videos is to present various products in an entertaining way and “in action”. Once interest is aroused, the integrated link enables an uncomplicated purchase.
Unboxing videos and product reviews
In these videos, a product is unpacked and presented in front of a running camera. Viewers can go directly to the product shown and buy it.
Product reviews work much like an unboxing video. However, the products are tested and evaluated directly here. If liked, viewers can then buy the product directly again via a call-to-action button.
Lookbook videos
Often used by influencers, these videos showcase outfits and how to combine them. Usually, not only the actual product gets the desired attention. The lookbook videos additionally point to similar garments, which the viewer can again buy directly with a click.
Shoppable storytelling video
In the Shoppable Storytelling video – to put it simply – a story is told.
a story is told
. At the same time, the viewer again has the opportunity to buy the products shown or mentioned directly by clicking on them.
Such videos are particularly popular on social media. Because the emotional aspect plays a big role here anyway. If the storytelling hits the right nerve, users share it diligently and even more potential customers can be reached. Perfect for promoting products and selling them at the same time.
How-to videos
Here is an explainer video with concrete instructions, how to handle, use or do certain things. No matter whether tools, cleaning agents, handicraft instructions or electrical items: Viewers learn how to handle a product correctly. This offers them a significant added valuethat they henceforth associate with the brand or the company. Those who feel well advised are more willing to click on a placed link and buy offered products.
Shoppable Stories
Instead of just placing individual ads, here is an entire Instagram story “shoppable“. This means that the products depicted in the photos can be shopped directly within Instagram with just a single click.
Runway videos
From the catwalk straight into the shopping cart – that’s the motto for the “Shoppable Runway Videos”. With this interactive fashion show users are presented with the latest fashion. One click on a hotspot in the video is enough to purchase the item directly. But there are also catwalk videos in which instead the most important key data for the articles shown are displayed.
Shoppable livestreams
With this virtual sales event, marketers or influencers present products in real time. Live shopping is particularly popular with younger viewers.
Shoppable Ads
With the Shoppable Ad, users are also enabled to buy products directly from the ad. However, this is designed as a classic ad, so images are predominantly used instead of videos.
As with Shoppable Videos, the Shoppable Ad also contains advanced links or buttons. When users click on them, they are taken directly to a purchase option for the product. Shoppable Ads are becoming more and more common on social media: Meanwhile, shoppable ads are not only found on Google. Instead, there are also more and more Shoppable Ads on other social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. The number of these ads has been growing steadily for years.
Shoppable Ads on Instagram and Facebook:
Shoppable Ads on TikTok:
The Meta Group has shown how it’s done – and TikTok is following suit. The popular short video platform TikTok has apparently been inspired by the success of free ads. Thanks to a cooperation with Shopify, you can now easily place your product links on the “For You Page”, i.e. in the organic feed of the page. Another feature: At the same time, additional functions such as a campaign tool or a video generator are available to you.
Shoppable Ads on Google:
In e-commerce, Google is and remains the advertising platform par excellence. The search engine group has therefore also recently introduced a number of new advertising products in the search sector. These include, for example, personalized ads based on merchants’ product feeds. Since Google Image Search is also frequently used to search for products, Google has also been relying on shoppable ads in its own image search since 2019 with “Google Shopping“, similar to Pinterest or Instagram. For example, if you Google “interior design ideas,” you’ll first see ads for living room landscapes from MYCS or Home24.
Shoppable Ads on YouTube (TrueView for Shopping):
Video ads in which it is possible to insert links of the respective products have existed on YouTube for a long time. Marketers have been able to place ads in this way since 2015 – and thus increase awareness of their own brand. It is a combination of classic YouTube ad and the old familiar Google Shopping ads. Here, too, a certain local reference has proven its worth. For example, the TrueView ads of the Petman brand are aimed at dog owners throughout Germany. However, users are shown the address of a different Fressnapf store depending on their location. Since 2022, there has also been an innovation: In addition to a clickable shopping feed, in some countries it is already possible to link products directly within a video.
How to: How to produce a shoppable promotional video
So you see, a shoppable video is an excellent way to engage and excite users. Here are some tips and best practices to help you produce a successful interactive shoppable promotional video:
- Set clear goals: Before you start producing your video, you should set clear goals that you want to achieve. This can be attention for a new product or even more sales.
- Choose the right format: you know there are many ways you can produce an interactive video. Now choose the format that best fits your goal – and your audience. This can be, for example, a quiz that users have to answer. The various ways in which the action continues in the video are also appealing. Here, users should be able to decide which way the video goes and how the product is configured.
- Keep the video short and crisp: users usually have a limited attention span. That’s why you should keep your video as short as possible. Try to cut it to under two minutes in length and stick to the main points.
- Make it exciting: shoppable videos are an excellent way to keep users engaged. Use this opportunity by making the video exciting and entertaining. Use good music, use punchlines in your storyline, and convey important information in an entertaining way.
- Don’t show too many products: Even though it is generally beneficial to promote more than one product: Limit yourself to a maximum of three products. So your viewers don’t feel crowded and you don’t come across like a digital bazaar. Also, don’t offer too many options that could lead to confusion.
- Make it big: Make sure to post your products in full screen size. Experience shows that you get the best interaction rates this way.
- Give the audience time: not everyone immediately grasps the meaning of a message. The parts that are meant for interaction are therefore best left to run for three to four seconds. All without anything else happening. This gives users the opportunity to let what is presented sink in. Still, they have to act fast enough before the video continues.
- Use a crystal clear CTA (call-to-action): Of course your products are important. However, it is at least as important to use only one concrete call-to-action in the entire video. You will see that the conversation rate increases noticeably as a result.
- Make sure the video works well: Before you publish your video, make sure it works well. Test the movie on different devices and browsers to make sure it will be a real pleasure for all users.
- Don’t forget about mobile optimization: nowadays, most videos are watched on mobile devices. So you should optimize the video accordingly. So you should make sure that the videos (also) display well in portrait format. For the best possible display on the smartphone or tablet, a portrait aspect ratio (9:16) is ideal. Also, when it comes to the arrangement of individual elements and image composition, you should keep in mind that video content is nowadays preferably consumed on mobile devices.
Shoppable Ads and Shoppable Videos: A forward-looking form of online marketing
It’s hard to imagine marketing without shoppable videos. Its interactive and user-oriented nature makes it the top video format for e-commerce.
The technology makes it easier for any business to produce and place low-cost yet effective shoppable videos. With a little know-how and the right tools, remarkable increases in sales are possible.
Don’t have the time and know-how to produce your own Shoppable videos? Then get in touch with us right away.
Schedule a free consultation with our video experts.
Together we simplify your communication.
Dustin Bättig | CEO
Photo Credits: Igor Miske , dole777
