Even after arming themselves with the one of the most powerful marketing tools—video—many ecommerce businesses still struggle to produce results. Why? Because simply creating and sharing videos about your brand doesn’t guarantee business success. Instead, using the right kind of videos along with the best promotion tactics is what will win you more visitors, leads, and sales.

One of the most powerful types is product videos, which explain the most important facts about what you’re selling in an interesting way. Let’s take a look at the research behind why product videos are so effective, and then discover what makes a great product video.

Why you should be making product videos for your store

Product videos should be a part of any ecommerce store’s marketing strategy, and the stats tell us exactly why. First, consider that 73% of US adults are more likely to buy after watching a video that explains a product or service. Why? Because video is one of the most engaging ways for people to learn about a product—and it saves them the effort of reading big blocks of text.

Plus, it’s said that the average person retains 95% of a message when receiving it via video, compared to just 10% via text. That means people are likely to gain a better understanding of your product from a video, which helps ready them to make a purchase decision. The bottom line: Well-made, engaging product videos can win you more sales.

The anatomy of a great product video

A well-done product video allows prospects to understand and appreciate the appearance, features, and/or benefits of a product without actually handling it themselves. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth two thousand! It should make it easy for the viewer to imagine that product in their lives, just like seeing the product in a store would.

The most successful product videos aren’t too long—generally between 45-90 seconds. That gives you enough time to explain the most attractive aspects of your product, but it’s not so long that it will bore viewers. Of course, the video’s length depends on the complexity of what you need to explain and the style in which you do it. Super-compelling and unique videos may be longer but will still hold the user’s attention—like this one for the bathroom-freshening spray Poo-Pourri. 👇

Above all, your product video should awaken curiosity and stand out (which the example above definitely does!). It should be engaging, compelling, and memorable. It should work at the subconscious level to encourage the viewer to want to take action (e.g. make a purchase). And of course, it should be visually interesting (use a video editor for this) to keep the viewer’s attention.

Four types of product videos to consider

Within the category of “product videos,” there are a few different types for you to choose from. The one you select depends on your product, your industry, and your audience. (One brand might also choose to make a few different types of product videos for use in different ways or on different channels.) They are:

#1. Demo video

This type of video shows viewers how to set up and/or use the product. It’s a great way to illustrate your product in action and teach your audience exactly how it works. It’ll also build credibility in the item, helping viewers imagine using it themselves.

This video from Apple is a prime example of what a high-quality demo video looks like. A credit card isn’t a particularly new or exciting product, but Apple’s video still manages to make it engaging and interesting.

#2. Storytelling video

These videos use storytelling to build viewer trust in the brand. It’s a more subtle type of product marketing, since the idea is for the user to get wrapped up in the story rather than listening to a laundry list of features. These videos have to strike the perfect balance between entertaining and informing.

Here’s an example of a storytelling video from Ring that helps the viewer envision life as a new owner of the product. This quick video clearly shows how viewers could benefit from buying a Ring doorbell.

#3. Features video

This type of video is a bit more in-depth and technical. It explains the product, lists its features, and highlights its key benefits. For products that have lots of features and complex functions, the video should showcase only the ones that help the viewers make a buying decision. Either way, it’s crucial to keep product videos fast-moving, visual, and interesting to keep user attention. This is your chance to give a direct explanation of what makes your product so great—but don’t get more detailed than what your audience can handle or would be interested in.

Check out this video for an example of a product demo video from Patagonia. It explains the product’s features in-depth, but it’s geared towards a very specific, savvy audience who will appreciate that.

#4. Customer testimonial video

Testimonial videos involve satisfied customers sharing their experience as a powerful form of social proof. That means prospective customers will be more likely to trust in your brand and a particular product if they hear and see the stories of other happy customers. The modern testimonial video is often framed more as a customer story about how the product improved their life, rather than a scripted hard sell.

Take a look at this great example from Peloton. It tugs at the viewer’s heartstrings and communicates added benefits of the product that they may not have thought of (e.g. setting a good example for your children, not just a healthier body).

How to market your product videos

A great video does nothing for your brand if it doesn’t get in front of your target audience. Here are a few ways to effectively market your product videos.

Publish product videos on your website 💻

Displaying product videos on your ecommerce store’s website shows that your brand wants to give shoppers all the information they need to make a decision. They also:

• Save the prospect time, because they can get all their questions answered right there without having to filter through FAQs or contact your support team
• Engage the visitor and keep them on the page longer, which benefits your SEO
• Encourage the visitors to connect and build trust with your brand, especially if the videos involve any kind of storytelling or social proof
• Help you come across as a reliable and trustworthy online business

Share them on YouTube  🎥

YouTube is the world’s second-most visited website—and statistics show that 70% of users will buy from a brand after seeing it on YouTube. People use YouTube for entertainment, but it’s also the first place many consumers go to learn more about a product. If you upload your excellent product videos there and drive traffic to them, they’ll be at the top of the results when people search your brand, making them more likely to buy. Plus, you can encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel, which can lead to an ongoing relationship, brand loyalty, and repeat sales.

You can also partner with influencers who can make their own videos about your product(s). A recent Google study says that one in five consumers have watched an unboxing video. So if you can get a relevant influencer to do a good one for your product, people are likely to watch. And from there—especially if you give the influencer a discount or coupon to share with their audience—you can watch the sales roll in. Check out this unboxing video an influencer did for Nike, with over 100k views. ⤵️

Post your videos on social media 📱

On social media platforms, video generates 1,200% more shares than text and image posts. So if you’re not posting your product videos on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, or the other platforms where your audience is active, you’re missing a major opportunity. And since 92% of people trust recommendations from their friends, getting users to share your product videos can bring you a big spike in sales.

Just remember that the videos you post should be platform-specific. If you’re on YouTube, longer videos are the norm. But on Instagram, for example, a 15 to 30-second Reel will perform better, since Instagram users are more accustomed to that type of short-form content. And while YouTube viewers tend to expect videos with higher production quality, Reels and TikToks are often expected to be less edited and more “authentic.”

Take a look at LEGO, for example. Their YouTube channel has over 12 million subscribers, and they routinely get millions of views their videos, which range from one to ten minutes long. But they also post 15 to 30-second Reels on Instagram, which get millions of views, too. It’s a prime example of a brand catering their product videos to different platforms.

Use videos in email marketing ✉️

According to one report, emails that contain videos see a 278% higher ROI than text-only emails. So if you’re regularly in touch with your audience via email, you should consider sharing your product videos there too. It’s a great opportunity to get your product right into a prospect’s inbox. For example, you could:

• Send a product video with a “back in stock” notification or as part of a new product announcement email to make the prospect more likely to buy
• Add how-to videos to post-purchase emails to increase customer satisfaction (and you can even upsell accessories or add-ons at the end of these videos to get repeat business)
• Send testimonial videos to those who left an item behind in their cart, to convince them to buy

Add videos to your chatbot flows

If you’re using a Messenger chatbot to communicate with your customers (if not, here’s why you should!), use your product videos there too. They’re a great way to make the chat experience even more engaging and interactive, and they allow your bot to show instead of just tell.

For example, you could set up your Facebook chatbot to share videos for the products it recommends to users. It could be a short testimonial video to encourage them to buy, or a quick demo video to show them how the product works. 💡Don’t have a chatbot for your store yet? Build a free one with Chatfuel today—no coding skills or previous experience required.

Engage your audience in a new way with product videos

Product videos are a great way to draw prospects right into the sales funnel. When done right (clear, engaging, and brief), these videos can build viewer trust in your brand and make them want to buy from you. Start by choosing the right type of product video for your brand and your audience, then get creative and film your masterpiece, and watch the sales follow! 📈