Online shoppers are on a mission. We’ve all been there, glued to the computer, doing product research and trying to make a purchase decision. Whether they are comparison shopping or checking customer reviews, consumers want to educate themselves before ordering online. But they want to do so swiftly and effortlessly, and maybe even have some fun in the process.
So how can merchants help? Meet the product video, a medium that effectively attracts and informs potential buyers. Not only is video enjoyable for consumers, it also yields high return on investment. With video, customers remember your brand, stay longer on your site and most importantly they buy more products.
If you were on the fence about buying a Criquet polo shirt, we bet this video would seal the deal.
Bring your product to life
When YouTube came on the scene in 2005, creating a democratized platform for publishing video, the entire product promotion landscape began to shift. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but according to Forrester Research one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.
Research suggests that today’s consumers watch videos because they are the best way to see a product in action. According to a recent Invodo report, more than half of online shoppers regularly watch product videos before purchasing. And 69 percent will watch videos two or more times if they are full of good information.
Cinetics leverages video to demonstrate what their product can do as well as what it looks like.
Increase sales and decrease returns
These trends translate into higher sales. According to the Invodo study, almost half of consumers said that they purchase more from websites with product videos. Ariat, an equestrian apparel retailer, achieved a whopping 160 percent higher conversion rate by placing videos on product pages.
The majority of respondents also said they are more confident in their purchases and less likely to make returns after watching product videos. And let’s face it, returning items is no fun for the customer or the merchant. Even though they have one of best return policies in the business, Zappos has first-hand experience with this benefit and a slew of others. “Since Zappos started producing information videos in 2008, we have seen an increase in conversion, decrease in returns, increased organic traffic through SEO and an enhanced social presence,” said Laurie Williams, Senior Manager of Website Operations at Zappos.
This product video for Lupine‘s step-in harness shows customers exactly what they are buying and how to properly use it.
Help your products get discovered
Google algorithms look at countless factors when assessing a website’s credibility and relevance. Video can have a positive effect on SEO, making product pages with video rank higher than those without video. Here are three reasons videos impact your search results:
Time on site: The more time users spend on your site, the better for SEO. On average, consumers spend two minutes longer on retail sites with video.
Repeat users: When users come back to your site, it shows search engines that your site contains valuable information. Consumers are 45 percent more likely to return to websites with product videos.
Social sharing: Social sharing is important for SEO, and guess what, videos are more likely to get shared than text or images. In Invodo’s survey, 52 percent of consumers said they shared a product video within the last three months, and over 20 percent had shared 5 or more times.
Hosting your videos on YouTube has the added benefit of getting you placement on the world’s second largest search engine. With over 3 billion searches conducted every month, it is likely someone is looking for your product. Several search experts have also noticed a new trend of YouTube videos showing up in Google search results.
Cricket Store Online has built a dedicate community on YouTube with his helpful product reviews.
You probably get the picture by now — video can deliver great results for online retailers. Beyond the numbers, it is clear this medium creates an amazing experience for shoppers. “Video gives us the opportunity to wow our customers and this in turn delivers results,” notes Matt Lawson, Head of Conversion at ao.com. So whether you want to tackle it on your own or cost-effectively add video with a service like SoMedia, it’s time to make your move. Just jump in, get started and tap into the power of video.
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