How To Make Awesome Product Videos For Digital Marketing

make awesome product videos

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It’s no great secret that video content is far more effective in comparison to written text. You can convey far more information in a short video than a blog post, and people simply find it easier to digest. Thus, we can say that product videos matter a lot for digital marketing. 

For marketers looking to increase exposure and conversion rates, a video content marketing strategy is a must. Customers would prefer to engage in short product videos as opposed to a 1,500-word blog post. And it’s easier to convey the most important messages to them in a video format. 

Why Make Product Videos Anyway?

Product Videos

It’s definitely worth the time to learn how to make good product videos. All of the statistics are pointing towards an internet where video content is more prevalent than written text. And it’s way more effective for marketing products and services. Consider some of the following statistics:

  • According to 52% of marketers, video delivers a larger return on investment compared to any other mechanism (Hubspot).
  • 95% of information is remembered from a video, compared to just 10% from written content (Insivia).
  • Over 62% of people indicated they were more likely to purchase a product after seeing it on a Facebook Story (Marketing Land).
  • Over 72% would prefer to learn about a product from a video compared to a text (Hubspot).
  • Over 59% of business executives say that they would prefer video content to text (Wordstream).
  • Social media posts that contain a video enjoy 48% more views than those without a video (Hubspot).
  • According to YouTube, over 1.9 Billion uses its platform. That’s nearly one-third of the entire planet (YouTube).
  • Videos on landing pages can enhance conversion rates by 80% (Unbounce).
  • A website is 53% more likely to reach page one on Google if it has a video (Insivia).

It’s important to understand that video is no longer a supplementary technique for digital marketers. In fact, it could easily constitute the entirety of a digital marketing campaign. A well thought out YouTube channel can really serve to engage subscribers, though this is more of a long-term endeavor. 

Product Videos are Essential

In terms of selling items, product videos are essential. There has to be a video before checkout and/or on a landing page. It massively increases conversion ratios. Customers want product videos more than any other type of content – so make sure you give them high-quality videos. 

Once you get into the swing of making videos, it can turn out to be immensely profitable, and cheaper than writing blogs. Because it’s hard to rank on blogs, with a lot of competition and highly optimized pages. Making good videos is more of an art that is tougher to master, but there is more profit potential. 

Now that it’s clear that videos are a no-brainer, let’s take a look at how you can make awesome product videos. 

#1 – Practice. Practice. Practice.

Product Videos

There are many tips and techniques that you can use to make awesome product videos. You will find a huge range of camera equipment, software, and special effects that can enhance a product. There are professional editors who are superb at their roles. 

But first of all, it’s best to simply practice, practice, and then practice some more. Get into the habit of standing in front of a camera and speaking about what you are offering. If you are building a brand, you are building a story. And every story needs a character, somebody a customer is familiar with. 

So you will need to get used to speaking into a camera with confidence. Like everything else, this takes time until it becomes second nature for you. Make a short video every day and try to get your face out there – either in a professional capacity of just to release some information on a product videos platform. 

All of the rest will fall into place, with time, as you get more used to creating product videos. Look over them when you are finished, edit them where possible (or if needed), and then move on. Making videos is an art form that is always being perfected. And it’s free to start off. You can make an excellent video using a smartphone even without any editing software. There is no excuse for procrastination. 

#2 – Who. What. Where. Why.

Product Videos

Before you touch video content, you first need to establish:

  1. Who the target market is. 
  2. What kind of video is best (length, features, etc).
  3. What platforms you will deliver the videos on. 
  4. Why you are releasing the videos (brand awareness, education, sales, etc).

Aside from step two, the other items are going to stay more or less constant. You need to make out a video marketing strategy, in much the same way as you would create a content creation strategy. Brainstorm what kind of product videos you will release, over what timeframe, on what platforms, and how much traffic you intend to convert. 

If you are outsourcing the creation of video content, then many of these steps might be resolved. But you then have the additional problem of hiring high-quality video artists to create, release, and optimize the product videos.

Even if you do not have the capital at hand to hire a video specialist, you will need to discuss with a team or your associates on how best to market the videos and on how best to move forward. More than anything else, you really need to identify the target market. The best video in the world won’t get any engagement to a random audience. 

#3 – Emotional Appeal

Product Videos

Scientific studies are clear that people do not make purchases based on logic. They make purchases based on emotional appeal. So the video has to tell a story and it has to relate to the personal life of the individual. As the adage goes, the audience might forget what you have said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.  

Of course, there are a number of techniques to actually convey emotional appeal to the audience.  As a digital marketer, it’s vitally important to ‘know thy audience’ as intimately as possible. This will make it easier to appeal to them. 

An easy way to do this is simply to tell your story. Perhaps you have an interesting background. How did the company get started? What issues does it hope to resolve? At DashNex, the founder Peter Garety noticed the lack of efficiency in the online storefront industry, with lots of extra additions that added no value. 

Frustrated, he ended up creating a new kind of ecommerce store along with a host of digital marketing solutions, to cater to aspiring business people who wanted to get set up in the shortest possible time frame imaginable. 

The story is the first step – you may have the best story in the world, but what’s the best way to sell this to your audience? How do you pack this information into a 6-minute video? How do you attract their attention in the first place? You may have the world’s best solution. But unless you capture the attention of your audience, they will continue to use inferior products. 

#4 – Start Strong

Like all marketing endeavors, it’s critical to start strongly. Similar to how people won’t bother opening an email if it has a boring subject title, 20% of viewers will leave a video in the first 10 seconds if it fails to capture their attention. 

The title and the introduction must be as relevant as possible. You can have the best video in the world, but a boring title will not get you any views. And you can have the best product in the world, but nobody will buy it unless you get it in front of their faces and outline to them why it’s such a fantastic addition.

The viewer knows that if he/she watches more than 10 seconds, they are likely to watch the rest of the video. So they have an ‘enhanced’ filtration in place at the beginning of a video, and this is why you need to be aggressive at the start. 

Hook your Audience

within the first ten seconds of the video. There are a variety of ways to do it. It’s best to start fast and explain what the video will do. Exaggerate if you have to – ‘This video will explain to you the best way to make money online’ or ‘This video will tell you why it is that so many small businesses fail in their first year’. 

People want to hear this kind of information, and it is a very powerful technique. You should be a little bold and assertive in your title and the first 10 seconds of your videos. Also, You need to capture attention. You also need to be clear and concise with your video – nobody appreciates a lack of clarity. 

#5 – Sell Stories, Not Products

Product Videos

This point is similar to No.3. What you are really looking to do is inspire people with your story. As a secondary effect, they will purchase your product. Some companies are excellent at this. It’s possible to sell a story that is only somewhat related to a product, and to convert on it. 

Consider how McDonald’s might emphasize happy families and having a good time, getting customers into a good mood. This makes them more likely to sell. Nike inspires people to ‘Just Do It’, with images of sportspeople. The result is increased sales of shoes and sports-related items. 

Are you marketing an online storefront? Sell people on the idea of freelancing lifestyle and being an online entrepreneur. The result will be sales of digital goods associated with the online storefront. Selling luxury watches? They are all sold on the story of prestige and building the finest quality watches for connoisseurs. Selling fountain pens? Tell a story about how it’s frustrating to get pens with the correct point length, that lasts for the correct amount of time, and that is the correct weight. 

The story around the product is as important as the product itself. Never forget this. A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule (or perhaps even 90/10 would be better). This means that the majority of your video (80%) is around the industry/problem. And a smaller proportion (20%) is around the product that resolves the issue. 

#6 – Optimize For Mobile

Product Videos

Videos that are not optimized for mobile are missing out on a huge market share. Most social media videos are accessed from mobile devices, not desktops. And this trend is set to continue, as more and more people use mobile devices to shop for products. There are certain things you can do to optimize videos for mobile sites. These include:

  1. Go Square –  Square videos get more likes and shares in comparison to landscape videos. They also appear larger on a mobile news feed. 
  2. Big Text – As customers will be viewing on a mobile device, the text will need to be bigger. 
  3. Keep it Short – This is true anyway, but it really applies to mobile users. People on mobile devices are looking at a video on the fly. On a desktop, it is far more likely that a user will sit down to watch a 30-minute video, but very rarely will this be the case on mobile. 
  4. Use Tools– Most hosting platforms (such as YouTube) have tools that allow you to optimize for mobile. 

If your video is on the website, then the website should be optimized for mobile. With the huge surge in mobile ecommerce, it’s inexcusable not to have a site optimized for mobile right now. If your site is not mobile responsive, people will visit it once and never come back. 

#7 – Be Humorous and Entertaining

The happier you can make your audience, the more likely they are to buy your products and services. This is also a great way (arguably one of the best) to build brand awareness. 

It doesn’t matter if your industry is not the most entertaining, you can use humor to add to the appeal. It could even be a good way to make the industry a little more fun. In the world of copywriting, it is said that there is no such thing as a boring topic, just a boring writer. The same applies to videos. Video content allows almost unparalleled potential for creativity. 

There is no set formula for humor. And it can’t really be faked. You need to give serious thought to put out something funny. If humor is too hard (and it’s hard to be consistently funny) entertaining might be more easily within reach. Ideally, you can tie in humor with education and a strong call to action. When you get everything right, it can really work out well. 

#8 – Convey Authority

Product Videos
Product Videos

Another message that video marketers have taken from psychological studies is that people are more inclined to buy from others when they are perceived as being an authority in a particular field. This is especially relevant in the modern era, when people are often fooled more by labels and appearances that actual value delivered. People tend to be obsessed with Ph.D.’s and academic credentials. And such credentials will boost sales. 

So it’s best to outline your knowledge and expertise – how you came by this (special) information, how much experience you have in the industry, and (most importantly) how this information can be of benefit to the customer watching the video. 

Authority is best stated at the start of the video, which will add some credibility to all of the remaining clip. There are also more subtle ways to convey authority. The background and surroundings will all add to the ‘effect’ of a video. This is why ‘get rich quick’ eBook marketers always place themselves near Villas and Ferraris.  

As tacky as this may be, you definitely want to give some thought to the background. If in doubt, the best bet is typically a white or black background to convey neutrality.   

#9 – Stand Out

Perhaps the most important and most overlooked concept of all is to stand out from the crowd.  The world of online marketing suffers heavily from copycat syndrome. People look at the best practices, copy them, and never take any risks. The same advice is then regurgitated everywhere. 

The best digital marketers are the ones that go beyond the typical advice seen on the internet and create something new. Sure, there are trends and patterns. But there are so many niche audiences to target and so many creative ways to get the message out there. 

The world of online marketing is evolving faster than digital marketers can keep up with. By the time you have seen some of the latest studies and statistics, the trend might actually be over. In fact, it’s most likely to be over.

Take some risks with your product videos, try them out on different platforms, and look at the analytics to see what works. It is entirely possible that your video works extremely well despite going against all of the standard principles. You might find out something that everybody else is missing. 

Other Kinds of Videos

Product videos are amazing, and are one of the most efficient ways to get your message out there and to sell products. But there are many kinds of videos that can be used to market to customers. These videos can include:

  • Explainers
  • Presentations
  • Video blogs (vlogs)
  • Tutorials
  • Webinars
  • Ads
  • Customer testimonials
  • Interviews
  • Live streams
  • Live video

All of these videos have specific advantages attached to them. Of particular importance might be educational webinars/tutorials. You can educate your audience on a particular niche. This will help build your credibility in the field while also providing you with a way to market to customers. 

Customer testimonials on videos are a superb way to increase sales. Customers trust other customers far more than the company marketing the product (for obvious reasons). While there are many kinds of social proofs, the best are video testimonials from customers who bought the product. Trustpilot and Sitejabber are popular social proof review sites that can really enhance the trustworthiness of a business. 

Where is the Best Place to Market Product Videos?

Product Videos

The platform you use to distribute your videos can have a huge impact on your exposure. While you want to focus on one platform, there is nothing stopping you from releasing content on numerous outlets. 

YouTube is clearly one of the best places to release videos. It’s free, and has over 1.9 Billion users. This is why practically every online business that hopes to experience significant growth and expansion will need to have an associated YouTube account. 

However, there are many more platforms. Two of the most prominent include LinkedIn and Facebook. You can not ignore either of these platforms. LinkedIn is perfect for B2B marketing and for targeting working professionals and corporate enterprises. Facebook offers unmatched analytical and targeting tools. If you want to pinpoint a target market, then Facebook is perfect. Instagram might be useful to target millennial audiences. 

The issue here is that you need to hire a manager to look after these networks and to monitor the results.

It could make for very interesting analytics, seeing what works on each platform and how the audience is responding.  There are many social media management automation tools that make this kind of campaign a lot easier. 

Aside from video platforms, the videos are also going to be on landing pages and on your home website. But it’s best to have exposure on the larger video platforms and then lead them to your site. What you may also consider is opening accounts on all three and syndicating content across platforms. This means that you would have the same videos on each video sharing site. 

Video Automation Platforms

There are software automation tools to assist in the distribution and analysis of video marketing. Some of the more well-known video production tools include:

  1. Cincopa – Cincopa is a video hosting platform that is integrated with Hubspot, Salesforce, Zapier, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Slack, YouTube, Facebook, and nearly any content management system. Brands who use this platform include Verizon, Deutsche Telekom, BlueSnap, IBM Softlayer, PayPal, Amazon Web Services, BuzzFeed, The Salvation Army, MSG, KFC, and the Discovery Channel. This is an excellent software program with a host of advanced features and analytical tools to increase exposure. It’s also easy to use. 
  2. Sprout VideoThis hosting platform is aimed at small to medium-sized businesses, known for its ease of use. If you happen to be hosting thousands of videos then there are better alternatives. But it focuses on digital marketers and has a lot of customizable options. While it does not host a lot of video content, it’s ideal for small scale video branding. 
  3. Conviva – Conviva is specifically designed for cross-platform video marketing. It offers advanced analytics to spot monetization opportunities. Customers of Conviva include ABC News, Advance Local, BBDO, Billboard, Cirque DU Soleil, Fox Sports, Miami Dolphins, MTV, Nascar, TED, and Viacom. It integrates with all of the major social media platforms. Conviva is an advanced and powerful video analysis tool. 

There are many, many, many more video hosting platforms out there.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. However, these are mainly for larger companies that have a need for software to manage responses across a number of social media networks. But if you’re looking for detailed analytics about what customers are responding to from videos, then they could still be ideal. 

Awesome Product Videos – A Summary

It takes time to get really good at video marketing. The best course is to keep it simple when starting out – roll out the videos, get your core message across, and interact with customers. You will learn as you go along.

Many digital marketers start out in the wrong place. They think they must get the most expensive camera and video editing software first and then proceed to make videos. This is like getting a Ferrari before learning how to drive. 

Learn the basics of what makes for a good video first and get good at it. The details will be taken care of afterward as you advance your digital marketing enterprise. What are you waiting for?

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