Author: Bob Jan 04, 2024 7 min read
In the rapidly evolving world of rapidly-devolving attention spans (which isn’t entirely true, but it’s cool to use buzzwords and pretend you’re ChatGPT), videos have taken a special place in our hearts and on our screens.
Hence, e-commerce people have taken this insight and developed a new idea: shoppable videos. In this article, we will explore the benefits of shoppable video content, tips and tricks to implement it, and how others have done so successfully.
Shoppable videos are a type of interactive multimedia content that combines video with e-commerce functionality, allowing viewers to purchase products or services featured within the video directly.
They offer a seamless customer shopping experience by integrating clickable links, buttons, or hotspots into the video, enabling viewers to take action without leaving the video player. Shoppable videos are often used in the context of online marketing and retail, transforming passive video content into an active and engaging shopping experience.
With this in mind, what are the benefits of offering users shoppable video experiences?
A shoppable video captivates and engages viewers more effectively than a traditional product listing, leading to increased brand interaction. In turn, they drive higher conversion rates by allowing viewers to purchase products directly from the video and reducing friction in the buying process.
Moreover, the interactive and engaging shopping experience can boost customer loyalty and retention as it creates a shopping experience to remember.
Shoppable videos redefine the shopping experience by seamlessly integrating the purchasing process into the content itself. Customers can explore products, learn about their features, and make purchases without the need to navigate to a separate webpage or e-commerce platform.
This level of seamlessness not only simplifies the shopping journey but also reduces the chances of distractions or frustration, resulting in a more enjoyable and efficient shopping experience.
Shoppable videos serve as dynamic discovery platforms. They present products within the context of engaging shoppable video content, making it easier for viewers to stumble upon items they may not have actively searched for.
This element of serendipity encourages impulse buying and cross-selling opportunities, expanding the range of products customers explore and potentially purchase. It transforms the passive viewing experience of customers into an active shopping journey.
Shoppable videos deliver real-time shopping experiences. This feature is particularly valuable for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, or live events.
Customers can instantly purchase featured products, making them feel a part of an exclusive opportunity, and retailers can leverage the urgency of real-time online shopping to boost sales and create a sense of excitement and engagement among their audience.
Shoppable videos are not limited to merely presenting products; they can also utilize data analysis to offer personalized product recommendations to each viewer. By understanding a customer’s preferences and purchase history, shoppable video platforms can suggest items that are most relevant and appealing to the individual.
This personalized touch enhances the overall online shopping journey, making it more tailored to the customer’s needs and increasing the likelihood of a purchase.
Shoppable videos are a powerful medium for storytelling. Retailers can weave compelling narratives around their products, connecting with customers on a deeper emotional level. By integrating storytelling into the shopping experience, brands can create a more meaningful and memorable interaction with their audience. This not only enhances brand engagement but also fosters loyalty as customers become emotionally invested in the brand’s story.
Shoppable videos offer a direct channel for customer feedback and reviews. Customers can share their thoughts, experiences, and insights about products they’ve purchased within the video.
This feedback can be invaluable for potential buyers who seek the opinions of others before making a purchase decision. It aids in building trust and credibility and contributes to a more transparent and informed shopping environment.
But what good is talking about this innovative method without giving you some actual shoppable video examples?
Let’s look at the best implementations of shoppable videos on various platforms.
The homepage of your website is its face and heart—you want it to be pretty, unique, and reliable. Mackintosh achieves this by placing an interactive shoppable video on their main page. A man on a kitty-go-round looks fun and sets the mood for the whole shopping session.
However, it’s also an effective method to hook your audience and make buying what they want convenient.
This is a recent example, but it’s not the first time Mackintosh rolled out a “shop the video” segment.
At first glance, there is nothing special about Ava Estell’s product pages besides its ADHD tab title. But they do one thing that separates them from many of their competitors: instead of boring text reviews, they add video reviews from real customers.
This makes the brand more relatable. Potential customers can see the experience of others and decide for themselves whether they like the product or not.
However, it doesn’t mean that there are no text reviews. Scroll down, and you’ll find plenty of them with photos and more short videos.
As we all consume and relay information differently, this is a great way to please both people who love and hate cameras.
Rihanna’s makeup brand, Fenty Beauty, was destined to succeed thanks to its unique approach. It’s a high-quality and inclusive product with a prominent pop performer behind it. But we’re not here to praise the queen of pop for her achievements. Instead, we want to show you how her brand handles YouTube shoppable videos.
Fenty Beauty frequently posts video guides for creating certain looks using a multitude of products. But to make their YouTube videos shoppable, they add e-commerce integrations and post links to every product in the description. This allows users to seamlessly engage with their products.
While emails do not allow for the same level of interaction, they can still make a great shoppable video platform. While we’re on the topic of unusual choices, let’s spice it up even more.
Marketing is not just about presenting your products; it’s also about retaining your customers. This was the strategy Total Wine and Chateau de Chantegrive successfully explored in one of their marketing campaigns.
Instead of trying to reach new customers or present new products, they thanked their existing customers with a personalized email and a video message. The message is adorable and also sets the customer up for the best-tasting experience, increasing the chance of repeat purchases.
Target always does a bang-up job of enticing customers, especially for the holidays. This Christmas, they went with a simple but cute mash-up of the many thematic products they offer for this wintry celebration.
Unfortunately, as Instagram has closed its Shop tab, this video marketing strategy has become less convenient. Nevertheless, it’s not all doom and gloom, as many people still follow the social media pages of businesses. Just don’t forget to add a link to the featured product in your post.
As customer attention became recognized as a valuable commodity in the digital space, video commerce quickly grew to attract as much of it as possible. Shoppable videos are a perfect fusion of engaging visuals and convenient shopping.
We’ve shown plenty of examples across the whole marketing landscape. Did we convince you to get yourself one of those? Contact us to create a shoppable video for your e-commerce business.
