Why Should You Use Videos for your eCommerce Business?

Here are a few quick facts:

1. 245 million people in the U.S. watch online videos every day.
2. Merely mentioning the word 'video' in an email subject line, the click-through rate increased by 13%.
3. 62% of users report increased interest in a product after viewing a related Facebook video.
4. Your engagement will increase by 12% on Facebook.
5. Nearly 50% of all video is viewed on a mobile device.
6. Internet video traffic will account for 95% of all consumer Internet traffic
7. Videos up to 2 minutes long get the most engagement.
8. 96% of people rely on videos to learn more about various products and services.

Most people's attention span on social media is less than that of a goldfish. I don't see it getting better anytime soon! Your eCommerce business is just as viable to include videos as anyone else.

You can immediately get a visual, personal connection with your audience when posting a video.

Here is what this article covers:

1. What are the best type of videos for eCommerce
2. Do you need a proper CAMERA or can you use a mobile phone?
3. Focus on AUDIO and LIGHTING.
4. Do you need to EDIT your videos?
5. Script your videos
6. Where is your Head? Look up!
7. Location, Location, Location!
8. Create a Live streaming shopping video in your store

Tip #1: What are the best types of videos for eCommerce

Recording a 'live' video is still the best because you create an interactive personal experience with your audience. In addition, your audience gets to know YOU unedited!

When you're pressed for time or want a refined version it's still ok to not go 'LIVE'. You can pre-record your videos, edit them (or maybe not), and post them as if you did go live.

No video? You can use video software to collate your photos into a video.

5 TYPES OF PRODUCT VIDEOS

• The 'how-to' video
• The 'product in use' video
• The 'close up' video
• The 'installation' video
• The 'unboxing' video
• The 'story' video
• The 'thank you' video

Tip #2: Do you need a proper CAMERA or can you use a MOBILE PHONE?

Invest in QUALITY equipment either way!

Your phone is the most convenient option, especially if you have a recent edition.

If you have the resources, I recommend paying a bit more to get:

• A decent phone or camera.
• A tripod to keep your videos stable.
• A good microphone and lights (more on that below).

A few hundred dollars extra can mean the difference between an amateur-looking video and something that looks professional, crisp, and clean.

When in doubt, invest in an excellent camera.

Tip #3. Focus on AUDIO and LIGHTING.

If nothing else, invest in a good microphone and (if you're shooting indoors) some good lights. While the visual quality of smartphone cameras is pretty good these days, the audio is not always the best, depending on your type of mobile phone. Your video can be grainy, but the audio has to be top-notch. This is the best investment you can make for creating videos if your phone audio is not good enough.

Also, lighting is the big difference between poor quality and great quality.

When recording yourself standing, be mindful of the space above your head and avoid having too much headroom in the shot. Before recording, conduct a test to check for any distractions or unwanted elements in the background, such as messy hair or unwanted objects.

Position yourself or your product in an area with plenty of natural or artificial light from the front and sides for optimal lighting. If you're showcasing a product, it's best to have light coming from the top and sides to highlight its features. Additionally, make sure your lens is focused on the product to ensure it's in clear focus.

A simple Lavalier mic for less than $39 goes a long way to improve the audio of your smartphone or iPhone.

For lighting, here's my first setup that cost no more than $60 or a bit more:

• Two photography light stands (or three if you want to kill the shadow behind you).
• Two (or three) clamp lights from your local hardware store.
• Two (or three) daylight bulbs.
• And you might need some extension cords to plug them in. Set everything up with a solid color wall behind you and start filming! The lights should look like this:

I have upgraded my setup since then, and the cost is still not prohibitive.

1. 2 Neewer photography lights with dimmers with stands
2. 1080 Logitech computer camera
3. RODE microphone 
4. Mobile Tripod Stand 
5. Tripod Holder for iPads/tablets 
6. Tripod Holder for iPhone/mobile phone 
7. Flexible Mini Tripod from iOgrapher (THE BEST) 

Tip #4: Do you need to EDIT your videos?

Whether you need to edit your videos depends on the video's purpose and the platform on which it will be shared. If you're creating a video for your website or online store, editing can help you achieve a more professional and polished look.

However, it's important to strike a balance, as you don't want your videos to come across as overly scripted or commercial. Your personality should still shine through, and the message you're conveying should feel authentic and relatable. Ultimately, the decision to edit your videos should be based on what will best serve your goals and connect with your audience.

Editing allows you to cut out unnecessary footage, adjust the pacing, and add special effects or transitions to enhance the overall quality of the video.

It also allows you to correct any mistakes or errors that may have occurred during filming. In addition, editing can help you tailor your video to your target audience and convey your message effectively.

Did you know? 65% or more of videos are consumed on Mobile devices.

Record your videos on your phone as a vertical video, or better, make the video square.

If you record your videos on any other equipment, create the size and format suited to your audience and media.

If you want to use your desktop, try WAVE or Animoto to edit your videos as well.

With WAVE you can create photo videos with text in any shape or size!

Use KAPWING for Android. It's free unless you want to remove the logo.

Tip #5: SCRIPT your videos

If you skip this step, you'll find yourself editing more than you need to, releasing a video longer than it should be, and probably losing your audience along the way.

You need a script even if you are recording any of the product-related videos I mentioned before. Remember, your video will be a story, but keep it short and concise.

Start writing your script like you would begin a blog post — with an outline. List out your key points and order them logically.

Please do not write it all out because you have to sound natural and not scripted. But this will keep your video logical and on task.

Once you have a script, create the blog post to add more value to your video. This step creates AMAZING SEO for you as well.

Tip #6: Where is your HEAD? Look up!

When recording, it's common for people to focus on their own faces, but it's important to remember to look at the camera lens instead. By doing so, you'll look directly at your audience and make a more meaningful connection.

To ensure that your face is captured clearly, try to position yourself in the center of the frame while recording. Be mindful of the space above your head, as this is valuable real estate that can be used to showcase your face.

Avoid positioning your phone or camera below your face, as this can result in an unflattering angle that shows too much of your nostrils. Instead, aim to keep the camera at eye level or slightly above it for a more flattering and engaging perspective.

When shooting a product or any other video, ensure your product is centered and not cut off. It is easier to have more space on the sides. You can create other sizes and formats for your videos.

My advice for the ladies: make sure the camera is set a little higher than your face, so you stretch your neck.

Tip #7: Location, Location, Location!

The location with the right lighting, background, and acoustics will influence the quality and effectiveness of your video.

Shooting in a location with ample natural or artificial light can help ensure your video looks bright, clear, and professional. Conversely, shooting in a dimly lit or poorly lit area can result in grainy or blurry footage that's difficult to see.

Another important factor to consider is the background of your video. The background can either enhance or detract from the focus of your video, whether it's showcasing a product or presenting yourself as a speaker. If the background is cluttered, messy, or unappealing, it can distract from the main subject of your video and make it difficult for viewers to focus on your message.

The location of your video can also influence your footage's acoustics and sound quality. A noisy or echo-filled location can make it difficult for viewers to hear and understand your message, while a quiet and controlled environment can make your audio sound clear and professional.

It's important to ensure your product stands out from the background. Avoid blending in with your surroundings, and ensure you are the shot's focus. Following these tips ensures that your videos are visually appealing and engaging for your audience.

Tip #8. Create a Live streaming shopping video in your store

Two big things I have been harping on for years for eCommerce entrepreneurs is - Start blogging consistently and create Live videos. Both are not the easiest to think about when running a business.

Here is some info from Reactive Live Shopping App:

"Livestreaming” is one of the buzziest terms of the moment in retail, but the live shopping concept has actually been around for decades, popularized in the 1980’s by TV shopping networks like QVC and HSN. 

But the media has changed — instead of television sets, landlines, and remote controls, live shopping is now happening on computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Coresight Research estimates that the livestreaming market in the U.S. will reach $11 billion this year and continue to grow steadily, accounting for $35 billion in sales and 3.3% of all U.S. eCommerce by 2024. Of course, that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the livestreaming market in China, which Coresight predicts will reach $300 billion in sales this year.

Self-hosting allows brands to offer replays after the live event has aired. This is an important capability; research shows that 70% of sales from livestreaming happen after the event, on replay. Where brands seem to be having the most success today is hosting their livestreams on their owned site and simulcasting onto social platforms.

So the bottom line is...

Google wants us to give your customers more information and expert advice, and they will reward us with organic traffic. This is one way of giving our customers more information about our products.

Google also requires more videos on our sites to increase customer retention.

Here are some examples... 

As soon as Kelli from ParisiansPure started doing Livesteaming, her sales increased.

Add the Reactive Live Shopping App to your Shopify store and start showing off your products.

Happy recording!

TOOL RESOURCES:

1. Equipment Recommendations

• Video Camera Recommendation
• Desktop: 1080 Logitech computer camera - On Amazon - https://amzn.to/2HejKMq
• Mobile /Smartphone!
• What microphone should you buy?
• Desktop mic: On Amazon - SURE https://amzn.to/2OHvgDZ or RODE https://amzn.to/2OHvgDZ

• Smartphone Lav mic: On Amazon - https://amzn.to/2OLfjgf

• Video lighting equipment list
• 2 Neewer photography lights with dimmers with stands - https://amzn.to/38iT3lI
• More equipment recommendations here:
• Mobile Tripod Stand (https://amzn.to/3bsIQox)
• Tripod Holder for iPads/tablets (https://amzn.to/39tGfJw)
• Tripod Holder for iPhone/mobile phone (https://amzn.to/2vkMujU)
• Flexible Mini Tripod (THE BEST) (https://amzn.to/31LfFcb)

2. Video Creation Resources

• Royalty-free stock music
• Wave has great music for their videos.
• Free stock videos
• Wave provides some great templates and stock videos.
• Check out CANVA.com - great for video creation and music!

3. Facebook Live Streaming Tools

• Ecamm Live - Good for solo shows: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive
• Belive.tv - Good for interviews: https://belive.tv
• Streamyard - https://streamyard.com

4. Chrome Screen Recording Extensions

• Loom (Chrome Extension & Desktop App): https://www.loom.com
• Screencastify (Chrome Extension): https://www.screencastify.com

VIDEO CREATION TOOLS & RESOURCES: 

1. Video Editing Software

• Screenflow (Mac Only): http://www.telestream.net/screenflow

ScreenFlow helps marketers create and edit promotional videos. Record your video, and combine with screen recorded content or Keynote & PowerPoint presentations. Add in animations, images, text, a soundtrack, and you've got a polished-looking video that helps sell your product or company.

• Camtasia (Best For PC): https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html

Your screen recordings don't have to be perfect in a single take. Camtasia's video editor makes it painless to cut out mistakes or patch in new footage. With the editing timeline, you have control over every frame in your video. And if you change your mind, Camtasia will always save your original footage, even if you've cut clips.

2. Online Video Editing Software 

• WAVE Video - http://bit.ly/wavevideo2

Wave is a video editor and a video maker. You can upload your recordings and add text, footage, logos, and photos.

I use Wave all the time for my recordings, or I create videos with photos and images.

3. Mobile & Web Video Editing Apps

• Biteable: https://biteable.com Make an awesome, pro-quality video in the time it takes to drink a coffee!
• Quik: https://quik.gopro.com/en/
• Create beautiful videos with just a few taps. Editing has never been this fast—or this fun.
• Magisto: https://www.magisto.com/
• Magisto turns your everyday videos and photos into exciting, memorable movies you'll want to watch again and again. They even have an entire section for business videos.
• Videoshop: http://www.videoshop.net/
• Videoshop is a fast and easy app to personalize your videos and share them with all your friends.
• Animoto: https://animoto.com/
• Turn your photos and video clips into video slideshows, quickly and easily.
• Videolicious: https://videolicious.com/
• Millions of employees at leading media companies and brands use Videolicious to quickly and easily create their own business-quality videos.
• Adobe Spark Video: https://spark.adobe.com/about/video
• Create compelling animated videos - in minutes.
• RenderForest: http://bit.ly/2bC3nMM
• Free Tools that help you to create professional intros, animations, slideshows and music visualizations in minutes.
• RotateNFlip (iOS Only): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/video-rotate-and-flip/id658564085?mt=8
• Did you accidentally shoot a video sideways? Want to flip your video upside down or left to right? Use this app to rotate and flip your video while you watch it. Then export straight to your iPhone's Photos app. Plus, with the included app extension, you can edit your videos right within the Photos app!

4. Screen Recording Chrome Extensions 

• Loom (Chrome Extension): (loom.com)
• With one click to record, one click to finish, and a publicly shareable URL automatically copied to your clipboard, Loom is changing desktop communication as we know it by making video easy and fun to use.
• Screencastify (Chrome Extension): https://www.screencastify.com/
• Screencastify is a lightweight Chrome extension that lives in your browser. As long as you use Chrome on a Mac, PC, or Chromebook, you're a click away from high-quality screencasts. Log in automatically with your Google account. Save all your videos to Google Drive and access them anywhere.

 Check out more information with 37 Experts on Wave.video blog: 

Top Video Marketing Trends to Jump On in 2023 [from 37 Industry Experts]

Here is an excerpt of my contribution:

“It’s a simple matter of logic to predict that video marketing and live streaming will be increasingly popular methods of shopping in 2023.

Today, almost everyone has a social media account. With the ascent of TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, people are becoming more accustomed to short videos of their favorite products or services.

Video marketing and streaming are shaping and evolving eCommerce globally. It will continue to create a smooth customer shopping experience across multiple platforms and provide a more personal touch with each purchase.

Over 50% of consumers will watch a product video before they buy. Brands on Amazon have increased sales by 3.6x with a product video.

Brands are experiencing conversion rates of up to 30% and more through Livestream selling and lower product return rates on their webstores.“

Read more on the Wave.video blog.

BONUS:

I have a bonus coming up in January. I am launching bootcamp: SET UP YOUR SHOPIFY STORE IN 5 DAYS LIVE WITH VERONICA!

Here’s the truth, friend — many people dream of growing a business, but few take action and make it happen.

You’re here because you’re courageous enough to take the next step to build your business.