The phenomenon of online video content in 2020, has really generated some figures!
According to some sector analyses, in 2020 more than 80% of web traffic was dedicated to the consumption of videos which, on average, occupied each user for 10 hours a week.
A trend that had already convinced even marketers: stimulated by the growing interest shown by consumers, more than 8 out of 10 brands in 2019 were active in video marketing and, of the 2 remaining sceptics, 1 declared that they would convert to “video mania” in the following 12 months.
In short, video content has conquered everyone: it captures, entertains, builds loyalty – encouraging you to come back again, to see something new – and makes it better, interactive and dynamic, a flat experience such as that of online shopping.
So how can retail companies ride the video content wave and become more appealing to customers?
By creating captivating videos capable of enhancing the customer experience! Here’s how.
Video marketing: leverage video to increase engagement and sales
Selling, entertaining, entertaining, informing: with videos, you can really do anything.
Let’s find out how to use video content to grow your business.
1. Before selling, better educate
When watching a video online, users are primarily looking for information.
They want to know more about an event, learn more about news, discover the secrets of a famous person or, again, gather details on a product or sector of interest.
Those who are passionate about cooking very often choose the web to pour out their curiosity: “how is basil preserved?”, “How much does basmati rice cook?”.
Now imagine that you are an appliance company: you produce the latest generation ovens, refrigerators and induction hobs. A user could come to your page to find out more about the technical characteristics of your products before buying them – and we will talk about this shortly – but also to get some concrete advice on how to use them in everyday life.
With ad hoc videos you could then hook up users on the web and bring them to your page by offering educational video content related to the topics they care about. You could make short videos with anecdotes and curiosities on the world of food or, why not, use social networks to stimulate interest – on Instagram you are spoilt for choice of tools for surveys and questions – to be answered with video pills.
We mentioned the technical characteristics of the product a little while ago, do you remember? Especially if you belong to those product categories where an item’s specifications make the difference – for example professional sports equipment, electronics or technology – consumers will want to find out about every little detail before making a purchase decision.
How to make this job easier and more entertaining? By offering informative videos, of course!
Rather than obliging them to read pages and pages of text, why not publish, in the first instance, a video summary of the main product features? With a small investment, you could be more explanatory and consequently increase the conversion and sales rate.
On the subject of educational videos, then, educational content aimed at customer assistance cannot be missing: if you have collected the FAQs relating to your product or its sector, you could concretely help consumers by structuring an archive of video answers on the most popular topics.
2. Put a human face on online business
One of the criticisms that customers move most often to the world of the web is its impersonality. However, everything changes if those who sell or work online put their face to it, using video as a tool to stay in touch with customers.
In addition to bringing professionals from all over the world closer by bypassing the physical place of work with platforms such as Zoom, let’s think about how video can revolutionise online shopping: an e-commerce site can indeed be a sufficient showcase where to buy without the necessary presence of another person, but making purchases on the web enjoying the professional support of a salesperson is certainly more satisfying and enjoyable. And this is possible, by taking advantage of ShopCall!
ShopCall video commerce platform integrates everything to enjoy an unprecedented online shopping experience: on ShopCall customers can video call the chosen store, both physical and digital, where a sales employee will answer and welcome them via a smartphone’s screen. Customers virtually being in the store.
With this video shopping platform, the shopkeeper can frame the product and illustrate the goods while customers can ask questions. Once a choice is made, a cart is filled and it is possible to proceed immediately with the purchase and payment. A nice novelty, to make online shopping fun and more human.
3. Online streaming engages and builds loyalty
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitch: consumers love to connect in real-time with brands and influencers, to feel more connected and an active part of a 3.0 brand experience.
Going live on the main social channels, brands can open up to user requests: they can answer their questions, host an event to entertain them, launch a product, organize webinars on topics of interest. What matters is that the user is involved, actively engaged and able to interact with the content they are watching.
And when live broadcast is over? Nothing is discarded on today’s web: any video content created can be archived and made available to users for future consultation.
