{"id":10531,"date":"2020-08-18T10:12:35","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T14:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dreamitreel.com\/?p=10531"},"modified":"2022-02-09T08:28:17","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T12:28:17","slug":"the-importance-of-video-content-for-ecommerce-businesses-during-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dreamitreel.com\/the-importance-of-video-content-for-ecommerce-businesses-during-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Video Content for Ecommerce During COVID"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It has now been six months since the outbreak of COVID-19. But most days, it feels like it\u2019s been much longer. The pandemic has forced businesses like yours to innovate to stay afloat. Ecommerce businesses especially are facing additional challenges<\/a> because millions of new customers are now shopping online. You\u2019re in a tight spot. On the one hand, you have limited options for creating new content. But on the other hand, you desperately need new video content for eCommerce to stay competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most production companies were shut down by the crisis. They are just now beginning to slowly ramp back up after six months of inactivity. Agencies and brands have struggled with their content pipelines, even as production companies attempted to pivot their production strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The content production landscape has undergone major changes in response to COVID.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some big businesses have dealt with this challenge by successfully utilizing old footage. A great example is Nike\u2019s recent spot<\/a> by Portland ad-agency Wieden+Kennedy. But there are only so many ways to re-edit old content. This is especially true if you are a small to medium-sized company with a limited bank of available content. Some businesses have attempted to film some of their own content. But let\u2019s face it, most people just cannot produce campaign-ready content at home. After all, you are business people, not cinematographers or actors. Unless you\u2019re doing a fireside-chat video, an iPhone recording of you in your living probably won’t cut it. To showcase your product or service offering, you need something more than a smartphone recording. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could turn to stock footage\u2014but so can every other person on the planet. Your business needs custom videos that will stand out from the crowd. There are pros and cons that come with using stock footage. A major pro is that it can be a good source of revenue and a great alternative to shooting. On the other hand, existing stock footage may not specifically help you tell your unique story all on its own. One way to get around this is by strategically supplementing productions with stock video. This is much more effective than relying on stock videos for every single frame. This is especially true for eCommerce, where your videos need to be immediately identifiable with your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let\u2019s go over some strategies, trends, and workflow tips for creating amazing eCommerce video content during COVID. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because things can go wrong, or they can go really really right. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you do need to be aware of some very important changes. The typical, pre-pandemic video production workflow does not exist in its same form. But a remote production workflow presents unique affordances and opportunities if you\u2019re prepared to capitalize on them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re new to getting video content produced for you, keep reading. Did you already have a video strategy but now you\u2019re trying to figure out how to adapt to the pandemic? Skip down to How eCommerce Videos Need to Change Due to COVID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the pandemic doesn\u2019t have to affect your ability to create great videos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Video Was Essential for eCommerce<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you sell anything online, you absolutely need to include videos. This was true pre-COVID and it remains true today. Ecommerce businesses use video content to compete with brick and mortar stores. If a potential customer cannot touch and feel your products in person, then you need to innovate. You needa incredibly engaging and informative video content to convince them to make the purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Market research shows that using videos can increase pretty much every KPI in your business. Let\u2019s start with engagement and bounce-rate. More people will choose to watch the video<\/a> when given a choice between text and video. This reduces the bounce rate. Plus, videos are multisensory which means they\u2019re more likely to stick in your prospect\u2019s mind longer than plain text. Finally, humans process video faster than text<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Videos can help you turn prospects into customers faster.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every eCommerce business should be incorporating videos into their marketing strategy. Whether you sell products or services, there is a video format for you. For instance, you could do product highlight videos, product reviews, or unboxing videos. You could incorporate behind the scenes fabrication videos, do an animated explainer video, or produce a classic advertising video. Short videos are always better and the ideal video length<\/a> is under two minutes. Product videos can be longer if you\u2019re showcasing features and demonstrating how it works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In pre-COVID times, videos were already king of content. Many eCommerce companies also placed a heavy emphasis on UGC<\/a> or user-generated content. First, customers receive and film their product. Then, eCommerce companies can capitalize on this free content and incorporate it into their websites and social media feeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even before the pandemic hit, there was already a growing trend towards remote collaboration and production tools among eCommerce businesses. It can be easier for a business to scale if your team can work remotely. Many eCommerce teams are spread out across the country or even the world. They can include full-time employees and freelancers who perform one-off video production tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Video Is Even MORE Essential Now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

COVID means that even if you have a public-facing office or store, people may prefer to go online to make their purchase. This is likely to be a lasting change in business, regardless of a widespread vaccine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video content for eCommerce is even more essential now because eCommerce businesses must compete for customers alongside companies with established storefronts. During COVID, these companies redirected their sizable budgets toward creating great eCommerce experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only is public health a major incentive for shopping online, but eCommerce can be faster, easier, and offer more options for personalization. Sure, your customers can\u2019t see, touch, sample, or try on products IRL. But a high-quality video can produce almost exactly the same experience from within the comfort of their own home. Rather than sitting through a salesperson\u2019s pitch, a video can preemptively answer all your customer\u2019s questions. This empowers them to hit Purchase with a high degree of confidence. Plus, they can pause the video anytime and come back to it later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using videos in eCommerce can make shopping from home more seamless. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, customers can now watch a product feature video on Instagram and immediately visit the checkout page for that specific item. Online shopping also has the potential to be more delightful. This is especially true if the user experience integrates in-home technology to deliver an amazing (and branded) shopping experience. Augmented reality and virtual reality videos can enable customers to envision what your product will look like in their homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, great videos can draw more people to your company website. This allows you to collect cookies and track other customer data. This helps you improve your business\u2019s online experience and re-target these visitors later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The point is that great video can help businesses stand out. With increased competition in the eCommerce marketplace due to COVID, videos are even more essential now than they were pre-pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How eCommerce Videos Need to Change Due to COVID<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video content needs to change post-COVID. It\u2019s no longer acceptable to simply present your product and ask people to buy it. Today\u2019s customers need to see your product or service situated in the context of today\u2019s world. Not only that, but they want to know who you are and what values you hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a recent survey,<\/a> one out of five people said they plan to purchase more items now through Amazon than they did pre-pandemic. Instead of seeing this as a threat, see this as an opportunity. You can make your company stand out as an alternative. Showcase your values, your responsivity, your homegrown roots, and your high-quality products. Amazon is popular because it has a wide product selection and user experience is predictable. But you can compete on other fronts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COVID has kept loved ones apart for months. Major corporations have furloughed their workers and people are struggling for balance and security. People are feeling delicate right now. Any eCommerce video strategy should speak directly to the universal human experience. Millions of people around the world are sharing this moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the perfect moment for your eCommerce business to show its personality, highlight its relationships, and foreground its employees and customers. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of technology and production methods, eCommerce businesses need to implement new solutions for creating engaging videos. Whether it\u2019s a round-up of user-generated videos from your former clients or an animated video presenting your new product, the time to innovate is now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Video Production Works Normally<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most businesses hire out their videos because the process of film production is highly complicated. Great videos don\u2019t just happen by chance. First, you need to find a visual and narrative concept that will clearly showcase your product. It must also appeal to your target market. You also need to confine your imagination to the budget and locations that are available to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great video content for eCommerce require a well-oiled machine. This includes a skilled crew, talented on-camera performers, excellent equipment, and a post-production team of editors and composers. Some companies handle both strategy and production in-house. This can make it easier to stick to the brief and pivot if problems arise during production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In normal times, here\u2019s what video production looked like. We’ll go over the Strategy phase (pre-production) and the Execution phase (production and post-production).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategy Phase: Video Content for eCommerce<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need to answer the following questions to create truly effective video content for eCommerce:<\/p>\n\n\n\n