Reading Time: 8 minutesAccording to the IAB report, 40% of marketers use shoppable videos, up from 25% in 2018.
The data highlights how shoppable videos are a great way for brands to create immersive and engaging shopping experiences for their customers.
In this blog, we’re going to take a deeper look into how shoppable videos can benefit your business, backed with data and examples.
We also have amazing insights and tips to ensure your shoppable videos turn into a powerful +marketing tool for you!
What Is Shoppable Video?
Shopify videos are interactive videos that allow viewers to purchase the product directly without leaving the video. They are designed to create a seamless shopping experience for customers by strategically embedding product links that lead them to checkout.
Through shoppable videos, customers can check which products are available for sale, make a purchase, and go back to their viewing with just a click.
As a result, shoppable videos can help in enhancing customer experience and boost conversations for eCommerce business owners. Moreover, the chances of converting your potential customers become higher.
Ralph Lauren is a good example of a brand that leverages Shoppable videos successfully.
In 2020, they launched a shoppable video series that featured casts from the Netflix series “Elite.”
Partnering with one of the most popular shoppable video platforms, Smartzer, the video allowed users to browse the products worn in the video and check out their full collection as well.
As a result of this campaign going global, Ralph Lauren saw a huge success with the results being:
| CTR | 7.86% |
| Interactive views | 33.94% |
Source: Smartzer
Types of Shoppable Videos
Shoppable videos are of different types, each with its unique features and benefits.
Here is a quick list of different types of shoppable videos.
- Products reviews
- How-to videos and tutorials
- Question and Answers
- Testimonials
- Life hacks
- User-generated content (UGC)
- Interactive storytelling
Why Every Ecommerce Website Can Benefit From Shoppable Videos
Shoppable videos are a powerful tool for e-commerce websites. Through shoppable videos, you can offer a seamless shopping experience, increase engagement, and increase your conversions.
Here are some of the top reasons why e-commerce websites should use Shoppable videos:
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Increased Engagement With Customers
Shoppable videos allow customers to interact with products in a way that traditional product pages cannot match.
When you combine clickable elements in your video, customers can easily explore products in detail, which can lead to higher engagement and watch time.
Additionally, when compared to images or text, including videos combined with clickable product links keeps your audience engaged throughout the video.
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Seamless Shopping Experience
Shoppable videos save time for customers and are more convenient since customers can explore products and make a purchase without even leaving the video.
In addition, shoppable videos let your customers see how the products look in real life rather than just checking the products physically, helping them make more informed choices.
A report states that the implementation of interactive videos boosts 21% of web traffic and has significant engagement benefits.
Following this, embedding shoppable videos in your E-e-commerce business will also increase customer satisfaction and recurring purchases since customers are likely to come back if they have had a good experience.
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Higher conversion rates
Shoppable videos have proven to offer higher conversation rates. According to Statista, 87% of online shoppers say they have been convinced to buy a product after watching a video.
Similarly, another report by Hubspot shared that 83% of video marketers shared how implementing product videos helped them generate leads.
Now, when combining interactive videos with clickable shopping links, you can notice a spike in the conversion rates for your business, making it a powerful e-commerce tool.
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Data-Driven Optimization
Shoppable videos offer valuable insights by tracking your customer’s activity through the clickable elements.
You can use this data to optimize the customer experience and tailor your next campaign according to their preference, eventually increasing conversions.
For example, e-commerce website owners can use this data to identify which products are most popular among their customers and which elements are driving more sales.
Moreover, you can also check what your customers are doing after clicking on the product links, abandoned carts, and their purchase journey.
After thorough analysis, you can then use this data to optimize your shoppable videos for maximum impact on their customers.
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Enhanced Customer Experience
Shoppable videos offer more enhanced customer experience by allowing them to explore products in greater detail.
For example, a video tutorial of clothes can have a product in their video, which will allow customers to understand how it would look on them.
This not only helps them make a decision but also helps brands build stronger relationships with their customers.
Kaleigh Moore, a prominent e-commerce writer and Journalist at Forbes, also stated her opinion on how shoppable videos are a “game-changer” for customers and brands.
Examples of E-commerce Brands Who Leverage Shoppable Videos
Over the years, brands have stepped up and introduced some of the best shoppable videos.
Below are a few prominent examples that will give you an idea of how shoppable videos benefited these brands.
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Ted Baker: A Fashionable Experience
Ted Baker came up with a shoppable film called “Mission Impeccable” with a thriller genre.
The video featured models trying to stop the villain from undoing the fashion world.
Users can directly click on each character (+ sign) and check out the new collection. In addition, they can directly add the products to the bag.
According to Think With Google, by making products instantly shoppable within the videos, Ted Baker simplified the purchase process, potentially leading to higher conversion rates.
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Nike
Nike has always stayed ahead of the crowd. Their shoppable videos are known to be engaging and visually compelling to customers.
By using shoppable videos, Nike has been able to engage customers more effectively.
Nike has a series of shoppable videos on Snapchat known as “The Nike Shop.”
The videos minimize distractions and streamline the purchasing journey for customers. Providing an immersive shopping experience that minimizes distractions and streamlines the path to purchase. (Source)
Furthermore, Nike’s shoppable videos always feature influencers and athletes showcasing new products, making them desirable and easily explorable.
Due to interactive shoppable videos, Nike has seen higher conversion rates and made purchasing easier for their customers. (Source)
Top Shoppable Video Platforms
Check out some of the top shoppable video platforms.
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Shopify
Shopify lets you integrate shoppable videos for your products easily through your dashboard.
Businesses can create shoppable videos on their landing and product pages, making it easier for customers to browse through the products.
If users are curious about the product, they can check out the details directly through the clickable element you will place in the video.
You can browse through the best apps to set up your shoppable videos on Shopify through their app store.
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Instagram
Instagram has a shopping feature where business can easily turn their page into a walk-in store.
You can add shoppable posts and stories through which users can directly check out the products and purchase them directly without leaving Instagram.
Rhode by Hailey Bieber is a perfect example of how Instagram shoppable posts can offer a direct window shopping experience and allow users to explore the products.
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YouTube
YouTube has been constantly working on creating an easy shopping experience by partnering up with Shopify to add direct products to YouTube videos, live-stream shopping features, etc.
Additionally, it allows creators to embed products directly into their videos, including shopping features for YouTube Shorts.
Besides descriptions, businesses can also add direct product links with timestamps in their videos.
This feature was released in 2023, making it more convenient for customers to explore products through shoppable videos.
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Amazon Live
Amazon Live allows you to upload videos, such as reviews, unboxing, how-to guides, and more. Through this, businesses can create videos to showcase their products and let customers purchase the products directly from the platform.
You can either use a pre-recorded video or do a live stream for your customers.
This further helps customers discover products, leading to better conversions.
Amazon Live has a few rules and policies that you need to keep in mind when creating shoppable videos. You can check them out here.
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Pinterest
Pinterest has become more than just browsing aesthetic pictures.
It introduced “idea ads” in 2022, allowing creators to show products in action.
By embedding a shoppable link in the video, customers can directly visit the official brand website to learn about the product in detail.
Pinterest CEO Billy Reddy also quoted:
“Over the long term, we also want to make every pin shoppable. To that end, we’re making video content on Pinterest more actionable using the same playbook we applied to static images. Over the course of this year, we will be deploying our computer-vision technology across our video corpus to find products and videos and make them shoppable.”
This means we can expect more shoppable video features from Pinterest in the near future.
Best Practices and Tips To Create Shoppable Videos
Shoppable videos can have a positive effect on your business. To ensure you get the best results from them, here are some of the practical tips to check out:
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Research Your Platform
Before directly starting with creating shoppable videos, spend some time researching the platform you want to go with.
Whether you want to use TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or any other platform, check out their shoppable features, engagement metrics, and audience demographics.
For example, if your target audience is young people or GenZ, you should go with TikTok or Instagram.
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Add a shoppable Link
You need to ensure there is a smooth transition from viewing to purchasing through your shoppable videos.
Make sure to make your customer’s journey easier by clicking shoppable links, swipe-up links, or tags that are easily accessible.
For instance, if you want to place multiple products in one video, place the overlay links or clickable tags directly on the product as they appear on the screen. Doing this will make it easier for your viewers to check out the product.
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Distribute across social media channels.
Double your reach by distributing your shoppable videos on multiple social media channels, especially where your target audience is more active.
For example, if you’re a fashion brand targeting people in their 20s, use TikTok and Instagram the most to share your shoppable videos.
Use relevant hashtags and use the power of mentions, shares, and likes to get more engagement.
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Focus on a Few Products as a Beginner.
As you create shoppable videos, try not to go overboard.
Overwhelming your audience with too many shoppable videos can lower the effectiveness of your content.
Select your top products wisely and place them in your video accordingly.
You can also choose your best-selling or the most visually appealing product for your shoppable video. Try to highlight its uniqueness, benefits, and features to grab the attention of your customers.
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Be Creative
Always let your creativity shine in your videos and continue experimenting.
Experiment with different visuals, music, storytelling ideas, etc., to understand what your target audience is enjoying the boost.
Additionally, engage your audience with content that they resonate with the most to leave a long-lasting impression.
Conclusion
E-commerce websites can create a ‘digital window-shopping’ experience for their customers with features similar to what they’d expect in physical stores.
From social media shoppable videos to live shoppable videos, the trend will continue to grow. An example we saw in 2021 is China’s ‘Lipstick Brother,’ which sold products worth $2 billion in a day through live streaming.
Shoppable videos can be an amazing opportunity for business owners to build trust, make customer experience easier, and boost their conversions.
Experiment and explore different types of shoppable videos to see what works best for your audience.
Happy selling!
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