Video Content Marketing: Using Product Videos to Increase Engagement in Dropshipping
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million. In dropshipping, where you don’t physically have the product on hand, showcasing it through video can make a huge difference.
Videos give your customers a closer look, build trust, and get them excited about your products like nothing else can.
This guide will take you through the ins and outs of using video to your advantage. We’ll cover the types of videos that work best, how to make them look professional even on a budget, and where to share them to get the most eyes on your products.
Chapters
Why Video Content is a Best for Dropshipping
You know what they say, “seeing is believing.” And that’s never been more true than in the world of dropshipping. When you’re selling products online, where people can’t physically touch or try them before buying, a good product video can work wonders.
Let’s take a closer look at how videos can give your dropshipping business a real boost.
Enhanced Product Visualization
With a well-made video, you can show your products from every angle, highlight key features, and demonstrate how they work in real-life situations. This helps your customers get a much better feel for the product than a photo ever could, adds Eran Mizrahi, CEO of Ingredient Brothers.
For example, GoPro used video to showcase their cameras in action, capturing extreme sports and adventures from every angle.
Image Source: CoSchedule
This immersive experience allowed potential customers to visualize themselves using the product and fueled the brand’s growth.
Whether it’s a spinning 360-degree view of a piece of clothing or a video demonstrating how a kitchen gadget works, videos help your customers visualize themselves using the product.
Increased Trust and Confidence
Seeing is believing, right? When people watch a video of your product, they get a much better sense of its quality and functionality. This builds trust in your brand and reduces the hesitation that often comes with buying something online.
Saba Mobebpour, CEO at DropGenius, says, “Videos can even help answer questions customers might have, reducing the likelihood of returns and increasing their overall satisfaction.”
Improved Engagement and Conversion Rates
Videos are simply more engaging than text and images. They capture attention and keep people on your product pages longer. And when people spend more time on your site, they’re more likely to make a purchase.
William Westerlund, Marketing Manager at Suptask, explains, “Product videos can increase conversion rates by a significant margin, sometimes even doubling or tripling them. So, investing in video content isn’t just about making your store look cool — it’s about making more sales.”
Social Media Amplification
Videos are the king of content on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. When you share engaging product videos on social media, they’re more likely to be shared, liked, and commented on by your audience.
This increases your brand’s visibility, reaches new potential customers, and helps you build a loyal community around your products.
SEO Benefits
Video content is also great for your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Martin Seeley, CEO of Mattress Next Day, adds, “Search engines like Google love videos because they keep people on your site longer, which signals that your content is valuable. This can help your product pages rank higher in search results, leading to more organic traffic and potential customers.”
Types of Product Videos for Dropshipping
Different types of videos serve different purposes, so let’s get into the most effective ones for dropshipping.
Product Demonstrations
These are the workhorses of product videos. They show your product in action, highlighting its features and benefits.
You can demonstrate how to use it, show off its unique design, or highlight its problem-solving capabilities. This type of video is especially great for products that are complex or have a unique selling point that needs a visual explanation.
Unboxing Videos
Danny Jay, Marketing Director at SOLVED Consulting, says, “Unboxing videos tap into the excitement of receiving a new product. They show the packaging, reveal the contents, and often include a first impression or initial review. These videos create anticipation and help potential customers visualize what it would be like to open their own package.”
Let’s take a look at how MVMT Watches used product videos to skyrocket engagement and sales.
Image Source: Alex Fedotoff
MVMT Watches sought to emotionally connect with online audiences, showcasing product quality and design to drive engagement and sales.
To handle this issue, MVMT invested in creating high-quality product videos that showcased their watches in real-life scenarios, highlighting their style, features, and craftsmanship. They shared these videos across multiple platforms, including their website, social media channels, and email marketing campaigns.
This strategy has helped them garnered millions of views and significantly increased engagement on their social media platforms. The emotional connection created through the videos resonated with their target audience, leading to a substantial increase in website traffic and sales.
Customer Testimonials
People trust other people. Featuring real customers sharing their positive experiences with your product adds a layer of authenticity and social proof. These videos can be simple interviews, quick snippets of customers using the product, or even user-generated content shared on social media, shares Alex Taylor, Head of Marketing at Digital Signage NYC.
Behind-the-Scenes Videos
Give your audience a peek behind the curtain! Show them how your products are made, introduce your team, or share your brand’s story. This kind of transparency builds trust and fosters a deeper connection with your customers.
Tutorials and How-Tos
Go beyond just showing your product and teach your audience how to use it effectively or solve a common problem.
Alison Lancaster, CEO of Pressat.co.uk, explains, “If you sell kitchen gadgets, create a video tutorial on how to make a specific recipe using your product. This positions your brand as a helpful resource and adds value for your customers.”
Lifestyle Videos
Instead of a plain white background, showcase your products in real-life scenarios. If you sell outdoor gear, show people hiking or camping with your equipment. If you sell fashion accessories, create a video showing people wearing them in stylish outfits. Lifestyle videos help customers envision how your product fits into their lives.
BlendJet used this strategy to blend up their sales.
Image Source: Exted
Instead of simply showing their portable blenders on a countertop, they created videos demonstrating how to make various recipes in different settings. They showed people using BlendJet blenders at the beach, on a hike, or while traveling, emphasizing the product’s portability and convenience. This not only made their videos more engaging but also showcased the versatility of their product.
The results were impressive. BlendJet’s videos went viral, generating millions of views and increasing brand awareness. The relatable and aspirational lifestyle videos resonated with their target audience, leading to a surge in website traffic, social media engagement, and a significant boost in sales.
Sumeer Kaur, Founder of Lashkaraa.com, says, “By creating lifestyle videos, you can similarly capture your audience’s imagination and demonstrate the value of your products in a more compelling way. Show them how your products can enhance their experiences, solve their problems, or simply make their lives more enjoyable. Remember, people don’t just buy products; they buy into a lifestyle.”
User-Generated Content
Encourage your customers to create their own videos featuring your products. This can be as simple as asking for reviews or unboxing videos, or you could run contests or challenges to get people excited and involved.
User-generated content is a powerful form of social proof and can expand your reach significantly.
How to Create High-Quality Product Videos
You don’t need a Hollywood budget or a film crew to create effective product videos. With a little planning and some basic know-how, you can produce videos that look professional and showcase your products in their best light.
Planning & Scripting
Before you start filming, it’s important to have a clear plan. What do you want your video to achieve? What are the key points you want to convey? A simple script can help you stay on track and ensure your video is focused and engaging. Consider these questions.
- What problem does your product solve?
- What are its most important features and benefits?
- How can you showcase those features in an interesting and visually appealing way?
Once you have a script, create a storyboard outlining the shots you want to capture. This will help you stay organized during filming and ensure you get all the footage you need.
Equipment
You don’t need fancy equipment to create great videos. In fact, you can get started with just your smartphone! However, there are a few pieces of equipment that can make a big difference:
Camera
If you have the budget, a DSLR or mirrorless camera will give you more control over image quality and depth of field. But don’t underestimate the power of a modern smartphone camera! Many can shoot stunning footage that rivals professional cameras.
Tripod
A tripod will help you keep your shots steady and avoid shaky footage.
Lighting: Good lighting is essential for high-quality video. Natural light is great if you can shoot outdoors or near a window, but invest in a few affordable LED lights if you’re filming indoors.
Audio
Poor audio can ruin a great video. If your phone’s built-in microphone isn’t cutting it, consider an external microphone for clearer sound.
Filming & Editing
When it comes to filming, focus on capturing clean, well-lit footage. Use a variety of shots (close-ups, wide shots, different angles) to keep things interesting. Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun with it!
Once you have your footage, it’s time to edit. There are plenty of user-friendly video editing software options available, both free and paid. The goal is to create a polished video that flows smoothly and keeps your audience engaged. Add music, text overlays, or graphics to enhance the viewer’s experience.
Optimization
Before you hit publish, make sure your video is optimized for different platforms. Consider.
- Video Length: Keep it short and sweet, especially for social media. Aim for 30 seconds to 1 minute for most platforms.
- Video Format: Adjust the aspect ratio to fit the specific platform (square for Instagram, landscape for YouTube).
- Captions: Add captions to your videos so people can watch them without sound. This is especially important for social media, where many people scroll with their sound off.
Remember, creating great product videos is a skill that takes practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment, learn from your mistakes, and keep refining your craft.
With time and effort, you’ll be able to produce videos that not only showcase your products but also tell stories that captivate your audience.
Promoting and Distributing Your Videos
Creating awesome product videos is just the first step. Now you need to get those videos in front of the right people. Luckily, there are tons of ways to share your videos and get them seen by potential customers.
Your Website & Product Pages
Your website is your home base, so make sure your videos are front and center. Embed them directly on your product pages, giving customers an immediate and engaging way to learn about the items they’re considering, says Ali Nahhas, Owner of Aladdins Houston.
If you have a homepage slider or featured products section, consider showcasing your videos there as well.
Social Media
Social media platforms are video-sharing goldmines. Each platform has its own strengths, so tailor your approach accordingly.
- Instagram: Share short, attention-grabbing clips in your feed and stories. Use reels for longer-form content and consider going live to interact with your audience in real-time.
- Facebook: Share your videos in your page’s feed, in groups, and even as ads. Facebook is great for reaching a wider audience and building a community around your brand.
- TikTok: If your target audience skews younger, TikTok is a must. Create short, fun, and trendy videos that showcase your products in a creative way.
- Pinterest: This platform is perfect for visually appealing products. Create eye-catching video pins that highlight the benefits of your items.
Email Marketing
Don’t let your emails be boring walls of text! Embedding a video in your email can boost open rates and click-through rates significantly. Use videos to announce new products, showcase customer testimonials, or share behind-the-scenes glimpses.
Paid Advertising
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube offer powerful advertising options that allow you to reach highly targeted audiences. Video ads can be effective in showcasing your products and driving traffic to your store.
YouTube Channel
Consider creating a dedicated YouTube channel for your dropshipping store. This gives you a central place to host all your product videos, tutorials, and other video content. Chase Hughes, Founder of ProAI, says, “Optimize your videos with relevant keywords and descriptions to help people find them in search results.”
Collaborate and Cross-Promote
Reach out to other dropshippers or influencers in your niche and see if you can collaborate on videos or cross-promote each other’s content. This is a great way to expand your reach and tap into new audiences.
To Sum it Up
Product videos lifeline for dropshipping stores. They help you showcase your products in a way that photos simply can’t. Plus, they’re more engaging and shareable, which means more people will see and remember your brand, says Gerrid Smith, CMO of Joy Organics.
So, if you’re not using video yet, it’s time to jump on board. Start simple with a few product demos or unboxing videos, and see how your audience responds. Track your results and try different types of videos to find what works best for you.
With a little creativity and effort, you can use video to take your dropshipping store to new heights.
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