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How to Make a Killer eCommerce Product Video

Last updated April 27, 2022 6 min to read
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49% of consumers say that not being able to touch a product is one of the worst parts of shopping online. This means online retailers need to find other ways to bring shoppers as close to the product as possible. eCommerce product videos are a fantastic way to do this!

Why eCommerce product videos are so important

Humans process visual data much faster than text, so product videos are a great way to help prospects experience a product before buying.

As well as being easier to digest than a big chunk of text, eCommerce product videos offer a well-rounded perspective on the product by showing it in action and from a wide range of angles.

eCommerce videos aren’t only about converting browsers on your product pages, however. They drive awareness of your product, boost SEO and are great for sharing on social media.

If you create an inventive video that captures the imagination of your target market, it can be shared widely and become an important element of your eCommerce marketing plan.

Putting together an eCommerce product video strategy

Good planning is vital to minimize costs and maximize output. When setting out an eCommerce product video strategy, ask yourself:

  • Who is this video for?
  • Where will they watch it?
  • Where will it be published?
  • Do I need content in multiple languages?
  • What action do I want viewers to take after watching?

Answering these questions will help you create content targeted specifically at your audience.

It will also prevent unnecessary work. Instead of creating videos for a product page and then filming again a few days later for social media, it makes sense to consolidate this work into one shooting session.

Knowing who and what your video is for will help inform its length, style and content. In most cases, the same core steps are required to make a great eCommerce product video.

How to make an eCommerce product video

In order to build trust and confidence among your audience, each eCommerce product video needs to look as professional as possible. Your products should always be presented in the best light possible, so here’s some steps to follow.

Step 1: Preparation

You’ll need to invest in some equipment, including:

  • A high quality camera (this now includes cutting edge smart-phones!)
  • A tripod
  • A microphone
  • Lights
  • Video editing software

Depending on the style of video you choose to record, you may also need people to feature in your video and a set to shoot in. But it’s possible to create great DIY videos without them too.

If you’re enlisting the help of a production team – or even a freelancer – they might have this equipment to hand. But if you’re doing the work by yourself, you’ll need all of the above.

Equipment required for eCommerce product videos
You’ll need some equipment to shoot an eCommerce product video, but modern smart phones have such good quality cameras, these can be used to great effect!

Step 2: Choosing effective formats

Depending on what you plan to use your videos for, you may want to choose one or several of the following formats to showcase your products.

Product close-ups

Ideal for product pages, these shots show off detailed, visually appealing items. If the product’s aesthetic is key to making a sale, you’ll want to feature a 360-degree close-up view. Ask yourself, what would customers examine if they were shopping in-store?

How-tos

Ideal for showing off complex and practical items, these eCommerce product videos explain how an item works. Use them to highlight special features and multiple uses so consumers fully understand the value of your product. These are great for product pages, but also double as useful content for your blog and social channels.

Product demos

Similar to a how-to, product demonstrations are about highlighting how your product is used. But unlike how-tos, they show your products in action, often in real-life scenarios. This helps consumers picture the product in their hands. It’s a useful format for everything from clothing through to household goods.

Installation guides

Uncertainty around product installation can be a huge barrier to conversion. A clear and concise video can reassure buyers that they’ll be able to install your products hassle-free. Useful pre and post purchase, this style of video is ideal for any product which needs to be built or set up.

Product unboxings

People love to see a delivery being unwrapped. In fact, the best paid YouTube star of 2019 is an eight-year-old who specializes in unboxing videos. So, if your products come in sleek packaging, show it off and let people know exactly what they’ll receive when they order your product. This one’s particularly useful for tech items.

Check out the video below for an example of a product unboxing video.

Story-style videos

Does your product’s unique selling point stem from a unique design, quality components or the manufacturer’s experience? If so, let people know through a story-style video which explains how and why your product is made.

Step 3: Create a script

When creating a script or storyboard, you’ll want to focus on a product’s most impressive benefits, as well as crucial information. So make sure to include:

  • Key features
  • Common FAQs
  • Product variation details
  • Your Unique Selling Point

Plan out the shots and remember, with eCommerce product videos, you should strive to show – not tell. If you have a trusted name or a compelling brand story, think about how you can bring it in.

Many sellers follow a simple narrative which highlights a problem and then presents their product as the hero. This approach is super easy to get right! Just compare life before and after your product saves the day.

Depending on where you plan to share your product video, you may need to create script variations. For example, the video audio of Facebook ads doesn’t play automatically, so you may decide to scale back your voice-overs to facilitate closed captions. On the other hand, YouTube, videos are generally longer and you may want a longer voice-over – or even someone on camera.

Step 4: Taking stock

Before you start recording, take note of all the assets you already have to hand. These could include:

  • Branding, (your logo)
  • Logos from awarding bodies and product certificates etc.
  • Past photos or videos
  • Customer reviews
  • User-generated content

It’s always good to know what’s at your disposal before filming. For example, if you decide to include your logo, you may want to adjust the frame to suit.

Step 5: Action!

Products are easier to work with than a cast – but making them look great can be difficult.

Lighting and angles are always the biggest challenge when recording an eCommerce product video. You’ll want two off-camera lights – one at a 45-degree angle behind the product, the other in front of the product at the opposite side. Make the backlight a little bit brighter to help your product stand out.

Products look best on a plain black or white background. The more professional your product videos look, the more viewers will trust you as a seller.

Step 6: Post production

Filming may be finished, but there’s still plenty to do! Now it’s time to edit your clips together and adjust them to suit the requirements of individual platforms.

Amazon’s product video policy, for example, doesn’t allow any pricing to feature. While Instagram limits video to a maximum of 60 seconds. You’ll find guidance on video size, length and file formats for social media here.

Keep your target audiences in mind during editing too. Videos for retargeting ads should be quite different to those created for broad ad campaigns. So be intentional – it’s not about deleting the bad bits, it’s about carefully selecting the best shots and transitions.

Things to remember

When creating an eCommerce product video, some small tweaks can make a big difference to the success of your campaign. Here are some simple tips which should drive conversions.

  • Stay on brand: The use of your logo and brand colors is enough to keep your brand to the fore.
  • Always include a CTA: Do this through a title card, the voice-over or using a platform’s in-built feature. You can add video CTAs within YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. If you want viewers to take action, CTAs are essential. 
  • Use social proof: Whether it’s an endorsement from a famous face or a glowing review on Amazon, using real testimonials in your videos can boost sales.
  • Normalize the audio: Always keep your audio within industry standard volumes. Somewhere between -10db and -20db should work.
  • Consider adding closed captions: This is a great way to connect with your audience when their audio is off. Plus, adding multilingual captions is a cost-effective way to reach viewers in other countries.

Final thoughts

All online retailers are very aware that communicating and showcasing your products effectively can make or break a sale. A positive improvement at any stage in the buyer journey can have a big impact on your bottom line.

It’s also clear that many consumers prefer to learn about products with video and this trend is increasing over time. So investing in high-quality eCommerce product videos should be a no brainer! Give your target market what they want and watch your sales rise!

Did you know that over 60% of US online retail purchases were made through Amazon last year? Amazon’s hold over eCommerce is well established, with 9.1 million active Amazon sellers worldwide and an average of 66 thousand orders per day. Newer sellers may be wondering how they can get more sales on Amazon in such a competitive environment.

The truth is, they absolutely can because with Amazon’s booming market share come many opportunities. We’ve assembled this digestible list of 14 quick wins and strategic moves, to help you up your game and sell more on Amazon.

1. Do keyword research

Having the right keywords can be one of the most important tactics in reaching your target audiences. Using the keywords that are common to searches for your products is the objective, but search engine optimisation (SEO) is a constantly evolving game. That means that keywords used successfully in the past may not be as effective with updated search engine algorithms today.

The terms used by customers to find products change daily and are affected by seasonal, cultural, and economic factors. Hence, it’s important to stay on top of the latest SEO trends and make sure you cast a wide net when implementing keywords for each product listing.

Each product should be optimized with as many relevant keywords as possible – into the hundreds! This gives you the best possible chance of getting your products found by customers, helping you sell more on Amazon.

Amazon keyword research tools like Helium 10, SellerApp, Jungle Scout, and AMZ One can help by generating a list of related keywords with search volume, competition level, and other useful metrics, making it easier for you to choose the best keywords for your product listing

2. Use a repricing tool to get more sales on Amazon

When it comes to sealing the deal and making a sale, price is a main deciding factor for many customers. As an Amazon seller, you always want to make sure you’re pricing your products competitively, but equally, you don’t want to lose your margin! 

This is something that using repricing software can help with. Repricing software automates the pricing process in real-time, ensuring your prices stay in line with those of competitors, and with market fluctuations, while you get more sales on Amazon.

Repricing software also has many customisable features that allow you to set prices at optimal levels to help drive sales, without compromising profit. It’s worth taking a trial to see how it can help lift your sales. 

3. Get more Amazon reviews

Online reviews are important to spread confidence through word of month and for building credibility for your brand. It’s also a fact that 72% of shoppers won’t buy until they’ve read reviews of a product from people like themselves – people they trust. 

Even a strong product with great marketing behind it still has to overcome the fear of the unknown if there’s no social proof. Plus, positive reviews are a significant factor in deciding which products win the Amazon Buy Box.

Get more Amazon reviews by encouraging feedback from your customers. The best way to do this is by utilizing feedback software to automate the process.

4. Provide great customer service

Customer service is absolutely essential in eCommerce. Offering top-quality customer service not only adds value, but helps retain customers. A big part of making a sale is assuring the customer that they can trust you to deliver, and that trust is hard earned but easily lost. Providing good eCommerce customer service is critical, and committing to providing great customer service is all the more so!

As an Amazon seller, you need to be on top of your customer service. Responsiveness, a friendly manner and quick and easy resolution processes are all ingredients that make for a winning approach to great customer service. 

But it can be confusing trying to streamline it all. Thankfully, there are all sorts of tools available to make this job easier, like helpdesk software to keep all your customer interactions in one place. This helps you to respond quickly and accurately to customer inquiries when they come in, so that your customers always know you’ve got their back.

5. Leverage Amazon seller tools

The best part about being an Amazon seller is that you don’t have to go it alone. There are numerous tools available to help you maximize your business and get the most out of selling on Amazon, whether third-party or FBA. 

From repricing tools, to help desk software, to review software and even shipping assistance, many tools exist on the market today that specifically help Amazon sellers optimize their listings, prices, feedback, shipping, customer service and even their taxes. 

There are many different seller tools available, so it’s worth reading about options and making an informed decision about the right ones to choose for your business. With the right tools, you can grow your business more than you ever thought possible. 

6. Get more sales on Amazon with ads

Running ads is almost guaranteed to help you get more sales on Amazon, but it’s easy to just throw money at them and hope for the best. You can do better! Pay attention to your advertising cost of sales (ACOS) metric, the figure for how much ad spend you need in order to make a sale.

By advertising more efficiently, you lower your ACOS and ensure you get more bang for your buck. Over time, you’ll learn what works and you can employ a strategy with regards to how you run your ads. Taking an insight-driven approach to Amazon ads results in a more profitable Amazon business!

7. Optimise your product pages

The old saying goes that 80% of readers never make it past the headline of any piece of content. That means once you’ve written your product title, you’ve effectively spent 80 cents of your dollar.

When writing product titles, stick to the formula of:

  • Brand name
  • Product name
  • Features (size, colour, gender etc). 

This lets you include the right keywords in the right order to immediately tell shoppers that this is the product for them.

Moreover, making sure to visually design your product pages so that they’re clean, simple and easy to read will also help win over shoppers. No one wants to read through a cluttered page. The more straightforward (yet informative) and the cleaner you make your design, the more likely you’ll be to win over those elusive eyeballs!

8. Win the Amazon Buy Box

The quickest way to get more sales on Amazon is by ensuring that your products show up consistently in the Amazon Buy Box (the area in the top right of a product page, where shoppers can ‘Add to Cart’ or ‘Buy Now’). This is because over 82% of sales happen through this highly sought after space.

Although the exact formula to win the Buy Box is unknown, there are a few things that we know are essential. These are mainly metrics that prove the seller is providing a good customer experience. Customer reviews play a big role here. The more positive reviews a seller can amass, the likelihood of winning the Buy Box increases. 

In addition to reviews, something else that’s obviously very important to Amazon shoppers is price! By using repricing software, you can automatically set your prices at the optimal level to win the Buy Box and maximize profit, even if you’ve got an enormous inventory.

9. Amazon account health rating

The Amazon account health rating (AHR) is a new feature that helps you monitor your account health based on its adherence to Amazon seller policies. 

It considers both negative factors (such as the number of unresolved policy violations on your account) as well as positive factors (how your account positively impacts the customer experience through its selling activities). 

Each account will be given a rating, which is regularly reviewed as Amazon monitors the performance of its sellers. If your account is off-target, you will be notified so that you can improve your performance. Conversely, a good AHR rating will work in your favor, helping assure customers that they’re doing business with a compliant seller. 

10. Maintain your Amazon SLA

A big part of being a seller is cultivating trust with your customers. That means showing them that you operate in an above-board manner and that you’ll make good on your promise of fulfillment to them. One way of doing that is by making sure your Amazon store has a Service Level Agreement (SLA). This is a promise to your customers that they’ll receive their orders on time. When it comes to fulfillment, the SLA is based on the capacity to fulfill open orders and on-time shipping and delivery. 

SLAs help manage customer expectations by defining standards and outlining circumstances under which you as the seller won’t be liable for unfulfilled promises (e.g., natural disasters preventing shipping, etc). 

eDesk’s customer service solution is designed to alert you when your SLA is expiring, so your business is never caught without one. Having a current SLA helps you maintain transparency with customers, thereby building trust which helps ensure customer loyalty.  

11. Focus on products that already sell

Most ambitious business owners want to try new streams of revenue, but it’s important not to lose sight of the things that are making you money now. 

By doubling down on the products that already provide your Amazon store with a reliable revenue stream, you not only deliver to market demand but ensure that you have the financial runway required to take risks on innovative new products, if need be. 

Review your financial statements every quarter and look at the items that are performing best in your store. Think about how you can continue to market these with ads, SEO keywords and upgraded images to maximize their selling potential in your online store. 

12. Sync your inventory

Inventory can be a delicate balancing act. Hold too much inventory for too long and you need to pay over the odds to store it. But hold too little inventory and you lose out on vital sales, or even customers, due to an inability to fulfill. Amazon can also penalize you if your inventory performance isn’t up to standard.

Stock control is something every seller needs to understand and have the capability to manage for optimal results. Smart inventory management is an under-appreciated way to increase your Amazon sales and profit margin. Fortunately, there are tools that can help. Investing in the right tools and software can help sellers take the stress out of balancing supply and demand.

13. Expand into new Amazon marketplaces 

Amazon currently has 20 marketplaces around the world, which include the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, Australia and more. 

You can scale your brand by moving into some of these marketplaces. This can involve doing market research to find out which products are popular in each market and then uplevelling your shipping operations in order to be able to ship globally.  

But expanding into new markets also means you’ll need to take language into consideration and localize your listings so that they feature each marketplace’s local language and SEO keywords in the appropriate language. Multilingual customer service is also needed in order to be able to service customers across various marketplaces in their local language. 

Sounds complicated? It doesn’t have to be. eDesk’s help desk solution is designed to support customer service and workflow in multiple languages, so you can expand your business without investing in the overhead of hiring a global team. 

14. Spy on your competitors

Ok, maybe “spy” is a bit of an exaggeration, but profitable sellers are always on the lookout for what their competitors are doing. You want to make sure you’re offering the right inventory for your market at the right prices. Repricing software will monitor this for you, taking the guesswork out of pricing at the right levels. 

Using data gleaned from helpdesk reporting can also help you gather valuable insights and feedback from your customers, which will help you to better understand what customers want and need. Acting on analytics-driven insights from easy-to-read reports means you’re always one step ahead of the competition. 

Final thoughts

The quest to increase your store’s Amazon sales doesn’t need to be an uphill struggle. There are many resources available to Amazon sellers today to help them optimize their store and develop a healthy sales pipeline. 

By staying in touch with how the Amazon platform grows and using the right tech tools to drive your business, you can continue to do what you do best: building a great brand, winning customers, retaining existing customers and improving your bottom line. 

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