8 Types of Videos That Convert Shoppers into Buyers

With more than 7 billion videos watched daily on YouTube and Facebook, it’s no surprise that video content is the number one method to sell products and services. Descriptive media — images and video — are key to selling any type of product online.

How key, exactly? Many of Amazon’s choice and best selling products include video, even if it’s a 360-degree view of the product.

Many of Amazon’s choice or best selling products incorporate video.

Ideally, every product page should include video. The type of video is dependent on what the product does, how much it costs, and your brand. In this post, I’ll look at eight common video types used to convert shoppers into customers.

8 Types of Videos to Convert Shoppers into Buyers

How it’s made. Shows consumers how the product is developed and manufactured. This type of video should include close-ups of any handiwork.

Unboxing. Typically focusing on tech products, these videos start by showing the product in a sealed box, and reveal the entire removal from the packaging. While popular on YouTube and often posted by consumers and reviewers, unboxing videos can also benefit companies.

Torture testing. Used to show the durability of a product, these types of videos often show products being pushed to extreme limits. The “Will It Blend?” series by Blendtec, a blender manufacturer, is a good example, as are Zagg’s videos showing how its protective shields can handle nuts, bolts, and saws.

Tours. Great for sites that sell furniture and home decor, these videos show off rooms and spaces that are equipped with multiple products that the store offers.

How-tos. Good for most products, these can describe how to use a particular product — how to install it, wash it, wear it — as well as how to incorporate the product in everyday life. Retailer RetroPlanet.com, for example, uses videos to show how to apply its line of wall decals.

How-to videos can also be relevant, but not necessarily focused entirely on, the product line.

Comparisons. Such videos are used to compare either different models of the same type of product, or how a certain item stacks up against the competition. When comparing competing products, be sure to follow proper guidelines and legalities.

Product in use. These are highly focused videos that show others using the product. This type of video can be overly simple, such as an athlete wearing a brand of shoe while running, or they can incorporate elements of how-tos.

Short videos work. The one on this product page is just 12 seconds and showcases the animation. Source: Fitzulas.com.

Parody. Everyone likes a good laugh, and done right, parodies can help catapult the sales of a product. Think about the viral videos produced to sell FiberFix and the Squatty Potty.

There are always stock videos from manufacturers. But custom-made videos typically outweigh them. Nonetheless, if a manufacturer’s video is all you have, use it.

Why Video?

Why is video so important? We live in a fast paced world. People want accurate information quicker than ever. Even a ten-second animation can boost sales.

What’s the perfect length? There’s an argument over this. Sixty seconds appears to be the sweet spot. While it’s understandable that some products warrant longer videos, the key is presenting simple concepts. Sometimes, presenting a handful of shorter videos makes more sense than a single, longer one. FiberFix’s five-minute redneck video is an exception because it’s nearly impossible to stop watching.

While video is a component of product descriptions, it should not replace text. Even though the majority of shoppers flock to video, some still prefer reading about a product. And consumers that research products in-depth may rely on text to confirm their assumptions.

Lastly, while video is entertaining, it’s not searchable like text. So use the proper keywords and terminology when providing textual explanations about an item.