Grabbing the attention of new buyers on Amazon can be challenging if the only tool you’re leveraging is the description box. After all, many listings on Amazon share the same format: a chunk of black and white text that’s not exactly a cure for eyesore.
Luckily, A+ Content has come to change this. With A+ Content, you can liven up your listings with graphics, special formatting and a type of content that is particularly great for boosting conversions: videos!
Today, Amazon supports both live-action and animated videos. But given that this is a relatively new addition to the marketplace, many sellers are unsure of how to use this format to their greatest advantage.
And that’s why we are here for today. In this blog, we’ll cover how to create a video marketing strategy that actually makes an impact on your conversion rate.
Who Can Upload Videos to Amazon Listings?
So far, uploading videos is only possible in the US, although some European Vendors are also allowed to do so. Within the US, this feature is only available (entirely for free) to sellers enrolled in the Brand Registry, in addition to vendors.
If you aren’t part of this group, you can still benefit from the following tips. After all, it’s only a matter of time till Amazon enables video uploads worldwide—and till every other marketplace platform welcomes video as well. You can also leverage video to promote your Amazon products on other channels, like social media.
The Benefits of Using Video on Amazon
Amazon claims that A+ Content can boost conversion rates up to 10%. I know: A+ can include other types of content besides videos, such as brochure-like images and comparative tables.
While there are no official stats of videos’ impact, video has worked so well on other digital platforms that there’s good reason to believe that it will move the needle on Amazon.
On landing pages, for example, video content has proven to lift conversion rates by 80%. On social media, video posts result in higher online engagement and are said to help buyers retain 95% of a message versus 10% when communicated via text.
But besides these facts, take a minute to reflect on your own experience with video. Aren’t you more gripped by video ads than pictures? Don’t you prefer to watch a video about a product than to read about it? Well, you are not the only one.
Like you, Amazon buyers are likely to be influenced by video over text (and perhaps even images). Video provides a more comprehensive view of your product and develop trust in you as a seller.
With videos, you can build a stronger brand identity on the platform. Can you imagine a day when customers stop remembering your products as “from Amazon” instead of from your business? Video gives you one of the best chances at changing that.
How to Use Video to Build Consumer Trust
To learn how to build consumer trust, you first need to know where trust stems from. We can easily recognize four major factors that make people trust their peers and favorite brands:
- Competence
- Expertise
- The right information
- Peer approval
Video can help you with each of the factors on this list, including the last when combined with a high-quality product, fast shipping and other factors that are important to an overall great customer experience. Let’s break them down.
Displaying Competence: Achieve a Professional Finish
Let’s face it: a product demo video made with your smartphone camera isn’t the best addition to your Amazon listing. Sure, some phones have pretty upgraded cameras, but even those can’t beat the finished look of a professionally made video.
Why does this matter? Because video quality will speak volumes about your product’s quality standards. By watching it, viewers can deduce whether your business is attentive to details, reliable and top-notch…or if it’s lackluster.
If a professional video maker team takes care of the production process, you can achieve a more premium or custom look that’s fitting for your brand. Alternatively, you can use an online video editor to generate your brand videos if you want to create professional-looking videos. This editor comes with ready-made templates that make it simple to create videos.
Conveying Expertise: Leverage Tutorial Videos
People are more likely to trust companies that seem to know plenty about their respective industries, so much so that tutorial videos can help your customers perceive your brand as knowledgeable.
Tutorials are already popular on Amazon. In fact, you’ll probably find plenty of them within Amazon's Video Shorts or Amazon Live library.
With this in mind, consider creating your own tutorial videos that are fresh and original, providing real practical value to your Amazon audience. Many buyers seem to be fond of tutorials regarding buying guides, which is the most frequent tutorial type on the site.
That said, you can also upload videos explaining how to use your product correctly. This can highly benefit those visiting your listing, as it can show how user-friendly and/or functional your product is.
Providing the Right Information: Use Product and/or Explainer Videos
It goes without saying the video that'll appear in your listing should give potential buyers a full picture of your product. But we’re not simply talking about showing your product in every possible angle.
No, what we want you to do is to convey your product’s benefits. Product videos should show your product in action and in context, so people can visualize themselves using it.
Now, what if you’re offering a tech product or one whose function is somewhat complicated? If that's the case, then a product video might not be enough to give a full idea of the item. But an explainer video can help to convey your product's value proposition and its inner workings. Even better—this video style helps you demonstrate your expertise and industry knowledge as you explain the purpose of your product, killing two birds with one stone.
Product and explainer videos are ideal for optimizing your Amazon listings by sending the same messages as your images and description, but going one step further: demonstrating them in a fun, engaging, more comprehensive way.
Earning Peer Approval: Focus on Accuracy
While testimonial videos can’t be uploaded as part of A+ content, customers can upload video reviews on Amazon of their own volition. Of course, these need to be earned through a combination of a strong listing (to convince the sale), a quality product (to meet expectations) and an overall good customer experience (like fast shipping and easy returns, to leave a good impression).
The most important thing here is to not over promise in your video. It’s not uncommon for sellers to get carried away in their promo or tutorial videos while trying to think like marketers. There’s a fine line between exciting your viewer and (inadvertently) misguiding them by using hyperbolic language (“the best you’ll ever find”) or leaving out key details.
So, you’ll want to take the same precautions as you do when creating your listing: be descriptive and realistic. Think of all the questions a customer may have when they’re shopping for a product like yours, plus the things that you have to compensate for when buyers can’t physically see or touch your product.
Accurately represent your product’s size, intended use, construction and more. Remember that the last thing you want to do is over excite your buyers, only to disappoint them when your product arrives. This will have a “reverse flywheel” effect; instead of delivering a positive customer experience that leads to positive peer reviews and more sales, you’ll kick off a negative experience that leads to negative reviews and less sales. Avoid this at all costs!
The Takeaway
Video has provided Amazon sellers an innovative way of building consumer trust little by little. Or, to be more precise, video by video, as there’s a different style of video for every purpose you may have.
If you want to convey expertise, you can go with tutorials and explainer videos. If you wish to give viewers a comprehensive view of what you are offering, try a product video.
All these video types can make a lasting impact on a potential buyer by showcasing your professionalism and expertise.
So, what are you waiting for? If you’re eligible, enroll on Amazon Brand Registry and start offering amazing video content to drive conversions.
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