By Victor Blasco, Founder & CEO, Yum Yum Videos
Even though people are getting more used to the idea of shopping online, the fact that they can’t see, touch, or try the actual product is a big purchase stopper. Luckily, eCommerce companies and their marketing teams have product videos to help them with that.
These awesome pieces are designed to explain how a product or service works, showcasing its features through a relevant and enticing visual narrative. If done right, product videos are amazing at prompting prospects into closing a sale, delivering all the information they could possibly need beforehand.
Now, what does a product video need to fall into the “done right” category? A number of things, actually, and any experienced video production company out there is going to tell you the same!
So, today we will go over the essentials of making great product videos, alongside best practices and some cool examples to inspire you and help you skyrocket your sales!
Understanding your product’s key value proposition
Before you start brainstorming ideas to develop your video, it’s important to first understand your product’s value proposition. This will help you shape the core message you need to convey with your piece.
One of the many reasons why product videos are so effective is that they are short, simple, and easy to follow. So, it makes sense to focus on your product’s main features and build your narrative around them.
However, defining your product’s value proposition isn’t just related to its best features or how cool its functions are. It also has a lot to do with your target audience’s pain points – Your product solves a problem and you need to address that from a consumer perspective!
What are their needs? What interests do they have? To which feature will they respond best according to those needs?
Answering these questions can help you define what aspects of your product you need to emphasize and what approach you should take to convey them best.
Pre-Production Tips
Once you define your product’s value proposition, it’s time to start the pre-production of your piece. There are some essential factors that you need to account for during this stage, let’s take a look at them!
Craft Memorable Stories
The script is the backbone of your piece, and the thing helps your turn a plain core message into a memorable story. A tale that, in this case, is going to revolve around your product’s main features.
However, bear in mind that your video’s main purpose is to connect with your target audience – It has to speak directly to them. Resist the urge to make it just about your product. Write a story that resonates with your audience on a deeper, more personal level. Interesting and relatable enough to hold the audience’s interest throughout the entire piece.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to include a CTA that aligns with your message at the end of your script. Make it clear and actionable as well, so your prospects know what to do once they finish watching.
Use Storyboards
After you finish writing your script, you need to “get visual” and start drafting your storyboard.
In a nutshell, storyboards are like a comic strip that represents what you want to show in your video. They usually include directions for camera angles, lighting, dialogue, transitions, etc.
Storyboarding lets you plan your product video from start to finish, guiding your teams during production and posting. So, working on your storyboard early on will help you identify possible mistakes, flaws, or gaps, and ensure your final product looks exactly how you envisioned!
Customize Your Piece
For a product video to be successful, it needs to have an original and unique style that represents the brand. The more customized your piece is, the easier it will be for your prospects to recognize who’s speaking to them.
So, try to stay aligned with your brand’s overall aesthetic as much as you can. This is going to reinforce the on-brand feel and help you get the message through effectively.
For example, use your color palette and typography to provide immediate familiarity. Include your logo in key parts of the narrative, add your company’s tagline whenever it’s possible, etc.
Use a Defined Style
Your video’s sound style will be determined by the narrator, the music, and special effects. Now, even though these elements will be added in post-production, you can plan ahead and consider your options beforehand.
The narrator is paramount because this adds a “human touch” to your story, helping the audience connect more deeply with your message. For that to happen, it’s important to find one that reflects the intended audience’s characteristics to generate empathy and inspire instant familiarity.
The music sets the mood for the entire piece and, done right, can enhance a lot the messages you are conveying. Try to use a tune that suits your video’s tone but also matches your visual delivery.
As for the sound effects, they always give an extra flair to the video which enriches its overall style. But use them wisely because too many sound effects can distract the viewer.
Differences in Types of Product Videos
There are many different types of product videos. Let’s check out the most popular ones:
Product Demos
Product demos are the classic visual representation of a product and, in a sense, the closest a customer can get to it online. They usually go into details about the product’s features and functions and address the same points and questions you would cover in a sales discovery call. Moreover, Demos showcase the product in question from different angles, in different situations, and demonstrating how it works, to give prospects the feeling that they are checking out the product with their hands.
https://youtu.be/r0iLfAV0pIg
Motion Graphics
These are a type of animated explainer videos, particularly great at illustrating hard concepts or complicated processes. They combine graphic design and animation to create interesting visuals and give dynamism to the piece.
For companies that sell highly technical products or services, motion graphics are a great alternative to make them look simple, elegant, and entertaining.
Tutorial Videos
This particular type of videos focuses on showing the product in action but with an educational take. The whole point is to help the viewers understand the ins-and-outs of it, teaching them how to use its features or processes, tips, and tricks included.
Tutorial videos provide a practical value that’s especially attractive to people who are already interested in buying the product. Not to mention they are easy to follow and super fun to watch!
Unboxing (User-generated content)
Unboxing videos showcase the unpacking of a tangible product, alongside the customer’s comments and first impressions. They are great to foster brand trust because they give you a real and honest picture of how the product actually works and what it looks like.
The thing about these videos is that they are produced by customers, not brands. However, a good marketing strategy can be to motivate people with a strong social media presence into making them through giveaways or partnerships. If you repost them on your social media account, you’ll give your brand a more dynamic and fresher take!
Promoting your new product video
Once your video is finished, you need to put it in front of as many interested eyes as possible! Here are a few ideas on how to promote your brand-new product video:
- Social media platforms: Analyze where your audience likes to browse for products before making a purchase. Facebook and Instagram are great alternatives because they provide the features to begin the checkout process within the platform.
- Email marketing: This is one of the most powerful communication channels in marketing because it helps businesses reach, nurture, and convert leads. You can segment your list and send your product video to prospects that are further down your sales funnel, encouraging them to take action.
- Product page: This is where people go to learn everything in detail about your product. Place it on the center of your page to make sure it’s the first thing your prospects see!
Wrapping Up
A well-produced product video is one of the most powerful tools that online businesses have at their disposal. It allows them to show people what makes their products or services so unique and special. Fostering trust and encouraging prospects to make a purchase decision like few other video types can do.
However, to see such results and impact your audience, you need to plan and produce your product video with time. You can start by finding a relevant story that showcases your main value proposition and addresses your audience’s needs. But that’s just the beginning, so don’t waste another second and get down to work! 🙂
Good luck!
