More ecommerce brands than ever are deploying shoppable video as a means to connect with community and engage more deeply than static social content allows. Interactive shoppable video enables viewers to click on products embedded within a video to make purchases directly, seamlessly merging content with e-commerce functionality. It can be a huge driver of sales because customers feel emotionally connected with brand storytelling and buying is streamlined.
Crafting uniquely tailored shoppable video content is not as straightforward as hiring an influencer with the most reach possible. The easier-said-than-done path to success is producing relevant content for the right audience with the right voice.
Let’s take a look at some key factors to consider:
Format:
Depending on your brand values and how you communicate with your consumer base, it may make sense to produce long-form episodic pieces, or Q&A with a big name, or snappier insider access to quick exclusive drops. The key is to align the format of your shoppable video content with your audience's preferences and the nature of your products. Pick a style.
In some instances, you may want to create programming around a repeat series in which case format is crucial to supporting that longer-term content roadmap.
Audience:
Don’t shy away from exclusivity. If you’re tailoring content successfully, it may mean producing interactive shoppable videos more often with a more narrow reach.
For example, a D2C fashion brand may find success in utilizing .edu email addresses for a back to school shoppable video campaign or want to segment their audience by age to send out a promo code for a mature skin serum.
Talent:
Once you’ve determined who you’re speaking to and what type of content resonates with them, it’s important to find talent who will best deliver that message. A common misconception is that a large audience will mean greater conversion. Brands that select influencers with mass appeal and wide reach may get eyeballs on their interactive shoppable videos, but if the brand values, tone, and product aren’t aligned with the influencer’s followers, you’ll be left with some unimpressive conversion metrics.
We’ve seen major retail brands work with high-paid influencers to no success, only to discover later that the best performing talent was simply a salesperson in their store who knows the product inside and out. Or we all have witnessed celebrities feel inauthentic or stiff on camera when the brand founder may actually be better positioned to speak about the product, even though sales may not be their forté. Motive, authenticity, relatability and tone are all hugely important factors to consider in the talent you employ.
Shoppable Video Production
Now that you have all the core pieces to develop a successful shoppable video experience, you’re ready for production. Depending on the format and talent you should decide on the level of production quality your audience will expect. An interview with two important names may call for higher production value with great cutting, post-production edits, and branded backgrounds. Alternatively, a review from a stylist or a sneak peak of a future drop should feel more homegrown, organic, and user-generated.
Know the strengths of your inhouse team. A live shoppable video may be most compelling at first, but inexperienced producers or hosts may mean a pre-recorded video is safest for your brand preservation. And if most of your traffic comes from mobile, make sure the production team films in portrait to optimize for the majority of your viewers.
When publishing shoppable video content, always ensure that the shopping elements are integrated directly into the content. Using platforms like LIVE or Refer is a great way to guarantee shoppable product cards will be visible at the right time during the video without being disruptive to the content. This tech will seamlessly allow a user to add products to cart without leaving the video, encouraging greater conversion.
Post-Production Considerations
Monitor Performance: After releasing your shoppable video, closely monitor its performance. Track metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and engagement. Use this data to refine your future shoppable video content strategy. If you’re seeing dropoff at minute two, try a new strategy with shorter content. If people are adding to cart and not checking out, test the checkout flow to find points of friction that may be particularly difficult on mobile–like having to add multiple addresses without a prefill.
Engage with Your Community: Create a shoppable video experience that goes beyond the content itself. Respond to comments and engage with your audience on social media and other platforms prior to publishing (teasers welcome), during the content (if live), and after it is published. It may even be compelling to cut and repurpose segments of video content for other marketing purposes.
Rinse and repeat! The best shoppable video brands are ones that produce often and are experimental in their channels.
If you’re looking for help strategizing or implementing a live shoppable video strategy, feel free to reach out. Studio is here help and we typically work 2x faster than other peer agencies or in-house teams.