In 2017, over 100 billion dollars worth of retail sales was done over the internet – far more than any brick-and-mortar retail business can compete with, so how do we find our way into this rapidly growing space? In simple terms – video marketing!
A video advert is not only more memorable than a static ad, but people are far more likely to buy from someone they can actually see and hear. Video marketing really works in the e-commerce world to bring in new customers who can’t afford the overhead of physical retail space and inventory and offer them competitive pricing on quality products.
Video Marketing Strategies are the need of the hour if you want to shift your Retail Business online and make it grow globally. While you may have hundreds of products in your store, most of the time, only some are chosen by the customers to purchase. Why? The marketing efforts by many retailers fail miserably because they are either not aware of what videos can do or they don’t know how to use them correctly to promote their business online.
As per the report of Boston Consulting Group, by 2018 70% of the Retail Business had shifted online in India and the Asia Pacific. And, when it comes to digital videos are playing an important role in influencing consumers’ buying decisions through rich brand storytelling and engaging video content.
Video marketing has taken the world by storm. More and more people are using this platform to sell their products, promote their events, and showcase their services. People know that videos help them to understand things better, especially when it comes to understanding how a product or service works in real-life situations. This makes video marketing an effective tool in shifting retail business online.
Importance of video marketing
Video marketing provides businesses of all sizes the opportunity to stand out from the competition and grow their business by providing a means of connecting with customers on an emotional level. The power of video is undeniable, as it is the best way for brands to connect and engage with consumers on a personal level.
In fact, 86% of people who watch videos about a product or service say that they are more likely to purchase that product or service. When you use video marketing as part of your marketing strategy, you not only reach potential customers online but also give them a reason to trust your brand.
Plus, when they feel connected they are more likely to share their feelings about your brand with others in their social circles.
For example, research shows that 88% of U.S. adults own a smartphone, and 83% visit Facebook at least once per day; meaning this demographic can’t get enough content to keep them entertained, engaged, and coming back for more.
These figures prove that video marketing offers marketers access to these users with relative ease; presenting an exceptional opportunity to sell products or services with innovative approaches such as storytelling, micro-content series (such as webisodes), etc.
4 Key Elements of a Successful Online Video Campaign
A successful online video campaign is a marketing strategy that utilises videos to reach its audience. Videos are an eye-catching medium that can help potential customers make an informed decision about the products or services being offered.
A successful campaign should have four key components: message, target audience, call-to-action, and production quality.
The message is the most important part of the video and should tell viewers what the business is about and what sets it apart from competitors. The target audience should be as specific as possible so that people in similar demographics are more likely to see the video and engage with it.
Call-to-action requests for viewers to take some type of action after viewing such as visiting a website or purchasing a product. For example, Click here to learn more. Production quality is especially important when trying to convey information or persuade potential customers; bad lighting and sound will distract viewers and result in a low conversion rate.
In order to successfully market their retail store online, businesses must incorporate online video campaigns into their marketing strategy. These campaigns need four key components – message, target audience, call-to-action, and production quality – in order for them to be effective.
Pre-Video Planning For Video Marketing
Identifying your goals and objectives is the first stage. What are you trying to accomplish through a video marketing campaign? What do you want people who watch your videos to feel or do as a result of watching them?
Next, determine the type of video content that will meet those goals. Is it informational, how-to, testimonial, or interview-based content? This is an important question because each one has its own set of challenges and benefits.
Once you’ve established what type of content you’re going for, determine what format best suits your needs. Do you need something short to capture attention? Are you looking for something longer in order to tell a complex story or show more detail about a product/service? Whatever format(s) you decide on, make sure they align with your audience’s expectations.
10 Tips for Retailers
Here are 10 tips for retailers to keep in mind to get the best of video marketing for their businesses:
- Create a video of your products and services that showcases the quality and uniqueness of what you offer.
- Use hashtags on social media platforms for maximum visibility and engagement.
- Share videos on different platforms, like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for added reach.
- Spread the word about your video through email marketing, social media advertising, or paid online marketing channels like AdWords or Facebook Ads.
- Link back to the video from your product pages, blog posts, and website so viewers can easily find it again.
- Consider promoting your video by partnering up with influencers in your industry.
- Promote the video using targeted ads on social media sites such as LinkedIn or Facebook in order to get more people watching it who may not have seen it yet – this will help boost its organic views too!
- Experiment with different types of videos including behind-the-scenes footage, informational tutorials, and customer testimonials – whatever suits best with your brand identity!
- Don’t forget to measure how well your video is doing! Gauge metrics like views, shares, likes, and comments.
- Measure how many conversions resulted from the video – did it lead to an increase in sales, leads, or followers?
When it comes to video marketing, you can’t just upload a video and sit back. Creating the right content, getting it in front of the right audience, and driving conversions are all part of the process.
Here’s what you need to know about retail marketing online. Find your niche. It’s important to figure out who your target audience is before you create a video. Targeting an audience will help you produce better content while also saving time when it comes to uploading videos.
You’ll want to ask yourself questions like Who watches my videos? What do they like? What don’t they like? You may have multiple niches that you’re targeting, so make sure that every video is tailored to that specific niche.
Getting Started With YouTube
With over 1 billion monthly active users, YouTube is a potential marketing goldmine for your retail business. The good news is that you don’t need to be a professional videographer or have an expensive camera setup.
As long as you can hold your phone steady and speak clearly, you’ll do just fine! Start by creating a new channel on YouTube and filling out all of the necessary information (for example, name, profile picture, and so on).
Add some information about your brand so people know what they’re getting when they subscribe to you: For example, upload images of your products or videos showing how they work. Add links to any social media profiles so people can follow you there too!
Add content that aligns with your brand – think product reviews, demonstrations of features, unboxing videos (showing what comes inside the box), recipes from one of our food bloggers (we love food), DIY tutorials from our expert crafters who share their tips & tricks for making something at home and more.
Ways to shift retail business online using video marketing
Show Off Products Using Videos
Video marketing is a great way to show off your products. If you are a retailer, it is important that potential customers can see what they are buying and feel confident in their purchase.
Your video should have a clear call to action for viewers. You can include links for email signups and social media followings so you have better connections with potential customers.
You also want your video content to be different from what other retailers do so that people will be more likely to click on your video and visit your store. Make sure the content is exciting and creative!
Drive Traffic From YouTube to the eCommerce Site
The process of driving traffic from YouTube is not complicated, but it does require some thoughtful planning. Start by identifying your target audience, and then create a list of keywords that will help you connect with them.
For example, if your business is located in New York City and you sell organic produce, your keywords may be: organic produce NYC, organic produce Brooklyn NY, organic produce Manhattan NY. Once you have created this list, head over to YouTube and enter these keywords into the search bar.
Look through the results that pop up for videos related to your business’ niche. You can either subscribe to these channels or add them as a favourite so that they show up on your homepage each time you log into YouTube.
One important thing to note about this strategy is that you should never post anything on YouTube without adding value. You don’t want to come off as spammy. Remember, people are there for entertainment, not just ads! If you do make a video advertising your products and services, make sure it’s short-length (under 2 minutes) and provides something of value to viewers such as tips or tricks they can use in their daily life.
Going Live On Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Using a social network, you can quickly and easily alert friends and followers about hidden bargains or limited-time specials. Customers can quickly reach you thanks to it as well. If customers have a concern, they can post it on your wall or send you a brief note outlining the situation. This enables you to act fast and try to make the situation better. One of the best forms of advertisement is when customers mention good things about your business on your page.
Get A Mobile App or Ecommerce Platform Based On Mobile Or In-Store Technology
Technology is changing the way we shop. With a few simple taps on a screen, you can buy just about anything from anywhere. The convenience of shopping online has changed the retail landscape in America.
Now more than ever, businesses are going beyond physical locations by offering mobile and eCommerce platforms that allow customers to browse and buy merchandise anytime, anywhere.
If you’re looking for an app or eCommerce platform that will help you keep up with the latest trends and take your business into the future, check out these companies that are revolutionising the retail industry:
Manly Mobile App: Manly Mobile App offers two apps for both iOS and Android users – one for your phone’s lock screen, and one as an app icon. You’ll never have to leave the app to make a purchase because there’s an integrated Buy button right at the top of their store page.
Sitecore: Sitecore is a leading software company that helps retailers transform their customer experience through omnichannel marketing software solutions. The platform enables enterprises like Macy’s, Kroger, American Eagle Outfitters, Timberland, and others to connect digital shoppers with products at all stages of their journey – whether they’re browsing in-store or researching on their phones at home.
Sell Products Via Other People’s Websites
By listing your products on sites like Etsy, you can sell them without having to create your own site. Getting your products onto other websites is the best way to make sure they reach a wide audience. The more platforms you list your items on, the better chance you have of making a sale.
Not only will it help generate more revenue for you, but it will also help drive traffic back to your website where they can buy from you directly. A win-win situation! In today’s internet age, video marketing has become an essential tool in any business’s arsenal.
In fact, studies show that over half of consumers prefer watching videos over reading articles when looking for information about specific brands or products. More and more shoppers are turning to video content in order to learn more about certain goods before making their purchase decisions – so it’s important that as a retailer, you don’t leave these customers out in the cold by not giving them access to your product offerings via video!
Loyalty Programs And Special Offers To Build Trust And Relationships With Customers
Retailers can increase the number of people who buy from them by offering a loyalty program. These programs are typically free to sign up for and offer benefits such as discounts, free gifts, or other incentives when customers purchase from the store.
This will help build relationships and trust between customers and the retailer. For example, Amazon Prime offers free shipping on most items as well as access to movies, TV shows, books, and music for members who pay an annual fee. In addition, they periodically give members special offers that aren’t available to non-members in order to incentivise them into signing up for a membership.
Conclusion
The future of online retail is bright. There’s no question that it will continue to grow, and it will be a major part of the global economy by 2025. But, in order for retailers to make the leap into this new world, they’ll need strong content marketing strategies in place.
To be successful, retailers are going to need to fully embrace video marketing as one of their primary forms of advertising. It has been said that people watch 100 million hours of YouTube each day. That’s a lot of time spent watching videos… which means there’s an opportunity for marketers to capitalise on that demand.
Studies have shown that 88% of users watch an entire video when it’s less than two minutes long. And, 72% watch an entire video when it’s less than 20 seconds long!
Marketers can use these statistics and more about the power of video marketing to their advantage when crafting campaigns on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram or on other platforms like Snapchat or Twitter.
They should think about using videos as a way to introduce products or services to potential customers while also building trust among current ones.
