According to data from the Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate globally is just under 70%. With eCommerce brands spending billions on search engine optimisation and ads to get potential customers on their product pages, it’s important to do everything you can to stand out and convince website visitors to part with their cash. Although well-crafted product descriptions can go a long way in converting customers, video content can foster stronger engagement, demonstrate important aspects of your products, and help you sell.
Perhaps one of the most important reasons to incorporate video content into your product descriptions is to boost your website’s search engine optimization and climb the ranks for competitive search terms. According to research from Search Incorporated, video content is 50 times more likely to get organic ranking than plain text results, and because video content has a higher click-through rate and improves visitor retention rates, it’s a must-have if you’re serious about building an eCommerce brand online. Comscore suggests that video content can add two minutes to the average time a user spends on your site – and it’s not just product pages where video content can be useful. Blog posts with video have a 53x higher chance of ranking on the 1st page of Google, according to data from Convince & Convert.
Another reason to invest in video content for your eCommerce website is that it strengthens your relationship with your customer base. If they can see your team showing off products and explaining their benefits, they’re more likely to buy from you and return time and time again. Video content breaks down the barriers of eCommerce and adds a human touch, and if you incorporate user-generated content such as video reviews and Instagram shopping hauls, you’re more likely to grow your eCommerce brand and foster a loyal customer base.
According to one report, 73% of visitors who watch product videos will make a purchase within a week. If you’re looking to appease your customer base and stand out from the competition, then the chances are that video will allow you to do it. This is especially true in competitive markets – ten other brands might be selling the same product as you, but if you’re able to provide them with explainers on how the product works and show them what it looks like in the flesh, then you can bet they’ll choose your site to buy from over your rivals’.
Gen Z incomes are expected to overtake that of Millennials by 2030 and become the ‘most disruptive generation yet’. If you want to futureproof your brand, then appealing to this subsection of the market makes sense. Doing that requires video content. 87% of Gen Z consumers prefer branded videos or ads that show someone talking about a product, and the best part is that you don’t need to break the bank. Content filmed in your office with an iPhone camera can be as effective as professionally shot material. It’s the effort that counts.
In the UK, the return rate of clothing and footwear stands at 19.9% and that of electronic products at 6.2%. Although video content cannot eliminate returns entirely, Ice.com saw a 25% reduction in products returned when they added video introductions and explainers to their product pages. Empowering your customers with the information they need to buy the right item the first time will reduce the chances of returns and complaints. Rather than expecting your customers to buy blind, you can give them the tools they need to buy smart.
If you’re ready to build an eCommerce brand, reach out to the expert web developers at Zudu. We’re here to help you grow your business and incorporate the latest technologies, like 360-degree, interactive video content, to ensure you outmanoeuvre your competitors.
