Multimedia expert Max Childs discusses the best ways for retailers to make the most out of moving images online, to boost e-commerce revenues
Multimedia expert Max Childs discusses the best ways for retailers to make the most out of moving images online, to boost e-commerce revenues
Max Childs, Adobe Scene7 senior marketing manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said retailers are facing a tough time right now.
“There is a revolution on the High Street, where bricks and mortar shops are dealing with hard trading conditions – yet online and multichannel retailers are prospering, according to the latest statistics from the IMRG,” he said.
“The emphasis on internet shopping has never been greater – brands need to constantly innovate to do more to keep their customers engaged if they’re to capture attention, convert it into sales and encourage repeat business. The recently released Adobe Scene7 2011 Survey: Digital Marketing in the Next Decade shows that brands and retailers who have deployed online video found it the second most effective feature (behind multi-media image galleries) for enhancing the customer experience and driving sales, where video received 36% of the vote. So where do retailers need to start in order to capitalise on this channel?” he asked.
Tailor multimedia to products
Childs said that, when selecting products for videos, choosing to feature popular and high-margin items will yield a better return on video production costs. “After all, a low-cost, out of season piece isn’t going to achieve much and will still cost the same to produce. Also, videos should highlight the product features that will help the audience make an informed buying decision,” he explained.
“Executing well-polished, high production value video isn’t always necessary. For the best ROI [return on investment], reducing time and cost is key and there are a few ways to do this. Schedule image and video shoots at the same time, using the same set, a small crew and equipment. If they exist, tap into joint advertising funds established by the manufacturer.”
An important factor, which Childs said surprisingly a lot of retailers overlook, is making videos visible. “The value of video is minimised if it’s undiscoverable,” he continued, advising “highlight video in search results, feature prominently on product detail pages and create a gallery so customers can find videos easily”.
Make videos easy to view
“Optimising the video player is important, too. Enticing customers to view videos by adding ‘Play’, ‘Click to play’, or ‘Click to view’ is more likely to achieve view-through rates. Increasing the size of the video on the page also helps to improve view-through rates.
“Ensure people can find videos when they are querying via search engines. Simple ways to do this are to submit the video sitemap to the search engines to raise visibility and drive traffic, and to share videos on popular destinations such as YouTube and Facebook, with links back to the site,” he said, pointing out that research from Jupiter has revealed a page with video is 50 times more likely to show up on the first Google search engine results page.
He also advised: “Invest time and money wisely by selecting a video publishing platform designed with retailers in mind. A retail-focused platform will help drive conversions by offering ease of integration and easy-to-use editing, as well as deliver video to all channels - online, mobile, to social networks and in-store.
Ensure maximum accessibility
“Make video accessible to consumers on the go. Whether they’re waiting for a bus, sitting in the bath or walking along the high street, consumers are using mobile to browse and buy merchandise. Mobile is not one to miss - more and more retailers are adding this sales channel to the mix.
“Keep your audience connected with a short and snappy video. Research has shown that 20% of viewers drop-off after 10 seconds of video and 44% after 60 seconds of video. Try to keep your videos to 30 seconds or less,” he added.
Childs concluded: “Consumers expect a sophisticated e-commerce experience – retailers that ignore the power of video to bridge the ‘touch and feel’ gap of the in-store experience run the risk of looking outdated. If you’re not using video or planning to any time soon, it’s likely your competitors will be...”
Download the Adobe Scene7 ‘Nine Easy Steps to Online Video Success’ whitepaper here.
