Whether you’re using WooCommerce, Magento, Shopify, or any other platform, one thing remains the same: ecommerce design is about the customer. You want to design your online store around the preferences of your shoppers — that’s how to raise conversion rates. And what do shoppers want? They want product videos.

These statistics from HubSpot make a pretty compelling case. Of the people polled…

• 71% think video explains the product better.
• 58% view companies with product videos as more trustworthy.
• 46% will shop at a brick-and-mortar store if a product video is unavailable.
• 73% more shoppers buy items after watching a product video.

It makes perfect sense if you think about it: videos partially circumvent some of the biggest disadvantages of ecommerce. There’s a lot of fear around buying products online because you’re never exactly sure about what you’re getting. Photos and images are one thing, but actually holding the product in hands before buying is another.

Videos help shoppers understand the product better. They show the product from multiple angles and in motion, giving insights into size, weight, mobility, and texture that photographs alone cannot. In fact, 57% of consumers say that videos reduce ambiguity, and as a result lower both customer dissatisfaction and the rate of returns.

Moreover, how-to videos can explain how to use a product. Seeing just an image, a shopper may have a million questions about the features or controls; they may not even bother asking your customer support because they could just go examine the product at a brick-and-mortar store.

But with a product video that doubles as an instructional video, all their questions are answered. You may even earn repeat visits; after the product is ordered and delivered, the customer may return to the product page to rewatch the video (which also increases the likelihood of them giving a rating/review).

Videos are also advantageous to search engine optimization. A 2015 Searchmetrics study showed that video appears in 14% of search engine results. That means if people are searching for a product you offer, having a product video could give you an advantage over your competitors. That statistics is from 2015, too — imagine how much stronger videos have become in SEO during the last two years.

As a visual artform, videos form stronger emotional bonds with shoppers than static photos. Moving images and animated facial expressions convey the target emotional atmosphere much more effectively. Imagine a still image of a child running to their mother compared to a live-action video. Which do you think is more likely to incite the emotional spark needed to make a sale?

Last, videos are easy to share on social media. This makes them a valuable marketing tool; every new share is free advertising, not to mention a vote of confidence. People tend to trust the recommendations of their friends, so if they see someone they know sharing your video, it makes your entire brand seem more appealing.

On the downside, videos tend to be more expensive to create than other media. Still, you should create ones for as many products as you can afford. The statistics above don’t lie: more product videos means more sales.

Questions? Suggestions? We want to hear your thoughts, so share your opinions below in the comments section now.

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