Archive for the 'Tips and Tricks' Category

One of the things that differentiates eCommerce video from those old-fashioned things called television commercials (remember them?) is a tone of trustworthiness.

Consider the trust index below from today’s eMarketer. Friends and family top the list – no surprise, and a good reason to include social marketing as part of the mix. But when it comes to placing eCommerce video on product pages to drive conversion, you simply can’t include everyone’s friends and family.

At the bottom of the list are television presenters and celebrities. (We suspect that animated slide show “product videos” would rank even lower).  If you use television-commercial techniques or celebrity endorsements as part of your eCommerce video strategy, you’re using the least trustworthy tone and presentation. A store assistant, according to the chart below, is rated as 30% more trustworthy than a TV pitchman or celebrity.

So stop putting off launching an eCommerce video initiative because talent is a barrier. It’s not. You don’t need Tiger Woods to demo your products. The talent you have – your product managers, your best sales reps, your business managers – will build trust more effectively than any celebrity could. eCommerce video is about driving conversion. This is one course where you have it in you to outdrive Tiger Woods.

I can not imagine a cooler use for streaming video! Watch NASA bomb the moon on NASA TV.

But then, increasing your conversion by 30% or more might be an even bigger bang, if you’re an online retailer. We didn’t bomb the moon, but we shot some great videos to prove our ability to drive conversion for a major sporting goods retailer.  Check them out here.

If you are a consumer, it may feel a bit early to be thinking about the holiday season. But if you’re an online retailer, it’s late in the game. Very late. So don’t panic. Because you’ve planned and prepared. And because you’ve got these links at hand. 85% of consumers plan to shop online this year, according to Internet Retailer. And, in the face of flat holiday budgets, dollars spent offline last year are shifting online this year. So seize the opportunity!

SmartCompany has a useful article on ‘10 Ways to Prepare Your Website for Christmas.’  Because the focus is on small business, many of the suggestions are basic blocking and tackling that can be implemented quickly – even for a large retailer. A quick SEO tuneup and ensuring that gift certificates are well merchandised are two of the higher-payoff ideas.

The NRF’s 2009 Holiday Survival Kit is another resource to have on hand. It gives insight into shoppers’ motivations for shopping online. It’s no big surprise that convenience and ease of comparison are drivers, but savvy merchants will check their merchandising to remove as much friction as possible in order to effectively convert convenience-driven shoppers. And you have your Cyber Monday specials already planned – right? If not, you’re missing one of the big lessons from the report.

Does eCommerce video play a role in all of this? You bet. Video is one of the better SEO plays, and every visitor counts in this environment. It’s also a proven conversion driver, as we’ve documented many times before. If dollars are close to flat, anything that can be implemented quickly to impact conversion is a no-brainer. With a library of over 20,000 product videos, odds are good that we can get video up for your critical products even on this tight timeframe.

1. Plan Your Day: Know which way is up!

• For dramatic angles, set up your camera at waist or ground level with the snow and with the skier coming towards you.
• Position the camera facing away from the wind – this will reduce wind noise and debris blowing into your lens.
• For safety precautions, alert other skiers to the cameraman in the area. (ex. orange cones, crossed poles, etc.)

2. Use Knowledgeable People: But can they ski?

• Use a knowledgeable person: sales representatives and product managers typically speak most effectively to product benefits.
• Be prepared to have skilled models demonstrate your snow products or apparel on location.
• Sponsored athletes or expert testimonials go a long way with consumers.

3. Environment and Preparation: Don’t forget to plug’er in

• On the snow, try and provide a clean and clutter-free background as it will help viewers focus their attention.
• Presenters on video should wear solid, light company colors that aren’t busy and provide good contrast against products.
• Be sure your brand and product stand out on location – ie. signage, trade booth or clothing.      

4. Substance Over Style: Snow bunnies are not exempt

• Know the competitive features, benefits and any technologies used in your product.
• Avoid scripts; “off the cuff” presentations work best.
• Speak to each product individually and avoid comparing it to other products in your line.

5. Audio & Visual: Keep your mittens off the lens!

• Practice shooting a few test segments to check lighting calibration, white balance and sound – re-test when changing locations.
• On the snow, cameras will have difficulty adjusting between shade and sun so keep subjects in one or the other.
• At outside venues, be sure presenters have adequate microphones available as voices are more difficult to capture.