Product, demo, and ecommerce video production can be tricky to produce. Because their very close to the retail side of the market, there’s always a high risk of them coming off as buy this now! ads. And people honestly hate ads. They ignore them, they hit the Skip Ad button as soon as they can, and they install software just to filter them out. So how do you make sure your video stays squarely categorized as “video content” and not “sales ad?”
They Are Clean
In a world that is already oversaturated with information in the form of pictures, graphics, animations, illustrations, and (of course) videos, the “go big or go home” mindset may not be as effective as it was a century or so ago. When technology was still developing and people were still completely gobsmacked with the speed it was advancing at, flashy animations and crazy editing was the way to catch someone’s eye.
Now, however, there’s a market for subtle and simple, yet powerful. There’s a market for those who love the minimalist aesthetic. There’s a market for those who can appreciate the negative, quiet space more than bold colors and swirling font.
This doesn’t mean you should cut your animations and effects out completely. Point is, effective ecommerce videos—regardless of content or elements—look clean, crisp, and well put-together. As long as your animations aren’t making a mess of the frames and your font isn’t garish, you’re a step in the right direction.
They Are Relatable
Solo Stove’s Bonfire (The World’s Most Unique Fire Pit) video does an excellent job of combining the product in action with something that their target market can relate to; backpacking, solo adventures, and—most importantly—finding time to spend with the family. The soothing voice of the narrator does the feel of the video justice; they’re not really focusing on the travelling and hiking part of the video as much as they’re focusing on the “family” aspect of it.
Ecommerce video production should aim to make something human and relatable. The best way to get people to sit up and take notice is to craft a video like it was made specifically for them.
They Are Simple
Do you really think someone has thirty minutes to spare just to find out what your product is? If they’re not interested, they’re not sticking around. You don’t need five minutes to explain what your product is if your script is written correctly. Nine Line Apparel managed to introduce their Stout Hoodie in just 30 seconds, and they did it quite effectively too. The brand’s humor coupled with the relatability factor got the point across in half a minute; if you need something to tout your beer around easily, try this.
Honey Baby Naturals gets their point across in just 15 seconds, and they do it quite effectively as well. The narrator’s voice seems a little subdued, but the main subject—the little girl with gorgeous curly hair—is enough of a scene stealer that you’re mesmerized for the whole fifteen seconds.
Ecommerce video production doesn’t have to be big, bold, and dramatic to introduce a product. Most of the time all it needs is a great script, some good talent, and a whole lot of emotion. If the viewer can relate, is entertained, engaged, amused, or informed, then your ecommerce video did something right.
