How to Create Shoppable Videos? The Ultimate Guide in 2022

Are you looking to use videos to sell your products or services? If so, you’re in luck! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating shoppable videos.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just getting started with video marketing; we promise you’ll learn a lot from this guide.

What are Shoppable Videos?

Shoppable videos are a type of video content that allows viewers to purchase products directly from the video itself. That’s usually done by adding clickable links or “buy now” buttons within the video player.

How Shoppable Videos Work

When people watch these videos, interactive elements pop up, asking viewers to make a purchase. Depending on the eCommerce platform you’re using, these shoppable videos can be set up to work with existing shopping carts or through standalone links that take people to a product page.

Why Use Shoppable Videos?

Whether you’re selling digital or physical products, shoppable videos can be a great way to increase sales and conversion rates. And since they’re interactive, they can also help you gather data about your viewers’ interests and purchasing habits.

Plus, shoppable videos are just plain fun. They’re a great way to engage your audience and give them a unique shopping experience.

Here are some of the ways shoppable ads can help you:

• Create a Seamless Buying Process: Shoppable videos allow viewers to purchase your products without leaving the video or hunting down a link. That helps reduce friction in the buying process and streamline the purchase journey.
• Increase Consumer Engagement: Research shows interactive videos have 10x higher click-through rates than non-interactive videos. Shoppable videos are interactive by nature, so they have the potential to engage viewers and keep them watching for longer.
• Build Better Customer Relationships: Shoppable videos allow you to connect with your viewers more deeply. By providing a unique and personalized shopping experience, you can build trust and loyalty with your audience.
• Drive Conversion Rates: Studies show that shoppable videos increase conversion rates by 30%.

Many brands also report reaping great rewards from using shoppable videos as a part of their marketing strategy. For example, luxury fashion brands like Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Zimmerman, and Rebecca Minkoff all report seeing a significant increase in sales after incorporating shoppable videos into their marketing mix.

Another example worth mentioning is IKEA. The furniture giant created an interactive shoppable video after collaborating with National Geographic.

The video features a bedroom with bedding products from IKEA that viewers can purchase as they watch. 

The goal was:

• Create a stronger emotional connection with IKEA customers
• Increase brand awareness
• Increase customer engagement and the time spent on the IKEA website
• Optimize user experience
• Generate sales 

And, judging by the results, it seems to have worked.

So, how did they do it?

First, at the beginning of the video, the viewer is informed that the video is interactive and that they can click ahead to see the solution to the problem presented. 

That, combined with the use of an interesting and relatable story, helps keep viewers engaged throughout the video. 

Plus, IKEA uses a light-hearted and humorous tone to make the video more enjoyable to watch.

As the video progresses, IKEA does a great job of slowly introducing the shoppable elements. 

They start by showing a close-up of one of the products in the scene and then give viewers the option to click and learn more about it. 

That allows viewers to get curious about the product and helps IKEA build interest before presenting the purchase offer.

Plus, IKEA uses a light-hearted and humorous tone to make the video more enjoyable to watch.

From the Video, IKEA saw:

• Four times more interactions per active viewer
• 50% of product hotspots clicked 
• An average of one minute spent on the video

The reason they achieved all these?

IKEA didn’t just create a shoppable video. They created a fun interactive experience that engaged viewers and moved them down the sales funnels faster and more effectively than a traditional video. 

Now that you’ve seen how shoppable videos can help you achieve your marketing goals, let’s look at how you can create one for your business.

But first, where can you even use shoppable videos? 

Where Can You Use Shoppable Videos?

After creating shoppable videos, many businesses make the mistake of only using them on their website. To get the most out of your investment, you must learn to think outside the box and use them across channels. 

Here are some ideas:

• Social media: Use shoppable videos on social media to increase brand awareness and reach a wider audience. You can post them on your feed or use them as ads.
• Email marketing: Include shoppable videos in your email newsletters to encourage click-throughs and purchases. 
• Website: Use shoppable videos on your website to increase conversion rates and keep viewers engaged for longer periods.
• E-commerce Store: Use shoppable videos on your online store to provide your customers with a unique and personalized shopping experience.
• Live Streaming Platforms: You can also use shoppable videos on live streaming platforms like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and Instagram TV. That is a great way to engage with your audience and drive sales.
• On-demand Video Streaming Service: Use shoppable videos on your on-demand video streaming service to provide your audience with a more interactive viewing experience.

Let’s dig into each of these publishing options a little deeper.

Publishing the Shoppable Videos on social media

As we mentioned earlier, social media is a great place to post shoppable videos.

Many social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are now beginning to incorporate the e-commerce element into their platforms, which makes it easier for businesses to sell their products and services there. 

And, since social media is where many people are spending their time these days, it’s the perfect place to reach out to potential customers and increase brand awareness.

You can publish the videos on your brand feed and story or run them as ads. 

The best part about using shoppable videos on social media is that you can use them to target a specific audience with laser precision, an excellent strategy to get the most out of your investment.

Try activating the Merchandise Shelf (Merch) on YouTube to start selling your products on the platform. 

Even better, YouTube announced that they’d be making their ads more shoppable by adding product images directly under their ads to direct viewers directly to the product pages. 

The good thing with posting your shoppable ads on social media is that there’s no limit to how you can let your creativity flow. You can be as creative as you want and experiment with different formats to see what works best for your business. 

Including Shoppable Videos in Email Newsletters

Another great way to use shoppable videos is in your email newsletters.

Email is still one of the most effective marketing channels, and including a shoppable video in your newsletter can help increase click-through rates and conversions. 

Plus, it’s a great way to provide a more interactive and engaging experience for your subscribers.

When adding a shoppable video to your email newsletter, include a clear call-to-action (CTA) that tells viewers what they need to do next. For example, you can add a CTA that tells your viewers to “Click here to shop the collection.” 

You should also include a thumbnail image of the video so that subscribers can see what it’s about before they click through to watch it. 

Finally, make sure the video is mobile-friendly so that people can watch it on their smartphones and tablets.

Using Shoppable Videos on Your E-commerce Store

If you have an e-commerce store, then you should consider using shoppable videos to provide a more interactive and personalized shopping experience for your customers.

Shoppable videos on your e-commerce store can help increase product discovery and sales. 

So many brands are already using shoppable videos in their stores, and there’s no reason you can’t do the same. 

A good example is Ted Baker, a British clothing brand. They use shoppable videos on their product pages to give customers a better idea of how the products look and fit. 

They also use them to showcase different ways to style their products.

There’s also a clear CTA to shop for each piece. Viewers can either click on the image and be taken directly to the product page or watch the video and then click on the “Shop Now” button that appears at the end. 

Use Live Streams to Sell Products

If you’re not using live video on social media yet, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to engage with your audience and sell your products.

Your audience wants to interact with you in real-time, and live video is the perfect way to do that. 

Live video is also a great way to show your products in action and give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your business. 

Plus, you can use live video to answer questions from viewers and address any concerns they might have.

For example, a Chinese live stream salesman, Li Jiagi, sold $1.9 billion of goods using Livestream shopping videos. 

The trend is being adopted by major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopify, and eBay. 

Amazon has Amazon Live, a shoppable live streaming platform where celebrities, brands, and influencers can showcase and sell products.

YouTube isn’t being left behind either. The platform recently launched a new “Organic Live Shopping Experience” feature that allows brands to add product images and links directly to their videos. 

As it turns out, 89% of viewers trust the recommendations creators make on their YouTube channels. 

That’s a huge opportunity for you to sell your products directly to your audience.

It works for both streamers selling their merchandise or affiliate marketers and brands depending on sales as their primary source of income. 

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Best Practices for Creating Shoppable Videos

Now that you know all the different ways to use shoppable videos let’s look at some of the best practices for creating one. 

Warm Up Your Audience 

The first step is to warm up your audience and prepare them for what’s to come. You want to connect with them early on and get them excited about your video. 

Give them the information they need to know about your video, such as what they’ll learn or what you’ll be showing them. 

You can also give them a sneak peek of the products you’ll be featuring. 

Call out all the features upfront so they know what to look for while watching the video. 

For example, if you’re going to show them how to style a particular piece of clothing, let them know which colours and sizes will be available.

Add a Shoppable Element 

The next step is to add a shoppable element to your video. That can be a link, an image, or even a piece of text that viewers can click on to be taken directly to the product page. 

For example, you can add a “Shop Now” button at the end of your video that takes viewers to your website or online store.

You can also add links to specific products throughout the video so viewers can learn more about them or buy them on the spot. 

If you’re selling physical products, you can also include a QR code that viewers can scan to be taken directly to the product page.

Promod’s Jeans is a good example of a brand that knows how to utilize shoppable elements in its videos. 

One of their videos has a clickable overlay marked with products using the product import feature. They have even included a shoppable group carousel and pop-up for mobile optimization. 

Their engagement rate increased by 55%, and CTR went up by 10%.

Use Fewer Elements

The principle of less is more also applies to shoppable videos. You want to use as few shoppable elements as possible so viewers can focus on the video itself.

If you’re selling multiple products, consider adding a shoppable carousel or group at the end of the video instead of linking to each product individually. 

Omnisend conducted a study that showed that included 2 to 3 CTAs generated the best conversion rates for Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) campaigns. The conversion rate starts to drop when it’s more than 3 CTAs. 

The key is to focus on quality over quantity. You want viewers to be able to watch your video without feeling overwhelmed by too many shoppable elements. 

Ideally, you should create a dedicated shoppable video page for each video you make. This page should be free of distractions, such as sidebars or navigation menus. You want viewers to be able to watch the video and shop the products without any interruptions. 

Use Clear CTAs

Your CTAs should be clear and concise. You want viewers to know exactly what you want them to do. 

For example, instead of using a generic CTA like “click here,” you can use something more specific like “shop now” or “buy now.” 

You can also include the product name or a brief description to let viewers know what they’ll be getting if they click on the CTA. 

Make sure your CTA stands out from the rest of the video so viewers can’t miss it. You can use a different colour or font, so it’s easy to spot. 

You can also annotate or create an overlay image that includes the CTA. 

Make sure your CTA is visible on all devices, including mobile. You don’t want viewers to miss it because it’s not optimized for their device.

Include Enticing Images into Your Videos

Include images to help viewers visualize the products you’re selling. 

You can easily capture your customers’ attention by inserting high-quality images into your videos. 

Your images should be clear and professionally taken. You also want to make sure the image shows more product details so viewers can see what they’re getting.

Product videos are a great way to show off your products in all their glory. You can use a still image from the video or create a separate image for each product. 

You can also include lifestyle images to give viewers an idea of how the product can be used in real life.

To improve your customers’ shopping experience, we suggest you create an online product catalogue on the video or embed a link that directs the video to a catalogue page. 

That way, customers can easily browse through all the products you have to offer without leaving the video. 

Make the Video Captivating

Your video should be captivating and engaging from start to finish. 

You want viewers to be hooked from the beginning and be able to stick around to the very end.

There are a few ways you can make your video more captivating: 

• Use an attention-grabbing thumbnail image. 
• Write an enticing description. 
• Use an attention-grabbing headline. 
• Start with a bang.

Shoppable videos allow you to market your products to your target customers in a language and format they understand and enjoy – video. 

Storytelling sits at the heart of all human interaction; it’s how we learn and remember information. 

Your shoppable video should tell a story that captures your viewer’s attention and keeps them engaged throughout the entire video.

The story doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as highlighting the features and benefits of your product and how it can solve your customer’s problem. 

A shoppable video acts as a visual product tour that shows off your products in all their glory and tells a story that captivates your audience.

The idea is to give customers a reason to watch the video and shop for the products without interruptions. 

Don’t limit yourself to traditional video editing techniques. Get creative and experiment with different techniques and styles to see what works best for you and your products. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

• Add music to your video. 
• Use close-up shots. 
• Use slow motion. 
• Use animation. 

For example, you can use stop-motion animation or include customer testimonials to add a personal touch.

Create a Seamless Customer Journey 

Your shoppable video should take your customers on a journey. 

The goal is to make the customer’s journey as seamless as possible so they can easily find what they’re looking for and, at the same time, be able to purchase your product without any hassle.

Try to wear the customer’s mind. What would they want to see in a video? What kind of information would they need to make a purchase? What decisions do they need to make along the way? 

Your goal is to create a customer journey that is so seamless that they don’t even realize they’re shopping.

Here are a few things you can do to create a seamless customer journey: 

• Use an attractive and easy-to-use video player. 
• Include an interactive table of contents. 
• Allow viewers to shop without leaving the video. 
• Use annotations and links to direct viewers to your product pages. 
• Offer customer support in case they have any questions or need help. 
• Include a call to action at the end of the video.

You also want to make the checkout process short and simple. 

You don’t want your customers to get frustrated and give up before reaching the checkout page. 

Make sure you have a clear and concise call to action that tells your customers what to do next. 

And finally, don’t forget to include a thank you message at the end of the checkout process.  

That will show your customers that you appreciate their business and will encourage them to shop with you again in the future.

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Use Video to Create Your Shoppable Video 

Now that you know how to create a shoppable video, it’s time to start creating your own. 

And there’s no better way to do that than with Wideo.

Wideo is an online video platform that makes it easy to create professional-looking videos in just a few minutes.  

With Wideo, you can easily add shoppable links to your videos so your customers can shop without ever leaving the video. 

You can add sign-up forms, click-to-action buttons, or spaces for email registries to capture leads. You can also add ecommerce features such as “buy now” buttons that link to your product pages. 

And the best part is that Wideo doesn’t require any design or video editing experience. 

Just connect your page URL to the interactive options presented in the sidebar and play around with your copy and colour until you get the perfect look for your video. 

Once you’re satisfied with your video, it’s time to publish it. 

Wideo allows you to host your videos on their platform or embed them on your own website. 

You can also download your video and share it on social media or email it to your list.

How to Use YouTube to Make Your Video Shoppable 

YouTube is the second-largest search engine globally and one of the most popular social media platforms. 

So, it’s no surprise that many businesses are using YouTube to promote their products and services. 

And with YouTube’s new shoppable video feature, it’s now easier than ever to turn your YouTube videos into shoppable experiences.

Here’s how it works:

Looking to make your Wideo video shoppable on YouTube?

There are two ways to go about it: 

First, while exporting your clip, Wideo offers a straight to YouTube option to upload your video directly to your channel. That should save you the trouble of downloading the video and uploading it manually.

However, after you’ve exported your video, all the interactive elements you created on Wideo will cease to be interactive. 

So, you have to re-instate the buttons’ interactivity through YouTube’s annotations.

YouTube annotations allow you to identify the hotspots on your video and hyperlink them to an external URL. 

You have to line up the annotations with all the buttons you made in Wideo. For each button, create a new annotation and link it to the appropriate URL.

The second option is for those who prefer to be stealthier with their shoppable attachments instead of displaying them as part of their storyline. 

YouTube launched a card-based annotation system (TrueView Cards) in 2020 that allows you to insert cards that pop up at specific points during your video. The cards can be added via Google Merchant Centre. 

The great thing about cards is that they can be used for various purposes, not just eCommerce. 

You can use them to promote other videos, subscribe to your channel, or even link to an external website.

Creating Shoppable Video Experiences with Shoploop 

Shoploop is a new app from Google that allows you to shop for products directly from YouTube videos. 

The app introduces news products in 90 seconds or less through quick videos.

Shoploop operates like a social media network, where content creators can present products via videos. The video can be up to 90 seconds long, and it must show the product from multiple angles. 

Users can then search for more information about the product without necessarily leaving the platform.

How to Create Shoppable Videos

So, those are a few platforms and apps you can use to turn your videos into shoppable experiences. 

But what if you want to create a shoppable video from scratch? 

Here’s a quick guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Plan the Items to Appear on Your Video

You can begin by planning the items to include in your shoppable video experience.

Create a short list of the products you want to feature in your video. 

Note: You don’t have to include too many items in your video. Three to five products are enough.

Think about the story you want to tell with your video and how each product can play a role in that story.

Step 2: Shoot and Edit the Video, and Take all the Images You Need

Once you have a clear idea of the products you want to include in your video, it’s time to start shooting. 

If you’re not comfortable shooting and editing videos, you can hire a professional to do it for you. 

Shoot the video based on the concept or story you came up with in Step 1. 

You also want to take pictures of each product from multiple angles. The images must be high-quality and clear enough to show relevant product details.

Step 3: Upload the Video on a Platform of Your Choice

After shooting and editing the video, it’s time to upload it on a platform of your choice.

Options include YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, and Facebook. 

You can also upload the video on your website or blog if you have one.

However, don’t hit the publish button yet. You still need to add interactive elements to the video before publishing it.

Step 4: Add Links and Call-to-Actions to the Video

Now, it’s time to make your video shoppable. 

You need to add links and call-to-actions to the video for that. 

You can begin by identifying the hotspots in your video. 

A hotspot is any point in the video where you want viewers to take action, such as clicking on a link or subscribing to your channel.

Step 5: Add the Overlay

The next step is to add an overlay to your video. 

An overlay is a semi-transparent image that contains links to the products featured in your video. 

An overlay may contain product details, such as the name, price, and a link to purchase the product. 

The great thing about an overlay is that it doesn’t interrupt the video experience. Viewers can still watch the video while looking at the overlay. 

You can use Photoshop or any other image-editing software to create an overlay.

Step 6: Publish and Promote Your Video

After adding all the necessary elements to your video, it’s finally time to hit the publish button. 

Promote your video through social media, email marketing, or paid ads. You can also embed the video on your website or blog.  

Now, let’s take a look at some examples of shoppable videos.

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EXAMPLE 1: Wayfair

Furniture retailer Wayfair loves creating how-to and DIY videos because they show off the company’s products creatively. 

Their shoppable videos on YouTube utilize TrueView cards targeted toward viewers waiting to watch another video.

As it turns out, 74% of the viewers watch at least half of their ads. 

And since the videos are also informative, they help Wayfair establish themselves as experts in the home décor space.

Here’s a sample video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya2L0KgHfUA&feature=youtu.be

EXAMPLE 2: Miracle Eye

Miracle Eye is an LA-based store specializing in vintage items and handmade clothes.

The store’s shoppable videos show off their products creatively without being too sales-y. 

The brand starts by displaying the “See Me” CTA in their IG stories to encourage followers to swipe up and visit their website. 

Shoppers can browse through the products featured in the video and purchase if they find something they like. 

This strategy helps Miracle Eye increase its website traffic and, ultimately, sales.

LINK: https://www.instagram.com/miracleeye/

EXAMPLE 3: Neiman Marcus

To create a holiday-themed shoppable video, Neiman Marcus partnered with Mastercard, KERV interactive, and vogue. The luxury department store used the video to promote their holiday gift guide. 

The video featured the actress Taraji P. Henson, locked in the store for a night. As she walks around, viewers can see overlays of the products she’s interested in. 

A clickable “Shop Now” button then appears, allowing viewers to add the product to their cart and make a purchase.

Click here to watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfI22Xd5tB8