Running an ecommerce store means that you have to maintain a steady flow of customers and build fruitful relationships with them to see a revenue uplift. But, with the fierce competition out there, it definitely isn’t a walk in the park.
In this situation, you need a strategy that not only helps you attract more customers but also engages them in no time. And one of the most powerful yet overlooked strategies is incorporating video marketing into your customer service.
By using video content, you will not only be able to capture potential customers faster but also give them a better customer experience that other content can’t afford.
So, how can video help you deliver a next-level customer experience?
In this article, you’ll learn why you need to make videos a crucial part of your ecommerce customer service strategy and how to use it more effectively so that you can reap all the benefits you deserve.
Essential Types of Videos Ecommerce Business Should Create
No videos are created the same for your ecommerce business. Some are best at conveying your message succinctly while others are experts in helping potential customers understand more about your products or your online store.
That’s being said, here are four must-have pre-recorded types of videos for your ecommerce business:
Product Overview Videos
Product overview videos display specific features and show your product from different angles, making potential customers feel as if they are holding it themselves.
It’s easy for your potential customers to ask several questions through your customer service before they decide to purchase it. And they’re more likely to fall in love with a product if they can feel a real-life experience and understand how it works. That’s why product overview videos are essential.
Explainer Videos
Explainer videos help you break down complex explanations into smaller, snackable chunks so your potential customers can understand them better. This type of video is well-known for its conciseness and simplicity.
It highlights your customers’ pain points, offers them your online store as a solution, and helps them achieve outstanding results with you.
Product Tutorial Videos
As the name suggests, product tutorial videos help you demonstrate to your customers how to use your product through step-by-step instructions. It helps you to convince skeptical customers who are wary of being scammed by big marketing claims.
Ecommerce product videos show how your products actually work and how it makes potential customers’ life a bit easier. So, it’s safe to say that this type of video is powerful to convince potential customers to buy your products.
Customer Testimonial Videos
Customer testimonial videos are one of the most effective forms of social proof.
All you need to do is to feature your happy existing customers and let them share their positive experiences when using your products. So, instead of bragging about your product yourself, your satisfied customers do all the talking.
This way, potential customers should have no problem trusting your products you sell on your online store.
Why Is Video Important in Ecommerce Customer Service?
Now that you understand some powerful types of videos you can create for your ecommerce store, it's time to break down some of the reasons why you need them -- especially for your customer service strategy.
So, here are the benefits of having video incorporated in your customer service strategy:
Videos Offer Quick and Straightforward Explanations
You might’ve invested in emails, live chat, chatbots, etc., for a better customer service strategy, but nothing tells the story quite like an engaging video.
Videos combine both stunning visual and intriguing audio elements to deliver messages in such a way that text and images can't do. It helps you convey your message faster, ensuring the customers understand the crucial information they need to know.
Videos Help Customers Understand Products Better
Most of your customers are visual learners. So, it should come as no surprise that they retain the information much better if they absorb it through videos than any other medium. It elicits emotions and communicates the entire character of your brand in a matter of minutes.
At least 90% of potential customers find videos helpful when deciding to make purchases. What’s more, almost 64% of potential customers are more likely to buy a product after viewing a video from a brand.
Videos are Incredibly Shareable
Videos are much more shareable than any other medium on the internet. In other words, it provides you a higher chance to get viral.
You can create one single video and share it across social media and other digital platforms with just one click. In this case, not only do videos educate your customers effectively but also help you increase traffic, get more backlinks, and bump up conversions.
6 Ways to Use Videos and Optimize Ecommerce Customer Support
Incorporating videos into your ecommerce customer service means that you keep customers informed, help answer their common questions, and positively influence their experience.
Below are handy ways you can use videos to boost your ecommerce customer service performance.
#1. Make Series of Short Videos
Customers have a lot of different questions. Using one single video to answer all of those questions at once can overwhelm them. Therefore, you need to break it down into short videos and make it a series.
Use one video to solve just one problem. That way, you can give a more detailed explanation so customers can understand the specific solution to their problem.
If you upload it to video hosting services like YouTube, you can create a playlist to make it much easier for the customers to find and watch it in order.
#2. Place Videos on Landing Pages
Deepen the connections and give customers an immersive experience by placing your pre-recorded videos on landing pages. It shows customers how your products are going to benefit them before they make a purchase -- so they don't have to call your customer service afterward.
Landing pages are such an ideal part of your website where you can place your videos. On this page, customers are only one click away from converting.
So, you must encourage them to make an informed decision much faster. And videos are a great medium to help you with that.
Below is an excellent example of an ecommerce landing page video from Vanity Planet:
#3. Create a Video for Each Product
None of your ecommerce products are created the same, right? That's what makes it essential for you to create a video for each of them.
Your customers can easily understand what the product they're interested in is all about without having to talk to the customer service or reading a text-heavy, bulky description.
The quick explanation that video provides empowers customers to purchase. Here’s an example from Love Hair that boosts their ecommerce strategy by adding a video for every product they sell.
#4. Go Social for More Engagement
To go the extra mile, you need to go beyond your online store or ecommerce website. And social media platforms have the potential to be a valuable customer service channel for any ecommerce company.
More than 80% of consumers use social media to engage with brands they're interested in. This is a great opportunity for you to add videos for social media customer service strategy.
Use popular social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to spread your videos so that you can connect directly with your customers, hear their concerns, and help them solve their problems.
#5. Use Video Conferencing for Face-to-Face Customer Support
Besides pre-recorded types we've talked about before, you can also use videos to give a more personal customer experience by creating face-to-face customer support.
By utilizing video conferencing or video chat for customer service, you can connect with customers in real-time and get their specific queries solved quickly, as well as humanizing and individualizing the whole process.
It also helps you to combat challenges such as long queue time, multiple touchpoints, and even communication issues. What's more important, it'd be much easier for you to build a solid, lasting bond between your brand and your customers.
#6. Use Videos for Customer Service Training
Videos can be so much more than just for your customers. You can also create videos for your own customer service team.
You can provide your new customer service members with training videos to empower them to create better customer experiences. With step-by-step guides and visual illustrations, they'll learn how to give customers the best service possible.
Training videos make it easier for you to explain different processes of your customer service strategy to new members.
The aim here is to educate the new members about the core values of your customer service strategy so that you can guide them to build positive interactions and lasting relationships with customers.
Final Thoughts
If phones, emails, live-chat don't seem to be interactive enough, videos can be such a beneficial addition to your ecommerce customer service strategy. Not only are videos quick and straightforward, but they also provide a storytelling medium to engage your customers even better.
Whether it's pre-recorded (like product overview, explainer videos, etc) or face-to-face and live video chat, videos can help customers with any specific issues when text-based or phone calls explanation aren’t enough. With both vocal cues and facial expressions, videos reduce the number of touchpoints which can lead to increased sales and conversions.
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This is a guest post written by Andre Oentoro, the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
