Did you know consumers spend an average of 17 hours a week watching videos online? This shows how engaging video content can be, as it compels consumers to spend substantial time on this type of media.
Because of the huge traction towards videos, they have become the go-to for business owners looking to showcase their products and services. Engaging product videos are great for making an instant connection with the audience.
According to a Wyzowl report, over 80% of consumers have been influenced by product videos to make a purchase.
However, how do you make these videos powerful and engaging? You must delve into the customer psyche and employ the best practices in product video creation to resonate with your audience effectively.
Without further ado, let’s discuss 11 best practices for creating captivating product videos in 2024.
What Are Product Videos and Why Do They Matter in 2024?
Product videos are short, attention-grabbing, and informative videos about your products. They use clear explanations, engaging voices, and relatable situations to show off the products’ benefits and convince consumers why they need them.
The types of product videos include:
- Explainer Videos: These short videos use animation, motion graphics, or live footage talking about a product and its benefits.
- Product Demos: These videos provide a step-by-step guide on your product’s features and functionalities, persuading consumers to purchase.
- How-To Videos: Similar to demos, these videos focus on how a product is used or how to perform a specific task. However, it’s more educational than promotional.
- Customer Testimonial Videos: Featuring real people sharing their positive experiences with your brand, these videos serve as social proof to build trust.
- Teaser/Promo Videos: These are short, attention-grabbing videos aimed to pique viewers' interest around a new product.
Benefits of Product Videos in 2024
By incorporating product videos into your video marketing strategy, you can enjoy the following benefits:
- Grabs Attention and Increases Sales: Videos keep the audience’s attention for longer as they witness the product in action, creating more relatability and tangibility. This emotional engagement translates to a higher likelihood of purchase.
- Demonstrates What the Product Does: Videos let you easily explain how your product works and why the viewers should buy it. When they understand its function clearly, they can make informed choices about buying it.
- Boosts Your SEO Ranking: Websites with videos tend to do better in search results than those without. Search engines love engaging content, and videos keep people on your site longer, thereby boosting your search result rankings.
- Encourages Social Media Sharing: People tend to share engaging videos on social media, exposing your product to a wider audience. This can optimize video SEO by increasing visibility and driving more organic traffic.
- Helps You Stand Out: Creating captivating product videos shows consumers your commitment to enhancing their experience, positioning your brand as trustworthy and innovative.
- Improves Customer Education and Self-Service: Product videos can include tutorials, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides. Customers can learn at their own pace, reducing the need for direct support.
11 Best Practices for Creating Captivating Product Videos
According to the Wyzowl report from earlier, product videos rank high in the priorities of marketers in 2024.
While product videos are powerful marketing tools, creating them can be time-consuming and complex. If you're short on time or resources, outsourcing video editing could be a smart move.
However, if you’re not in a position where outsourcing makes sense, here are 11 best practices for making compelling product videos in 2024.
1. Hook Viewers in the First Few Seconds
At an average of a mere 8 seconds, the human attention span is getting shorter. You've got a few seconds to grab a viewer's attention before they swipe away.
Start your video with a bang, such as a question, a striking visual, or a surprising fact or statistic related to your product or industry. Give your audience a reason to be curious about your product.
This BULLS Bikes product video doesn’t beat around the bush. It hooks and pulls in the viewer the second it starts.
2. Know Your Audience
Imagine creating a love song for someone who only listens to heavy metal. It wouldn't resonate with their user intent, right?
The same goes for product videos. Before filming, understand your target audience’s needs, wants, interests, and pain points.
Begin with conducting market research, analyzing customer data, and gathering feedback to gain insights into what resonates with your audience. Then, use the gathered data as a guide in creating your message, tone, style, and visuals.
Demonstrate how your product solves your audience’s problems or improves their lives.
3. Focus on the Benefits, Not Just Features
Your product might have the most amazing features on the market, but that doesn't mean anything if viewers don’t understand how it benefits them. The real sale comes from highlighting the value it provides to customers.
Instead of only listing features, explain how each makes your audience’s life easier. You can even highlight the circumstances where such features can come in handy. This approach will create an emotional connection and compel viewers to take action.
That’s precisely what Slack has done in this product video.
4. Keep It Short and Sweet
Nobody wants to sit through a 30-minute commercial.
Depending on the complexity of your product, a video that’s 2–10 minutes long will do. However, if you want to be more concise and to the point, aim for product videos that are between 1-3 minutes long.
Shorter videos let you prioritize the most valuable information and ditch the fluff. Plus, they are ideal for sharing on social media and you can always create a series of shorter videos to delve deeper into specific features.
5. Take High-Quality Production Into Account
High-quality production matters, but it doesn't have to break the bank. Good lighting, clear sound, stable camerawork, and sharp visuals are all best practices for creating captivating product videos.
While professional-grade equipment can help, you can achieve a lot with a smartphone, a simple tripod, and natural light. Also, get an external microphone for better audio.
Putting in the effort to create a polished, visually appealing final product is crucial for capturing and retaining your audience's attention.
6. Show, Don’t Tell
Humans are innate visual learners. While listing your product features helps, showing your product in action is way better.
Complement your narration by demonstrating how your product works. Throw in some lifestyle shots showcasing how consumers can use the product in their everyday lives. You can also leverage customer testimonials. Let viewers see the benefits for themselves, not just hear about them.
For instance, this Gillette Labs video lists the product’s features and benefits while showing its use in action.
7. Incorporate Storytelling
People are naturally drawn to stories. While facts and figures are important, stories allow brands to connect with viewers on a much deeper level. Plus, they’re more interesting than plain facts and figures.
That’s why we recommend telling an interesting story about your offerings. Show a character facing a problem and how your product becomes the solution. Alternatively, you can give a short, exciting history of your products, just like Forbes did here while advising on navigating the financial challenges in the divorce process.
Use storytelling to help your product video stand out; stories are proven to be 22X more memorable than facts alone.
8. Embrace Different Video Styles
Though once effective, traditional product demonstrations might no longer connect with today's consumers.
That’s why one of the best practices for creating captivating product videos is experimenting with various video formats. To keep your videos visually interesting, you can include animation, motion graphics, live-action footage, or a combination of all three.
9. Add Captions and Closed Captions
Captions make your videos accessible to a wider audience. They cater to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. So, in a way, captions ensure your videos adhere to accessibility regulations like The ADA, The European Accessibility Act 2025, and others.
Moreover, captions have become so commonplace that it’s not just for the hard of hearing.
10. End With a Clear Call to Action
A strong CTA guides viewers toward the next step in their customer journey. Don't leave viewers hanging after your amazing product video. Instead, indicate what you want them to do next.
You could encourage them to visit your website, subscribe to your channel, sign up for a free trial, or buy your product or service. For instance, after this Grammarly product video highlights the platform’s features and benefits, it ends with a concise and simple CTA.
11. Optimize for Mobile Viewing
Did you know that 75% of people watch videos on their mobile devices? That's a massive chunk of your audience you won’t want to miss out on.
To optimize for mobile screens, avoid wide shots that crop awkwardly and use clear, easy-to-read text. You can then repurpose such videos as mobile ads to bring in more viewers.
These best practices are essential for creating captivating product videos that resonate with your audience, even on mobile platforms.
Conclusion
There you go. Now you know the 11 best practices for creating captivating product videos. You can now leverage the power of video to effectively showcase your offerings, engage your audience, and drive conversions in 2024.
Remember, though, that video marketing is constantly evolving.
Learn from your video marketing metrics, stay up-to-date with the latest video marketing trends, and adjust your strategy accordingly. This way, you can keep your product videos fresh and engaging.
