How To Use eCommerce Product Videos In Every Stage of the Customer Journey
You’ve got an online store up and running and are wondering how to use video content to promote your product and boost sales.
But there are seemingly endless types of videos that can be used to promote your product, and it can be frustrating to determine which to use and when.
I hear you on this.
Using the right video content in the right situations is actually easier than you think when it’s anchored against your customer’s touch points with your brand. This is simply done by breaking down your customer’s journey into defined stages using the fundamental concept of the marketing funnel.
In fact, all of the product videos we produce at Cineflair are based on this exact approach.
To get you started, I’ve put together below a breakdown of types of product videos that can be used effectively at various stages of your customer’s journey to help boost your online sales.
But first, let’s cover the basics of a video marketing funnel.
What’s a Video Marketing Funnel?
A video marketing funnel is a simple way to define the various stages your customer goes through during the product buying cycle—from the moment they become aware of your product to the glorious moment they purchase it, and beyond.
Disclaimer: there are various schools of thought on what makes up the stages of a marketing funnel—and some go a lot deeper (and more specific) than the one I'm about to share with you here. However, I find the one I share below strikes a good balance between simplicity of deployment and specificity to video content.
That said, a typical video marketing funnel consists of four stages: awareness, consideration, decision and retention. See illustration below.
Now let’s cover each stage of the funnel. I’ll lay out for you things to consider, ideal types of videos for each alongside samples, as well as their ideal distribution channel.
Keep in mind that some types of videos can be deployed effectively to multiple stages of the funnel.
Awareness Stage: Drive Traffic
At this stage, your customer doesn’t yet know anything about your product (or in some cases your brand in general). Your main objective at this stage is to make them aware of your product, and to give them a reason to pay attention to it and what it offers.
What to consider
Resist the urge to be too sales’y and promotional at this stage
Instead, focus more on being educational and helpful
If you’re using short video ads, keep your focus on showcasing the product beautifully, or in lifestyle situation, and sprinkle in hooks that point out your customer’s pain points
Avoid getting too nitty gritty with benefits and features
Recommended Product Video Types
1. Product Video Ad
These videos showcase your product beautifully, and focus on grabbing your prospective customer’s attention without the heavy-handed sales push that is often less effective at this stage.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
Social media ads
YouTube pre-roll or discovery ads
Video display ads
↳ Samples
An eye-catching product video for an alcoholic beverage that focuses on intriguing the viewer without getting too nitty gritty.
2. DIY How-To Video
DIY How-To videos are share-worthy videos that provide a helpful description of how to do something DIY with your product tactfully placed or used in the video. They’re ideally discoverable organically on YouTube or social media while your prospective customer is searching for a solution to a particular problem they’re trying to solve.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
YouTube Channel
Facebook Page / Stories
Instagram Profile / Stories
↳ Samples
DIY How-To video Cineflair made for an alcoholic beverage brand that shows the viewer how to make a specialty cocktail using their spirit.
A Home Depot DIY How to video that shows the viewer how to install their own backsplash tiles using tools and material that can be purchased from Home Depot.
3. Lifestyle Video
Lifestyle videos make it easy for your customer to envision themselves using your product, and visually shows how it solves your customer’s pain points without the heavy-handed sales push that they’re not yet ready for.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
Social media ads
YouTube pre-roll or discovery ads
Video display ads
↳ Samples
A life-style product video that shows a Garmin product being used in a real or aspirational setting.
2. Consideration Stage: Engage with the Customer
During this stage your customer is aware of your brand and your product, and are showing interest in your product’s ability to address their pain points. Your objective at this stage shifts to providing a deeper level of information about your product. Your prospective customer is likely gathering information about the benefits and features of your product, how it works and how it differs from others out there.
What to consider
Feed their curiosity and hunger for information by getting more nitty gritty with product features and benefits and how it works
While being promotional is acceptable at this stage, resist the urge to go overboard
Recommended Product Video Types
Showcase Video
Showcase videos are an incredibly useful piece of content that give your customer a more in-depth look at your product. It offers them a visual perspective beyond static images that paints an accurate—and more appealing— picture of what your product looks like.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
Product page, or product landing page
Video display ads
↳ Samples
A video that showcases luxury prosthetic product. It also incorporates its unboxing experience.
2. How It Works (or explainer) Video
How It Works video makes it easy for your customer to understand how your product works. This is especially important for complex products that require the customer to understand the basic operation of the product.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
YouTube channel
Product page, or product landing page
Video display ads
↳ Samples
A short product video that shows how Skipper Hair shower cap works.
2. Features and Benefits Video
A features and benefits video is perfect at this stage as it feeds your prospective customer’s curiosity for more information about your product which can help them formulate their own opinion on how it’s going to solve their problem.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
YouTube channel
Product page, or product landing page
Retargeting ads
↳ Samples
A features and benefits product video that highlights the products main features.
A product video that show the benefits and features of a Garmin product, and it incorporates its use in a lifestyle setting.
3. Decision Stage: Convince Customers to Purchase
This is the critical stage where your prospective customer is is looking to make a purchase, and you’ll want to make sure you make available video content that gives them this final nudge in your favour. They’re likely weighing out their options, comparing your product to other similar products, and are looking for social proof that other people have used it and it works for them.
What to consider:
It’s okay to be promotional at this stage, a strong CTA to “buy now” is recommended and should lead to conversions
Show your prospective customer how your product is different from others
Recommended Product Video Types
A. How It Works Video
A How It Works video is also effective at the decision stage. See above description and samples.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
Product page, or product landing page
↳ Samples
Refer to How it Works videos samples above.
B. Product Comparison Video
A Product Comparison video is simple demonstration of what makes your product different from others out there. This can be done using a simple side-by-side comparisons of your product vs. your competitors. I’d recommend comparing against a “conventional brand” like in the Bounty sample below. You should consult your lawyer before calling out your competitors by name like the in Sprint ad sample below.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
Product page, or product landing page
Retargeting ads
↳ Samples
A side-by-side product comparison video that highlights key differences from the competition.
Sprint calling our its main rival Version on their marketing claims.
4. Retention Stage: Retain Customers
This is your post-sale stage and having the right video content in this stage can have a massive impact on your customers’ satisfaction with their purchase, product return rates, and the likelihood of a repeat purchase.
What to consider
Focus on educating your customer about how to use the product properly
Show them all the ways they can enjoy your product
Recommended Product Video Types
A. Product How-To Video
Product How-To videos give your customer the exact information they need after the purchase. It sets them up for immediate success with your product. These videos tell your customer that you care about them, and will help you save a lot of time answering post-sale questions, and will do wonders in reducing product returns because there are just no surprises with the product when they’re ready to use it.
↳ Ideal Sales Channels
Product page, or product landing page
Direct email
↳ Samples
A How-it-Works video Cineflair made for an eCommerce clear ice maker product.
And that’s it. I hope this helps get you started on the right foot with product video for your eCommerce store. Remember, you can always fall back on the video marketing funnel shared here to help organize your approach around product video content.
Lastly, let me know in the comments below what you thought of this post. Did you learn something new? Did I miss anything? Would love to hear your thoughts!
