In the last few years, every social media platform has implemented short-form video in some way. The reason is that consumer attention spans are shrinking and people want engaging content fast. Retail companies that want to increase their brand awareness and encourage impulse purchases need to use short-form video and product placement more strategically – here’s how.
Why Use Short-Form Video?
96% of viewers say they’d prefer to watch a short video than read about the same topic, and with good reason. Videos are more engaging and present information in a way that sticks in the mind, which for retail companies is great news. It means if you feature a product, you have more chance of convincing a viewer to make a purchase.
How to Create Engaging Videos for Impulse Purchases
Keep it Concise
Photography experts at MPB suggest that short-form videos for social media should be between 15 to 30 seconds long, so be clear on your focus so you don’t run too long. While Facebook will accept longer videos, they say it’s still best practice to keep it brief. What’s more, most people will give a video approximately eight seconds before they make a decision to stay or scroll, so make sure your intro is attention-grabbing. Even a short-form video should have a storyboard created so you know exactly what’s being included and at what point in the video it will appear. This will help you to front-load your videos with the most important and most engaging content.
Optimize for Mobile
Most social media browsing occurs on a phone, so you need to ensure all product pages are designed to look their best with clear images, succinct and easy-to-read descriptions and a smooth checkout process. If loading times are too long or the navigation is complicated, your viewers will become frustrated and click away, so make it as streamlined as possible to nudge them towards the shopping cart.
Create a Sense of Urgency
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is what drives impulse purchases so you need your content to give the impression that these deals won’t last or the product is only available for a short time. One of the most effective ways to do this is with countdown timers in your video that reminds shoppers that they need to act quickly to take advantage of the short window they have to purchase.
Leverage Social Proof
If you can utilize user-generated content or customer testimonials in some way, you can address the trust barrier that often prevents customers from making a purchase. When viewers see that someone else has made a purchase and had a positive experience, they’re more inclined to do so themselves. Authentic video reviews or voiceovers from your customers can go a long way to encourage confidence in your brand and encourage customers to try your products for themselves.
Make Use of Novelty
Impulse purchases don’t just come from promotions or a fear of missing out—you can also encourage them through novelty and innovation. If a product looks unique or out of the ordinary, it can make buyers notice. Use your short-form video to grab attention with a surprising hook or use unique visual elements that are surprising to engage your audience—likewise, photography can be used to present your products in an unusual way, keeping your content fresh and different from the standard.
Consider Your Script
When we think of video, we think visual, but the language you use is just as important. A 15-second video gives you a very short amount of time to convey the key information in your voiceover or subtitles, so think about how you can generate a sense of urgency. The right language can make such a difference—phrases like ‘Get it before it’s gone’ or ‘buy now’ do a lot of the work in encouraging those impulse buys and spur people on to click through to the checkout.
Show People What They’re Missing
Whether it’s a photo uploaded to Instagram or a TikTok video, show your products being used to give potential customers a sense of what they could be experiencing. If you’re selling a pair of shoes, upload videos of different ways to style them to inspire customers who will see that video and want to dress the same. If you’re selling make-up, show it being applied to highlight the texture or finish to viewers. A video that shows someone using your gym equipment in a gym setting, showcasing the benefits, makes an impulse purchase all the more tempting because your customers can envision how that product could fit into their own lives.
The growth of social commerce means your retail business needs to adapt its sales strategy to move beyond the traditional ecommerce approach. Impulse purchases are much more common online, so the easier you can make it for customers to buy, the more likely they are to convert. Whether it’s established shoppers on Facebook or a younger buyer on TikTok, consider how you can use each platform effectively by using compelling videos and photos to create a scenario shoppers can’t ignore.
