What is video commerce? A guide to driving more sales with interactive video

Imagine scrolling through your favorite site. What grabs your attention first: static images, long text descriptions, or videos showcasing products in action? 

Chances are, it’s the videos. That’s the power of video commerce—a dynamic approach to advertising and selling that uses video content to promote products and services. This includes traditional videos, livestream shopping events, and interactive video, all of which can create a richer, more engaging shopping experience.

With 3.3 billion users consuming video content per month, video content is a no-brainer to include in any modern marketing strategy. Below, we explain the advantages of video commerce, particularly when interactive video is involved, and best practices to maximize its potential.

What makes video commerce so effective?

In a digital landscape saturated with competing content, video stands out as a way to not only inform and entertain but also build stronger, more personal relationships with consumers. Whether through short-form social media teasers, product demos, or in-depth tutorials, video content has an edge that text can’t match. 

Below are the three key advantages of video commerce:

• Strong customer engagement
• Product visualization
• Detailed customer insights

Strong customer engagement

Compared to static formats like text and images, videos naturally capture and hold attention. 

In fact, people spend nearly three times as long on pages with video. Not to mention, they’re also 52% more likely to share videos than other forms of content.

What makes video so engaging? It simplifies complex topics and evokes emotional connections, helping to foster customer loyalty with your brand in the long term.

Interactive videos, also known as shoppable videos, take engagement further by transforming passive viewing into active participation. Customers can explore product features, ask questions, and engage with content in real time. This personalized, in-store-like experience keeps viewers on your site longer and increases the likelihood of a purchase. 

Product visualization 

Even the most polished product photos can’t fully convey a product’s value. Videos, on the other hand, give shoppers a clearer understanding of how items work or look, particularly when they’re displayed in real-life settings. This level of visualization builds customers’ confidence in making informed purchase decisions, meaning less second-guessing and lower cart abandonment rates in the long run.

Video marketing isn’t only for selling retail products, by the way. It’s also highly effective for showcasing services and experiences—think travel excursions, spa treatments, and recreational activities. With a video, users can more easily visualize themselves in a particular setting. 

Consider the difference between reading about a resort’s golf amenities and seeing someone swing a club at a stunning facility onscreen. The latter’s vivid and evocative imagery gives the user a better sense of what’s being offered.

Detailed customer insights 

Advancements in technology now make video results more measurable than ever, especially if you opt for interactive formats. While traditional video is limited to simple metrics like completion rate and view count, interactive videos offer insightful datapoints like:

• where viewers clicked, 
• how they interacted, and 
• what caught their attention. 

These analytics provide actionable data, allowing businesses to further refine their video commerce strategies and improve future campaigns.

6 best practices for more effective video commerce

Video’s effectiveness at capturing users and converting them into customers ultimately depends on creating quality content. Follow the best practices below to create more compelling videos and amplify your marketing.

1. Create an interesting narrative 

Ever notice how nominees for the Academy Awards’ Best Picture category are known for their stories? That’s because one of the category’s criteria revolves around its themes and narratives—and for good reason. Whether it’s a feature length film or a video ad, stories are key to capturing any audience’s attention. 

Applied to video commerce, you should aim to craft videos that connect meaningfully with customers. Highlight how your products fit into their lives or solve their problems. Use real-life scenarios and relatable experiences to help build an emotional connection. When your videos resonate on a deeper level, they become more memorable, helping to drive conversions.

One way to create a compelling narrative is by delivering “wow” moments. That is, surprise viewers with something unexpected—that could mean breaking industry norms or showcasing features specific to your brand.

2. Incorporate different types of video into your strategy

There’s no single style or formula for creating effective marketing videos. Different types of videos exist to serve distinct purposes:

• Founder stories
• Product demonstrations or use cases
• How-to videos and tutorials
• Product reviews and comparisons
• Styling guides and advice

Each type plays a unique role in the marketing funnel. For example, a snappy product discovery ad is ideal for generating brand awareness, while a detailed how-to video supports customers further along in their buyer journey.

To unlock the full potential of video commerce, diversify your video content. Relying on just one type of video limits your ability to engage with audiences at different stages of their decision-making process.

3. Test different video lengths

Different types of video call for different lengths. For instance, a short 15-second clip might spotlight a single product feature, while a longer video can provide a deeper walkthrough or review. Experiment to find the right balance based on the story you want to tell and the depth of information you need to convey.

For inspiration, take a look at Airbnb’s YouTube channel. Notice how the brand invests in a variety of video lengths, from its 16-second “Airbnb it” series to longer customer features. 

4. Highlight clear value propositions 

Your brand’s value propositions, or the benefits they’ll gain from your product, are what matter most to your audience. For that reason, your video content should emphasize those value propositions, albeit against an interesting narrative backdrop. 

Structure your video around one main value proposition to keep the messaging targeted. This ensures your content remains clear, concise, and compelling.

5. Use interactive video formats 

Interactive videos immerse customers in the experience while reducing friction in the buying process. By adding clickable hotspots for additional product details, links to product pages, or purchase options, you make it easy for viewers to act immediately. 

Implementing interactive video formats doesn’t require extensive effort or resources. You can easily repurpose an existing video and tag the products or experiences featured within. Platforms like Clicktivated take care of this process, making it easy to transform any static video into a shoppable one.

6. Include a clear call to action (CTA)

No matter your product, service, or experience, every marketing video should guide viewers toward the next step in the marketing funnel. A strong CTA could be as simple as a voiceover directing users to “Shop now at our site” or a visual prompt with your logo and a clickable link at the end of the video. 

Interactive videos simplify this, as they can include multiple clickable hotspots within the video content. By making the path to purchase seamless, interactive formats not only enhance user experience but also increase the likelihood of conversions.

Level up your video commerce with Clicktivated 

Investing in video commerce is a proven way to boost engagement and drive sales. Video content captures attention longer than other formats, making it a powerful tool for converting viewers into buyers. Interactive video, in particular, enhances customer engagement and streamlines the path to purchase, turning passive viewers into active shoppers.

With Clicktivated’s patented interactive technology, you can turn any video interactive. Simply create clickable hotspots to let your audience click, shop, and buy directly from your videos. 

Ready to unlock the full potential of video commerce? Reach out to Clicktivated today.