The ultimate goal for every online shop is to attain and maintain a high sales volume. If you’re focused on achieving that, you’ve clearly spent some quality time planning your marketing strategy. Thus the thought of having your own YouTube e-commerce channel must have crossed your mind. Find out now if it makes sense to follow that path.
Why You Should Use Videos
Video Is More Successful than Text
There are no doubts any longer: videos are favored over text. They convey information faster and in a more entertaining way. That’s why consumers keep looking for them before buying a product. Videos give them the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the item and imagine using it. As a result, 64% of consumers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it.1 For you, it means a big step towards your goal. You can achieve higher conversion rates and considerably increase your profits.
“We often have products for sale without videos at the start. I’ve always seen an increase in the conversion rate when we’ve added the product video afterwards.”
Jamie Salvatori, owner of Vat19
Why You Should Have YouTube E-commerce Channel
YouTube Reaches a Vast Audience
Having established that videos are a must have, the next question is where customers will watch them. There’s no doubt that a YouTube e-commerce channel has some major advantages. First of all, YouTube is one of the most popular sites on the web. It has over a billion users who generate millions of views every day. Being active and visible on YouTube, your e-commerce site opens itself up to a huge audience. On YouTube, your videos can easily be found by those who look for them. What’s more, they can be shown in the ‘suggested videos’ section to those who were looking for other content.
YouTube Videos Are Easily Shareable
When your videos are shared it basically means that you’re getting free advertising. That’s why it’s so important that YouTube encourages sharing. The share button that’s visible at the bottom of every video makes it very easy. One click and your video can be posted on any of the suggested social media sites including Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter or Reddit. It can just as easily be embedded on a blog, with size customization and other options available. Your YouTube e-commerce video can instantly be sent via e-mail without even leaving the webpage. All of this also works via mobile, which is very important. Especially because 92% of mobile video viewers share videos with others.3
Why You Should Have Paid Hosting Videos on Your Website
YouTube Is Filled with Ads and Distractors
There’s no doubt that if you already have product videos, it makes sense to host them on a YouTube e-commerce channel. Having said that, you need to bear in mind one thing. YouTube should not be your ultimate goal. You want to earn money for yourself, not for YouTube. Don’t let your consumers be stolen by display ads, suggested videos and other distractors.
| YouTube Videos | Paid Hosting Videos |
|---|---|
| ads | no ads |
| distractors | no distractors |
| suggested competitor videos | no competitors |
| no desired call to action | add to cart button |
Treat YouTube as a Teaser of Your Website
The table above clearly explains why using YouTube for your e-commerce videos should only be an initial step. YouTube may attract a vast audience but it won’t sell your products. It is your website that will. Therefore, all traffic should be directed to your website. Treat your YouTube e-commerce channel only as a teaser that will encourage consumers to visit your homepage, so make sure that you use every possible method to direct them there:
- add a link to your product page below a video
- give the page address at the end of video
- add a common tag to all your videos so that the next one starts playing automatically
- set a channel icon and art corresponding to your logo and graphics
- fill the channel description with detailed info about your store
“If the most important place for you to establish and maintain business relationships and conversations is your own website, why the *** would you EVER want people to go anywhere BUT to your website? ”
Adam Zais
In short: a YouTube e-commerce channel is a great way to attract a vast audience. Once they are there, your audience must immediately be redirected to your website. That’s where paid hosting videos, accompanied by add to cart button should be waiting for them.
1. Internet Retailer, 2010.
2. ebizmba, November, 2015; facebook newsroom 2015.
3. eMarketer, January 7, 2013.
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