YouTube: why you should use it if you have an e-commerce and how you can use it to gain more clients and increase sales

When you think of YouTube do you just think of cat videos and people falling down?
The truth is that all of us are used to sharing these types of videos on our social networks, but YouTube’s potential is way bigger.
Having a channel in the 2nd most important search engine in the world has lots of advantages, you just need to know how to use it.
Today at Doofinder, we are explaining all the advantages that it offers for an online shop and how to promote your business by using it.
3,2,1… Action!

Why you should already have a YouTube channel

If it has already been said that content is king, the truth is that nowadays video content has truly taken the throne.
Just keep in mind that according to this study in 2019, 80% of the content shared on the Internet will be in video format (in the USA the percentage will be 85%)
And if our clients want videos, what should we do?
Give them what they want!
Besides pleasing our audience, giving your e-commerce a strong presence on YouTube has other advantages:

1. It is cheap

Despite what you may think, it is not expensive. It is normally thought that having a YouTube channel requires a big investment because of the tools that you have to use to record professionally…
But the truth is that you can record in HD mode with any current smartphone (and that is more than enough).
A corporative video does need more work, but just to explain your product in an easy and friendly way, using what you already have in your pocket is more than enough.

2. It is easier than you think

You don’t need advanced editing tools or to be a pro, either.
In fact, YouTube videos without such a  corporate feel normally work better since they are seen as friendlier and more transparent.

3. It helps SEO

Google doesn’t ignore the growing rate of video consumption and it always shows a couple of videos on the results page. Since there is still more written content than videos, it is easier to get a better position with a video.
Besides, videos help you improve your bounce rate and the time people spend on your website.
If you don’t know how to start your positioning strategy, don’t miss this SEO guide for your online shop. 

4. It promotes trust

Seeing that an online shop has a channel on YouTube fosters trust.
For users, a video transmit the feeling that you have nothing to hide. And that gives you more credibility than if you were hiding behind some corporate text.
In the end, we all like to know that there is a person on the other side.

5. Engagement

It is normal that YouTube is one of the channels that generates the most comments and interactions.
According to this study, users interact 6 times more with brands that are on Facebook.
People normally think of YouTube as a simple video repository, but it is actually a real social network, both dynamic and interactive.

6. It sells

Indeed, adding a video to your product card has a bigger influence than you think on a person’s decision to buy.
According to this report, “64% of users are more likely to buy a product after having seen a video”.
This alone should be reason enough to start a YouTube channel for your online shop.

How to use YouTube to promote your e-commerce

As we explained in this post about video marketing, the options that this format opens up are endless, but just merely being on YouTube is even bigger.
Let’s check it out.

1. Positioning like an expert and reciprocity

When creating useful and valuable content you’ll be seen as a point of reference within your field.
Imagine that someone wants to buy running shoes. Who do you think they are going to buy from?
A shop they just learnt about or a shop from which they have learnt about running techniques or that taught them what the best accessories for mountain races are?
That is called the reciprocity principle.
We feel in debt when a shop helps us in a selfless way, so whenever we can, we return the favor.

2. Uses for your products

Here we find the typical example of an e-commerce that sells food and that uploads recipes using their products.
But there is much more.
With a video, it is easier to show your products combined with others, and therefore you get to sell more than one product at the same time.
For example, if you have a clothing or accessories shop online, you can show how to combine outfits with other pieces of clothes.

3. Fight negative publicity

We hope that you never have to do this, but if your brand gets affected by a case of negative publicity, YouTube offers the best scenario to explain yourself or to create a video clearing up the situation.
That’s what the Domino´s Pizza presidente did (a client had found an insect inside a pizza), or even McDonald’s with this video when they explained how their chicken nuggets are made.

4. Streaming on YouTube

Another way of connecting with your audience that is becoming very popular nowadays is streaming (live videos).
During these sessions, you can carry out tutorials of how to use your products or response to any questions that people in your community may have.

6 tips to make your YouTube channel grow faster

Follow these simple tips to avoid legal problems and to make your audience grow.

1. Identity

A very common mistake when first starting to film videos is not introducing oneself. Always mention who you are and the name of your shop at the beginning and at the end of the video.
It is always a good idea to add a watermark with your logo in the videos.

2. Be consistent

If you want to sell more be using YouTube, you need to be consistent and patient.
It is not a strategy that is going to work from one day to the next. Upload videos on a regular basis, and keep at it.

3. Use cards

YouTube allows you to add a CTA (call to action) in your videos. Through cards you can link your video to other videos in your channel, to your website, or directly to a product.
A card is a small box located in a corner of the video that we can add a link to.

4. Be thoughtful with descriptions

There is a specific SEO for YouTube, so you should also optimize your video’s descriptions with keywords, as well as add tags to it.
In order to find out how your competitors tag their videos, you can use VidIQ. This will help you position your videos on YouTube according to the keywords you are interested in.

5. Measure with YouTube Analytics

The tool itself gives you information about everything:

• Viewing time
• Location of users
• Traffic sources
• Average duration
• Interactions
• Clicks on cards

Analyze the data and decide based on it. Don’t be scared if nobody watches your videos until the end – it’s normal. However, if they don’t even reach the middle, you may be making them too long.

6. Choose the music well

Use music with no copyright if you don’t want YouTube to delete the video’s audio.
You can find Creative Commons songs inside the editor itself.

How to create your online shop’s videos

We have just reached a point that surely scares you a bit: recording the video. Don’t worry — you don’t need to be Spielberg in order to record a good video. Just follow these steps:

1. Strategy: Do all your homework before starting to record. The first task is to establish your goal — what you want to achieve with your video. For example: showing your products benefits, branding, showing how a product works, etc.
2. Script: You don’t need to be too precise, but you need to know what you are going to say at every moment. Don’t try to improvise at the beginning. People will notice.
3. Materials: Use a tripod whenever you can (or something to support the camera). If you don’t have a camera, use your smartphone, it is enough if it can record HD.
4. Scenery: Where are you going to record? If you don’t have good lights to use, record first thing in the morning so you have enough natural light.
5. Recording: Don’t try to record a full video in just one shot. Do it bit by bit and then combine them together during the editing process.
6. Editing: This is the part that will take you the longest at the beginning. The good news is that there are tools that will make it quite easy for you.
7. Upload the video to YouTube: Remember to add cards, to write an optimized description for the SEO, and to tag the video.

You have enough information to get started. You just have make the decision to click the ‘REC’ button.

What editing software can you use?

Here you have 3 options:

• Windows Movie Maker: It is included in Windows, it is easy to use and has lots of transitions. Almost everyone starts with this.
• iMovie: This is the free software included with your Mac (very good).
• Lightworks: You have to pay for the full package, but the free version is very good. The only bad thing is that you can only export a 720 pixel version and the YouTube standard is already 1080.

And if you are ready to invest, we recommend Filmora and Screenflow.
Are you ready to jump into the video world?
If you are still insecure about whether to start your YouTube channel or not, just think that there are few shops that really take advantage of the potential of video.
Take advantage and get ahead of the pack!

We recommend that you read the following article on social commerce for more info 😉