Audience demand for video is quickly rising. With an abundance of easy-to-use, high-quality platforms for finding and viewing videos, customers are turning to rich media when they want to be entertained, learn new skills, and research products and services.

This creates a significant opportunity for brands and marketers who can use video to attract new customers, form deeper connections with audiences, and even increase sales.

Videos — especially product demo videos — are an extremely powerful tool for motivating customers and driving purchases. These stats from Animoto show how videos assist customers and drive sales.

• Video makes a company look more trustworthy. More than half of surveyed customers (58%) believe brands and companies that use video are more trustworthy.
• Video helps customers make decisions. If a customer is unsure about purchasing a product or service, a high-quality video can push them to make the decision. 96% of customers find video helpful when making purchasing decisions online.
• Video increases purchases. After watching a video that explained a product or service, 73% of U.S. adults said they are more likely to make a purchase.

Using video as a communication and connection tool supports audiences both in stores and online. So if you are thinking about utilizing this powerful marketing method, here are a few tips for creating product demo videos that will capture audience attention and increase sales.

Tips for Creating Product Demo Videos

Show, don’t tell. Think about your product demo as a how-to video. Show the user exactly how they will go through the process of using the product.

Know your audience. As with all content creation, you need to create with one target audience in mind. If you have different audience personas, create separate videos that speak to the defined audience. Content created for one targeted demographic performs better than a vague video that speaks to a mass audience.

Show the audience why they NEED the product, not just why they should WANT it. The best product descriptions show features as benefits. The same goes for product demos. Use your video to show the features of the product by highlighting how they benefit the user. This will make it easier for the audience to visualize why they need the product.

Show REALISTIC before and afters. When showcasing a service or product that produces visible results, be sure to include before and afters in the video. But make sure that you show the before and afters in a realistic way. Otherwise audiences will be skeptical and lose trust for your brand.

Keep video length to under two minutes. Attention spans are small, especially when it comes to product demo videos. A video around two minutes in length will give you enough time to properly introduce the product or service while keeping the audience’s attention.  

Show the product from multiple angles. Audiences like videos because they give them information and perspectives that are otherwise unavailable. If you use video to support your products online, include shots of the product from all angles.

Upload the video to YouTube. Once you create a video, upload it to a branded, custom YouTube channel. Even if you post the video in other locations, such as on your website and in your store, you also want to add it to YouTube. A YouTube video is likely to show higher in online searches so publishing on this platform can attract more attention.

Don’t make online videos with the intention of going viral. Even if you create a video with the sole purpose of being delivered online, don’t think about the product demo video as an opportunity to go viral. Remember that the purpose of a the video is to show off and sell the product or service. If you want to create a viral campaign, you should use a different strategy that doesn’t focus on a single item.

Use digital displays to help your customers find information while in the store. Even when shoppers are in a store, they use their phones to find information about products and services. One in four shoppers says they have used YouTube to search while in a store (Reelseo). Don’t make your shoppers search. Deliver supplemental information through product demo videos on digital displays positioned near products and service counters.

Make your content interactive and adaptive. Audiences want to be able to control what they see and find information that is relevant to their personal needs. Give them what they want, and use interactive in-store signage that allows them to control and search for content.

Include call-to-actions. Give the audience actionable steps they need to take to acquire the product. Make sure your video’s call-to-actions match its use and location. If the video is displayed in your store, advise the audience to speak to an associate, schedule their service today, etc. If it’s showing online, encourage the audience to sign up, buy now by clicking the button, etc.

Use professional, high-quality production. A video will catch an audience’s attention, make your brand look more trustworthy, and increase your sales — but only if the video has a professional appearance. If the product demo video looks amateurish, out-dated, or unprofessional, it can have an adverse effect and create a negative experience for the audience. Use proper lighting, sound quality, effects, and graphics if you want to use video to effectively increase trust and sales.

Are you ready to start creating digital videos but don’t know where to start? Schedule a free consultation with Spectrio to learn about our resources and tools for producing and displaying professional product demo videos that capture audience attention and increase sales.