There are over 24 million eCommerce sites on the internet today. Let that sink in for a moment!
With this staggering level of competition, how do you make your brand stand out?
Smart brands are turning to a powerful solution: video commerce. Even among marketers who haven't yet embraced video, 68% say they plan to start using it in 2025.
They're catching on to what video marketing leaders already know: consumers crave video content when making purchasing decisions.
They don't just want to read about products—they want to see them in action, understand how they're used, and envision them in their own lives. Video delivers this experience in ways static images and text simply cannot.
The shift to mobile shopping has only accelerated this trend. 75% of user engagement with eCommerce brands now happens on mobile devices.
When your customers are browsing on smartphones during their commute or lunch break, a quick, engaging video can capture attention and drive conversion far better than paragraphs of text.
For eCommerce brands feeling lost in that sea of 24 million competitors, video commerce offers a path to visibility, engagement, and ultimately, sales growth.
In this article, we'll break down what video commerce actually is, why it matters for your brand's success, and the proven strategies you can implement to make it work for your business.
What is Video Commerce?
Video commerce combines the engaging power of video with direct shopping functionality. At its core, it's about using video content to not just showcase products, but to create seamless paths to purchase.
Unlike traditional eCommerce that relies mainly on product images and descriptions, video commerce puts motion and storytelling at the center of the shopping experience. And while standard video marketing aims to build awareness or interest, video commerce directly connects content viewing with purchasing actions.
The key difference is interactivity. In video commerce, viewers can click, tap, or otherwise interact with the content to learn more about products and make purchases without leaving the video experience.
Several formats dominate the video commerce landscape:
- Shoppable Videos: Pre-recorded content with embedded product tags or hotspots that viewers can click to get product information or add items to cart.
- Live Shopping: Real-time video streams where hosts demonstrate products and viewers can ask questions and make purchases during the broadcast.
- Short-Form Vertical Content: Brief, mobile-optimized videos (like those on TikTok or Instagram Reels) with shopping functionality built in.
- 360° Product Videos: Interactive videos allowing viewers to rotate products and see them from all angles before making a purchase decision.
- Augmented Reality (AR) Shopping Experiences: Videos that let customers virtually "try on" or visualize products in their space before buying.
What makes video commerce powerful is how it collapses the traditional sales funnel. Rather than moving customers through separate awareness, consideration, and purchase phases, video commerce can compress these stages into a single, engaging experience.
Why Video Commerce Matters for eCommerce Brands
In the crowded eCommerce space, brands need every advantage to capture attention and drive sales.
Video commerce has emerged as a standout strategy because it addresses multiple challenges simultaneously: engaging visitors, explaining products effectively, and removing purchase barriers.
Key Benefits for eCommerce Brands
The business case for video commerce is compelling. Here are some of its benefits:
Simplifies Consumer Decision-Making
Videos provide what static images can't: context, demonstration, and emotional connection.
When consumers see a product in action, they gain confidence in their purchase decisions. This visual confirmation answers questions that might otherwise prevent a sale.
Increases Time-on-Site
Videos capture and hold attention in ways text simply can't. The average user spends 88% more time on web pages that include video content, giving you more opportunity to convert browsers into buyers.
Boosts Conversion Rates
When customers better understand what they're buying, they're more likely to complete the purchase.
According to Wyzowl, 84% of marketers report that video has directly increased their sales. This improved product clarity translates directly to revenue.
Reduces Return Rates
When customers can see products demonstrated before buying, there are fewer surprises when the item arrives.
This leads to fewer returns, saving you money and improving customer satisfaction.
Improves SEO Performance
Video content makes your site more attractive to search engines.
Websites with videos are 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google search results, driving more qualified traffic to your store.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The data clearly demonstrates how video commerce drives both engagement metrics and bottom-line results:
- 87% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video.
- Businesses that use video generate 49% more revenue than non-video users.
- 93% of marketers say video gives them better ROI than other content types.
- 83% of marketers confirm videos are effective in generating more leads.
- A whopping 96% of marketers say that video helps them increase brand awareness.
For eCommerce brands, implementing video commerce isn't just another marketing tactic—it's about meeting customers where they already are and providing the shopping experience they increasingly expect.
Key Strategies to Drive Engagement with Video Commerce
Now that we understand what video commerce is and why it matters, let's explore the strategies that can help your brand maximize its impact:
Create Mobile-Optimized Video Content
To reach consumers effectively where they're already browsing, your videos need to be designed specifically for mobile devices.
Here's what mobile optimization looks like in practice:
- Embrace Vertical Format: Use 9:16 aspect ratio, vertical videos for full-screen mobile viewing. This format fits naturally with how people hold their phones and eliminates the need to rotate devices.
- Keep It Brief: Aim for 15-60 seconds for awareness content. For detailed product demonstrations, stay under 2-5 minutes to maintain engagement.
- Design for Sound-Off Viewing: Include clear captions or text overlays that convey your message even without audio. Use larger text (minimum 14pt font) for small screens.
- Front-Load Important Information: Place your most compelling content in the first 3-5 seconds to capture attention before viewers scroll past.
- Use High-Contrast Visuals: Ensure your product stands out with good lighting and contrasting backgrounds that work in varied viewing conditions.
- Include Clear CTAs: Use large, tappable buttons and obvious calls-to-action designed specifically for touch screens.
Mobile-optimized videos consistently outperform desktop-focused content in both engagement and conversion metrics. When viewers can easily consume your content on their preferred devices, they're more likely to take action.
Use Interactivity to Boost Viewer Engagement
Passive video content is no longer enough to stand out. Adding interactive elements transforms viewers from spectators into active participants.
Here's how to effectively implement interactivity:
- Add Clickable Hotspots: Embed tappable product tags that reveal more information, pricing, and add-to-cart options directly within your videos.
- Implement Branching Scenarios: Allow viewers to choose their own journey through your content by selecting different paths based on their interests or needs.
- Include Polls and Quizzes: Integrate short questions or surveys that viewers can respond to while watching, creating a two-way experience that increases investment.
- Use Shoppable End Screens: Design compelling end cards with clear product categories and purchase options that appear after the main content.
- Enable Comments and Q&A: For live videos especially, facilitate real-time interaction where viewers can ask questions and receive immediate answers about products.
- Create 360° Interactive Views: Let customers control the viewing angle to examine products from all sides, creating an experience closer to in-store shopping.
Interactive videos typically see higher engagement rates than standard videos. When viewers actively engage with your content rather than passively consuming it, they establish a stronger connection to your products and brand.
Leverage Influencer Partnerships
Finding authentic voices to represent your brand can dramatically boost your video commerce results.
While traditional advertising often faces skepticism, influencers have built trust with their audiences that extends to the products they promote.
74% of consumers have purchased a product because an influencer recommended it.
Here are some tips to get the most out of your influencer partnerships:
Focus on Audience Alignment: Partner with influencers whose followers match your target customers. A micro-influencer with 10,000 highly engaged followers in your niche often outperforms celebrities with millions of general followers.
Prioritize Video Specialists: Work with creators who excel at demonstrating products naturally through tutorials, authentic reviews, or lifestyle integration videos.
Build Long-Term Relationships: Establish ongoing partnerships rather than one-off promotions. When influencers use your products repeatedly over time, their endorsements carry more weight.
Allow Creative Freedom: Provide clear guidelines about key features to highlight, but give influencers room to maintain their authentic voice and style that resonates with their audience.
Track Results Carefully: Implement unique tracking links or codes to measure the direct sales impact of each influencer partnership, allowing you to optimize your strategy.
Harness User-Generated Content (UGC)
In a world where consumers are increasingly skeptical of polished brand messaging, authentic content from real users cuts through the noise like nothing else.
Nearly 80% of consumers say UGC significantly impacts their purchasing decisions—making it 8.7x more impactful than influencer content and 6.6x more influential than branded content in driving conversions.
Encourage Customer Video Reviews: Create simple systems for customers to submit video testimonials showing your products in real-world use. These unfiltered perspectives build trust with potential buyers.
Launch Branded Challenges: Create hashtag challenges that motivate customers to create and share videos featuring your products, generating content while expanding your reach.
Showcase Real Customer Stories: Feature videos of actual customers explaining how your products solved their problems or improved their lives—these narratives resonate more deeply than traditional marketing.
Integrate Across Channels: With permission, incorporate customer-created videos into your product pages, email marketing, and social feeds to amplify authentic voices.
Highlight Diverse Usage: Select UGC that shows your products being used by different types of customers in various situations, helping prospects see themselves using your products.
Ensure Seamless Integration into the Customer Journey
For video commerce to truly drive results, it can't exist in isolation. Videos must be strategically placed throughout the customer journey to assist and guide shoppers at each decision point.
- Map Videos to Customer Stages: Create different video types for awareness (brand stories), consideration (product demos), and decision (testimonials) phases of the buying journey.
- Embed Videos on Product Pages: Place videos directly alongside product descriptions and images, allowing customers to see products in action without navigating away.
- Connect Videos to Shopping Carts: Implement technology that allows viewers to add items to cart directly from within the video interface, minimizing friction.
- Follow Up with Video Emails: Send personalized video follow-ups based on browsing behavior to reconnect with hesitant shoppers.
- Optimize for Cross-Device Experiences: Ensure your video commerce experience transitions smoothly as customers move between devices during their shopping journey.
- Analyze the Full Funnel: Track how video engagement at each stage impacts overall conversion rates, allowing you to optimize placement and content for maximum effect.
When videos are thoughtfully integrated rather than treated as standalone content, they become powerful conversion tools that guide customers naturally toward purchase decisions.
Tactics to Increase Sales Through Video Commerce
While engagement is important, the ultimate goal of video commerce is driving sales. Let's explore specific tactics that turn viewer interest into actual purchases.
Shoppable Video Content
Shoppable video removes the gap between inspiration and purchase by embedding clickable product tags directly within your content.
When viewers see something they like, they can immediately tap a hotspot, view product details, and add items to cart without ever leaving the video experience. This friction-free path to purchase turns passive viewers into active buyers in moments.
The key to effective shoppable video is thoughtful implementation. Focus on natural product placement, clear visual indicators for interactive elements, and minimal steps to complete a purchase.
Live Commerce Events
Live commerce takes video shopping to the next level by combining real-time streaming with instant purchasing capability.
These digital shopping events feature hosts who demonstrate products, answer questions, and create a sense of urgency through limited-time offers or exclusive products.
The interactive nature of these streams allows potential customers to get immediate answers about fit, functionality, and features before they buy.
What makes live commerce particularly effective is the combination of entertainment, social proof, and urgency. When viewers see others making purchases and interacting with hosts, it creates a community shopping experience that builds confidence and excitement.
Product Discovery Through Content Experience
Video content experiences serve as powerful discovery tools that introduce customers to products they weren't actively searching for.
By showcasing products in natural contexts—a makeup tutorial featuring multiple beauty items, a home décor walkthrough highlighting various furnishings, or a cooking demonstration using specific kitchen tools—you help viewers envision how products might fit into their own lives.
These content-first experiences work because they prioritize value over obvious selling. Customers engage with helpful or entertaining content, develop trust in your expertise, and discover products organically along the way.
This approach is particularly effective for complementary products, as viewers who came looking for one item often discover additional products they didn't know they needed.
The key is creating genuinely useful content where products appear as natural solutions rather than forced promotions.
Retargeting with Video Ads
Video retargeting turns initial interest into completed purchases by reconnecting with viewers who've shown engagement but haven't converted.
By tracking which products customers have viewed or videos they've watched, you can create personalized video ads that speak directly to their specific interests and hesitations.
These targeted follow-ups are particularly effective because they're based on actual behavior rather than assumptions.
Someone who watched 90% of your product demo but didn't purchase might receive a video highlighting customer testimonials addressing common concerns. Or a shopper who abandoned their cart might see a quick video showcasing free shipping or limited-time discounts.
This behavioral targeting creates relevance that generic ads simply can't match, resulting in higher conversion rates and more efficient ad spend.
How Storyly Supports Effective Video Commerce Strategies
Storyly is a comprehensive platform that helps eCommerce brands implement effective video commerce strategies with minimal technical complexity:
- Mobile-Optimized Story Format: Storyly's vertical content format is fully aligned with mobile viewing, matching how consumers naturally interact with their devices and offering the familiar user experiences of platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
- App & Web Stories: Storyly enables brands to create engaging, full-screen vertical videos that work seamlessly across both mobile apps and websites, providing a consistent experience regardless of where customers shop.
- Shoppable Stories: The platform makes it simple to transform standard videos into interactive shoppable content with tappable product tags, price information, and direct add-to-cart functionality.
- Personalization Capabilities: Storyly allows brands to segment and target video content based on user behavior and preferences, creating more relevant shopping experiences.
- Analytics and Insights: Comprehensive performance metrics help brands understand which video content drives the most engagement and conversions.
Conclusion
Video commerce represents a powerful evolution in online shopping, bridging the gap between traditional eCommerce and the immersive experiences customers increasingly expect.
As we've explored throughout this article, video doesn't just enhance your marketing—it fundamentally transforms how customers discover, evaluate, and purchase your products.
The most successful eCommerce brands recognize that video commerce isn't a single tactic but a comprehensive approach that touches every part of the customer journey.
From mobile-optimized content and interactive experiences to leveraging authentic voices through influencers and user-generated content, each strategy works together to create a more engaging and effective shopping experience.
The brands that embrace these approaches today will be positioned for success tomorrow. It's time to stop thinking of video as just content and start leveraging it as commerce—a direct path to increased engagement, higher conversions, and sustainable growth.
