Over the years, eCommerce has evolved from just an alternative way to shop to becoming a regular part of our daily lives.
As of 2024, retail eCommerce sales are expected to reach $6.3 trillion, and that number is going to reach even more unbelievable heights in the coming years. Traditional retail giants have opened their own eCommerce arms to get a slice of the ever-growing pie.
It’s definitely an exciting time to be in the eCommerce business. But this news means more and more business owners will want a share of that growing market, which also means you need to work harder to stand out.
One tool that can help give you a fighting chance is Instagram. The social media platform boasts 2 billion active users, 87% of whom have bought a product after seeing it on Instagram.
While the original Instagram did not support video content, the social media platform now has various types of video formats available for its users, including Instagram Stories, Reels, and Instagram Live.
Over ten years have passed since Instagram introduced videos as an answer to the then-popular Vine, and video has become the most effective content format on the platform. This is despite Instagram Stories being an answer to Snapchat and Reels being dubbed a TikTok copycat.
The Meta-owned platform can clearly get away with taking what’s popular and repacking it as its own because Reels has quickly become a favorite format, while Instagram Stories is a classic that hasn’t gone out of style.
Brands that have experimented with Reels have experienced a significant lift in ad recall after adding Reels to their usual placements. A metal poster company called Displate increased its sales by 67% after running Reels ads.
Just like non-video Instagram ads, video content can help you boost brand awareness, engagement, and conversions, except with better results.
Why Should Instagram Video Marketing Work for eCommerce Businesses?
Your audience scrolls through hundreds of pieces of content in a day, and they’re also bombarded with messaging and content from different brands and creators. The best way to capture their attention is through video. Static content simply cannot compete.
- Instagram users want to see more videos from brands they follow – There’s no better reason than this—your customers want to see more videos. According to an annual report by Cisco, 86% of people expect brands to post more videos.
- Instagram has various video content formats – As mentioned above, you have the creative freedom to experiment with the different video formats available on the platform, each with its own unique features and benefits. Reels in particular are still being prioritized by Instagram over photo posts.
- Video content has an impact on online purchase decisions – Video content is more than just entertaining, as 50% of Instagrammers have visited a website to purchase a product or a service after seeing a video about it on Instagram Stories.
- Instagram videos have features to sell products in-app – Instagram has made it easier for your customers to shop. In addition to setting up your Instagram Shop within your profile, you can also add product tags in your video posts so viewers can quickly view important information about your featured products.
There are now hundreds of millions of Instagram business profiles on the platform. You’re competing not just with other eCommerce businesses but also with content creators and even regular Instagram profiles. The best way to get your target audience to stop scrolling and view your content is through video Instagram marketing.
Here are five effective ways for eCommerce businesses to use Instagram video marketing. Let’s dive into it!
1. Showcase Product Collections with Instagram Videos
The limitation of an eCommerce business is the fact that your customers can’t physically try on or sample your product.
Most of the time, a photo isn’t enough to convince a customer to buy a product. Posting how-to videos and more detailed features of your products can help your customers visualize your products better.
Check out how athleisure and lifestyle brand Recess uses video marketing to showcase its products on Instagram:
Recess posts “day in the life” videos of people using its different products. This way, customers can easily imagine how the products can work for them in their own lives. What makes the Recess videos so appealing is their organic feel, the brand features its product naturally, without overtly selling.
If you want to bring your business to the next level and create engaging videos for your feed, use video editing apps like Videoleap by Lighricks to help you create out-of-the-box content that will surely capture your audience’s attention. The best part? The app is beginner-friendly and comes with ready-to-use templates from different creators, so you can make and publish IG-worthy video content in just minutes.
Here’s an example of an outfit change transition video created with Videoleap:
2. Reach a Wider Audience of Potential Customers with Instagram Reels
Ever since Instagram introduced Reels, users have noticed that the platform has started prioritizing creators who post in a short-form video format. This means that the more Reels you post, the more chances you have of the algorithm working in your favor.
Simply posting Reels could mean your content will be recommended to your target audience—for free! In addition to appearing in the dedicated Reels feed, your content can appear as a suggested video on the main feed or the Discover page.
To maximize the impact of your Reels, focus on creating engaging videos that showcase trending products, which are more likely to capture the attention and interest of viewers, increasing your chances of reaching a broader audience.
Cookware brand Great Jones regularly posts Reels, ensuring it stays on top of its followers’ feeds, boosted or not. As a result, it leads to more IG reels views and therefore a wider audience of potential customers may discover their products.
3. Encourage Customers to Create Instagram Video Content
The best kind of content is user-generated content (UGC) because not only does it minimize the effort from your end, but it’s also more powerful than any other type of content you’ll create and post yourself.
UGC videos can help increase trust and credibility, as well as boost customer loyalty. On platforms like Instagram, UGC is as good as social proof for eCommerce businesses.
Sauce brand Fly By Jing partners with customers and creators to create video content for its Instagram page.
Posting UGC on your page can make your brand appear more relatable and help you form a deeper connection with your audience.
To encourage more customers to share their content, it can be effective to incentivize UGC with rewards such as discounts and small freebies. About 60% of users say they would create content for a brand if rewarded.
To help you engage with your audience, collect UGC, and publish content without breaking a sweat, you can use Buffer. The platform has scheduling and engagement tools to help you manage your Instagram account in one easy-to-use dashboard.
4. Build Anticipation with Teaser Product Campaigns
Instagram has a ton of built-in tools to help brands sell their products. For instance, you can use the countdown sticker found on Instagram Stories to build anticipation about product launches and sales. The countdown sticker allows users to get notified once you go live, which can increase traffic to your eCommerce store.
You can use the storytelling nature of Instagram Stories to build up your product before the full reveal. Take a look at how the makeup and skincare brand Sunnies Face does it:
Sunnies Face used Instagram Stories to tease its new lip balm Fluffbalm. The teaser video showed the product from different angles without revealing too much information or details. The brand also included exciting music to build anticipation and hype.
5. Invest in Video Ads
While video can definitely get you tons of organic traction, it’s still important to invest in ads to ensure you reach the right audience beyond your existing followers. Through ads, you can set your goals and clearly define your audience, ensuring your content gets the desired results.
Without video ads, It’s almost impossible to compete in a crowded marketplace like Instagram. Ads give small brands a fighting chance and the opportunity to get discovered by an audience that’s ready to shop.
If you want to create authentic video ad campaigns for your company, find brand ambassadors and ask them for video endorsements, which you can later boost with branded content ads.
For instance, UK-based footwear brand Deichmann turned to Instagram video ads to target parents and increase online sales during the back-to-school month. The brand tested several ad objectives to help increase brand awareness as well as boost online and offline sales during such a competitive time.
The videos, which were an extension of its television campaign, were scaled into Reels with different calls-to-action (CTA) including a Shop Now button. The campaign achieved a 2.9-point lift in purchase intent and an 8-point lift in standard ad recall.
Instagram is easily one of the best platforms for promoting your eCommerce business. Its built-in tools, such as shoppable posts, ads, and the option to check out and easily pay for products, present an ideal customer experience for your audience.
If you want to stand out in such a crowded marketplace, you need to invest in video content. Instagram video marketing is a powerful way to get engagement—the kind of engagement that can result in conversions and overall business growth.
Use these tips to help you create thumb-stopping video content that will keep your audiences wanting more.
Remember: When creating content, don’t focus on selling your products but rather on telling your story. Today’s shoppers will support brands whose stories resonate with them over businesses whose obvious goal is to make a sale.
