9 Effective Ways to Use Short-Form Videos for eCommerce

What comes to your mind when you think “short-form videos?”

If you’re thinking of lip-syncing or dancing videos, you wouldn’t be wrong — but they can be so much more.

Short-form videos have evolved into a powerful marketing tool. They can captivate your audiences, boost engagement, and, best of all, skyrocket your sales.

In this article, we’ll walk you through nine creative ways to use short-form videos for eCommerce that will leave your customers asking for more.

So, let’s dive in.

9 Short-Form Videos for eCommerce Ideas You Must Try This Year

Why should you create short-form videos for eCommerce? One, short-form videos deliver the highest ROI.

Source: HubSpot

Two, short-form videos get the most engagement.

Source: HubSpot

How can you use short-form videos for your online business?

Here are nine of the most effective types of short-form videos for eCommerce.

1. Create Product Demos

In online shopping, customers don’t have the luxury of physically touching and feeling products. Product demos bridge that gap by offering a virtual shopping experience, allowing customers to see the product in action and make more informed buying decisions.

So, why not use short-form videos for product demos?

The beauty of short-form videos is their brevity. So, when creating short-form videos for eCommerce, stick to the point and highlight your product's key features and benefits. Don’t drag it out, or you’ll risk losing your viewers’ interest.

Remember the old saying, "Actions speak louder than words?” Well, it applies here, too. 

Let your product do the talking instead of bombarding your viewers with technical jargon. Show it in action, demonstrate its functionality, and let the visuals speak for themselves.

But no one likes a boring demo. So, inject fun and personality into your videos to make them more engaging. Use humor, catchy music, or creative editing to entertain your audience.

Sephora, the leading beauty retailer, incorporates short videos into its product listings. These videos demonstrate how the product works.

Source: Sephora

2. Build Trust with Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peeks

Behind-the-scenes videos help build authenticity and trust. They show the actual people and processes involved in creating those amazing products. So, customers can see that the brand isn’t just all talk — it’s committed to quality, craftsmanship, and ethical practices.

And these videos also create a personal connection. It’s like being invited to hang out with the brand. By sharing behind-the-scenes moments, brands make customers feel part of the journey.

So, if you haven’t already, consider using short-form videos for behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of your eCommerce business. You could show the manufacturing process, product testing, packaging, or just the day-to-day operations of your online store.

Glossier, a skincare and cosmetics brand, frequently uses Instagram Stories to share behind-the-scenes videos. They showcase their product development process, packaging design, and sneak peeks of upcoming launches. This gives their audience an exclusive look into their brand. You could also create something along the same lines.

Source: Instagram

3. Encourage User-Generated Content

Internet users share original, exciting, and engaging content all the time. This user-generated content can be used by eCommerce brands to promote trust and influence buying decisions.

Imagine this: You’re scrolling through your favorite online store’s Instagram page. Suddenly, you spot a video of real customers showcasing their purchases in a fun and unique way. It’s like a virtual fashion show with real people strutting their stuff! 

These short clips could feature customers showing off their outfits, demonstrating how they use a product, or even sharing their experiences with the brand.

Encourage your customers to create and share their own short-form videos featuring your products. This generates authentic content and fosters a sense of community around your brand.

GoPro, the famous action camera brand, has mastered the art of UGC. They encourage customers to capture their exciting adventures using their cameras and share the footage with the hashtag #GoPro.

Source: Instagram

4. Boost Brand Awareness on Social Media

Short-form videos for eCommerce are particularly popular on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. These platforms have massive user bases. 

Plus, they offer many ways to promote videos, such as hashtags, algorithmic recommendations, discovery pages, and more.

The best thing about short-form videos for eCommerce is that they are easily shareable on social media platforms and messaging apps. When viewers find a video interesting, they are more likely to share it, increasing its reach and exposing the brand to new audiences.

If the video goes viral, it can garner significant attention, generating widespread brand awareness quickly.

So, what short-form videos should you share on social media to improve brand awareness?

Our first recommendation is customer testimonials. Consider sharing positive reviews and feedback from real people who have experienced your product firsthand. Share their thoughts, experiences, and emotions about how the product has improved their lives. 

These testimonials are gold for eCommerce brands because they build trust and credibility. After all, who better to vouch for a product than someone who’s already tried and loved it?

Warby Parker, an online eyewear retailer, uses short-form videos to showcase customer testimonials in a fun and engaging way. They often feature videos of customers sharing their experiences with their glasses.

Source: Instagram

You can also share how-to videos, challenges, and short-form videos on popular social media trends. Humorous and entertaining videos also do very well on social media platforms.

5. Partner with Influencers

Collaborating with social media influencers can significantly widen the reach of your eCommerce brand. Many influencers have very engaged followings across multiple social media platforms. Their endorsement can introduce your eCommerce brand to an even larger pool of potential customers.

Short-form videos can be a great way to partner with influencers. For example, the influencers could create short videos showing audiences how to use your products.

You could also have them create videos unboxing and reviewing your products.

Unboxing videos typically include people showcasing the unpacking of products they’ve purchased. These videos have gained massive popularity in recent years, and they’re a fantastic way for eCommerce brands to engage with their audience.

Source: YouTube

Authenticity is key in unboxing videos. It’s essential to be genuine and let the excitement shine through as the product is explored. This helps viewers connect with the brand on a personal level, building trust and credibility.

6. Drive Affiliate Sales

Through affiliate marketing, eCommerce brands can expand their reach. Affiliates promote products or services through their own channels, such as blogs, websites, or social media platforms, exposing the brand to new audiences and potential customers.

Affiliate marketing is cost-effective since you only pay when affiliates generate sales or conversions.

Have you ever considered using short-form videos to drive affiliate sales? If not, you should.

Feature the affiliate products or services prominently in your videos. Highlight their key benefits, demonstrate how they solve problems or fulfill needs, and show them in action whenever possible. Make sure to include relevant affiliate links or calls to action in the video description or within the video itself.

Invest in good video editing software to make your videos look polished. Use clever editing techniques to highlight your products’ standout features and benefits.

You may check out this list of video editing software by Attrock to find a suitable option.

Amazon has a thriving affiliate program, and many YouTubers use short videos to promote Amazon products.

Source: YouTube

7. Enhance Customer Engagement with Quick Tips and Life Hacks

Customer engagement helps eCommerce brands build strong customer relationships, increase sales, and improve customer satisfaction.

Well-crafted short-form videos for eCommerce can significantly drive engagement.

One particularly engaging style of video includes quick tips and life hacks related to your products. These videos can demonstrate clever use of your products or offer helpful advice — both can be informative and entertaining.

Your visuals should be crisp, vibrant, and engaging, allowing you to capture the audience’s attention immediately. Let your brand personality shine through with humor, wit, and fun conversation.

You can add funny moments, use animations or graphics to illustrate your point, or even include a blooper reel at the end. The goal is to create an enjoyable viewing experience while delivering valuable information.

Dollar Shave Club uses short-form videos to demonstrate how to use their products and share grooming tips.

Source: YouTube

8. Answer Customer Queries

Customer support is a crucial aspect of running a successful eCommerce business. Your customers may have millions of questions, and you need to find ways to answer those queries.

When using a website builder to build your online store, you could incorporate AI-powered bots. However, bots are only capable of answering regular queries. For all other questions, you will need live agents. This can increase your business expenses a great deal.

What if you could answer your customer queries in an entertaining way without having to break the bank?

The answer is to create short-form videos to answer frequently asked questions.

By creating short FAQ videos, you can provide immediate answers to common customer questions.

You may offer product demonstrations, step-by-step explanations, and examples. Video content aids customer comprehension, even with intricate subjects. This clarity reduces confusion and frustration, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

FAQ videos offer an opportunity to engage customers through storytelling, humor, and personalized experiences. By making information entertaining and relatable, you establish a positive emotional bond with your audience, increasing their satisfaction.

The North Face's FAQ videos are focused on helping customers choose the right gear for their outdoor adventures.

Source: YouTube

9. Generate Leads with Contest Teasers

Contests are an excellent way to get your brand in front of people and generate leads for your online business.

If you want to create buzz around your upcoming products, one of the most eye-catching ways is through short-form videos. These little snippets of visual delight are perfect for teasing your contest and getting people excited to participate.

In fact, you can create a series of short videos that playfully hint at the contest details. You could feature quirky characters, catchy jingles, or even a mini storyline that leaves viewers craving more. 

Keeping the videos short and snappy gives your audience a taste of what’s to come without giving away all the juicy details.

To make it truly fun, think outside the box. The more enjoyable and memorable you make your videos, the more likely it is that people will share them with friends. The more they share, the more your reach and visibility increase.

In your contest teasers, highlight the fantastic prizes participants can win. Showcase them in a creative and engaging way, and make sure they're aligned with your brand and target audience’s interests. 

The more enticing the prizes, the more eager people will be to enter the contest and share your videos far and wide.

Sephora is well known for using short-form videos to promote their contests.

Source: Facebook

Conclusion

So, that’s it. That’s nine creative ways of using short-form videos for eCommerce success. From product teasers and behind-the-scenes glimpses to unboxing videos and contest teasers, the possibilities are truly endless.

What other ideas do you have for using short-form videos for eCommerce? Share them in the comments below!