Explainer Videos for Ecommerce

The ecommerce landscape is growing more competitive each day, with businesses fighting for consumer attention and loyalty. Whether you are running an established ecommerce store or a dropshipping business, finding ways to stand out is crucial. While text-based descriptions, static images, and conventional advertising play a role, they often fall short of captivating and retaining your audience's attention.

This is where explainer videos can revolutionize your approach. These short, engaging, and highly informative videos are a powerful tool for any ecommerce business, especially dropshipping websites looking to convert visitors into loyal customers. According to a recent study by Wyzowl, 87% of marketers say video has helped them increase traffic, and 80% believe it has directly increased sales. This guide will take you through the benefits, types, and best practices of using explainer videos in your e-commerce business strategy.

What are Explainer Videos, and Why Do They Matter for Ecommerce?

An explainer video is a short, concise video crafted to explain a product, service, or concept in a visually engaging manner. For ecommerce businesses, these videos simplify complex ideas, emphasize product benefits, and provide answers to common questions, all while maintaining the viewer's interest.

When it comes to dropshipping, explainer videos serve as a bridge between potential customers and the products you offer. Whether it's a dropshipping platform like Spocket, or an ecommerce platform like Shopify, or WordPress, videos provide a dynamic way to showcase products and features while addressing customer pain points.

According to HubSpot, 72% of consumers prefer to learn about a product through video. This preference makes explainer videos an essential part of any ecommerce strategy.

Key Benefits of Using Explainer Videos

1. Capturing Attention Quickly: In an age where attention spans are limited, explainer videos stand out as a powerful medium to engage your audience instantly. A professionally made video can explain your product faster and more effectively than lengthy text descriptions, ensuring customers stay on your website longer.
2. Improving Understanding of Products: Explainer videos simplify the details of your products, making them perfect for showcasing. Whether it's a gadget from AliExpress dropshipping or a custom item from Print on Demand, videos make the product's functionality clear and relatable. A survey by Animoto found that 93% of marketers say video has helped them improve product understanding.
3. Driving Conversions: Landing pages with embedded videos experience higher conversion rates. According to Forbes, landing pages with video content can boost conversion rates by up to 80%.
4. Boosting SEO: Search engines favor websites with multimedia content, such as videos. Embedding an explainer video on your ecommerce store not only increases time spent on the page but also enhances your ranking.
5. Increasing Customer Trust: A polished explainer video presents your brand as professional and trustworthy. This is especially crucial for ecommerce businesses, where potential customers may hesitate to buy products they can’t see in person.
6. Engaging Social Media Audiences: Platforms like Instagram prioritize video content. Sharing explainer videos showcasing your products can help you reach wider audiences, promote your side hustle, and even drive traffic to your website.

How to Create High-Impact Explainer Videos?

Here are steps to create high-impact explainer videos that captivate viewers and deliver measurable results:

1. Define Your Objective: Clearly define what you aim to achieve with your video. Are you:

• Launching a new product?
• Educating customers about a service?
• Addressing common pain points and presenting solutions?
• Highlighting a feature of your dropshipping platform or ecommerce website?

The objective shapes the tone, content, and structure of your video. For example:

• Educational videos focus on breaking down concepts step-by-step.
• Promotional videos are high-energy and showcase benefits vividly.

2. Understand Your Target Audience: The success of your video depends on how well you know your audience. To create content that resonates, answer these questions:

• Who are your viewers? Are they tech-savvy entrepreneurs, first-time users, or professionals?
• What challenges do they face that your product/service solves?
• What kind of tone will appeal to them—formal, casual, or humorous?

For instance:

• If you’re targeting small business owners running a dropshipping business, emphasize features like faster shipping, profit margin, and ease of integration with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.
• If your audience includes creative professionals, an engaging narrative or unique visuals might be more effective.

3. Write a Compelling Script: A script is the backbone of any great explainer video. Here’s how to craft an effective one:

A. Start with a Hook: The first 5–10 seconds should immediately capture attention. For example:

• “Tired of struggling to explain what sets your business apart? Watch this!”
• “Discover how this tool can simplify your workflow and save you hours!”

B.  Present the Problem and Solution: Quickly highlight a problem your audience faces and position your product/service as the solution. For example:

• Problem: “Finding reliable suppliers is a nightmare for small businesses.”
• Solution: “Our platform connects you to US dropshipping suppliers with fast shipping and quality assurance.”

C. Explain the Features and Benefits: Break down key features and connect them to tangible benefits. Keep the language simple and avoid jargon.

D. End with a Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage viewers to act immediately with phrases like:

• “Sign up today and streamline your process!”
• “Visit our site to find trending products for dropshipping!”

Pro tip: Keep the script short, ideally under 150 words per minute, and ensure it stays conversational.

4. Choose the Right Style for Your Video: The style you choose sets the tone for your message. Here are popular options and their use cases:

A. Live-Action Videos: Perfect for demonstrating physical products or adding a personal touch to your brand.

• Example: A fitness company can show people using their equipment.

B. Animated Explainers: Highly versatile and ideal for explaining abstract ideas or showcasing services.

• Example: A SaaS platform can use animation to explain its key features and benefits.

C. Whiteboard Animations: Effective for educational content, tutorials, or step-by-step guides.

• Example: Explaining how a dropshipping business works or how to calculate profits using a Profit Margin Calculator.

D. Screen Recordings: Best suited for product walkthroughs or tutorials of digital platforms.

• Example: A company offering a dropshipping platform can showcase the ease of placing orders or integrating with ecommerce stores like Squarespace or Shopify.

E. Stop-Motion Videos: Creative and attention-grabbing, they work well for unique products like POD/Print on Demand items.

Pro tip: Match the style to your target audience’s preferences for maximum impact.

5. Invest in Professional Production: While DIY tools like Canva or Animaker can help you create simple explainer videos, high-impact videos often require professional production. Key elements of quality production include:

• Clear Visuals: Ensure all graphics and animations are clean and easy to follow.
• Crisp Audio: Use professional voiceovers or background music to maintain viewer interest.
• Effective Editing: Combine visuals, audio, and transitions seamlessly to create a polished final product.

6. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO): Videos are only effective if your target audience can find them. SEO optimization ensures your video ranks higher on platforms like YouTube and Google, leading to increased visibility. Here’s how to improve discoverability:

• Title Optimization: Use keywords like “How to Create Effective Explainer Videos” or “Boost Sales with Explainer Videos.”
• Description and Tags: Add details like “Learn how to grow your business with engaging explainer videos for ecommerce and beyond.”
• Closed Captions: Adding subtitles makes your content accessible and improves searchability.

7. Distribute Across Multiple Channels: Once your explainer video is ready, maximize its reach by sharing it across platforms:

• Your Website: Embed it on landing pages, product pages, or blogs.
• Social Media: Post bite-sized clips on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• YouTube: Use this as a central hub for all your video content.
• Email Marketing: Include the video in newsletters or promotional campaigns.

Pro tip: Repurpose the video into different formats for each platform, such as shorter clips for Instagram Stories or a full version for YouTube.

How Explainer Videos Help Ecommerce Business?

Explainer videos are a powerful marketing tool that helps businesses explain their products, services, or brand in a clear, engaging, and visually appealing way. Whether you're an ecommerce business, a dropshipping platform, or any other type of company, explainer videos offer multiple benefits that can enhance your marketing strategy. Here's how they can help your business:

1. Simplify Complex Ideas: Explainer videos break down complicated concepts into easy-to-understand content. They allow businesses to present their offerings in a simple, concise manner that resonates with their audience.

2. Increase Engagement and Retention: Studies show that people are much more likely to engage with and remember video content compared to text or images. According to a study by Wyzowl, 84% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service after watching an explainer video. Video content helps retain users longer on your website, which can directly improve metrics like bounce rates and conversion rates.

3. Boost SEO Rankings: Google loves video content. Websites with videos are more likely to rank higher in search results because video content is deemed more engaging and valuable by search engines. Videos also increase the time spent on a page, signaling to search engines that the page is valuable.

4. Build Trust and Credibility: Explainer videos humanize your brand and help build trust. When customers see how a product works or how services are provided through video, it creates a sense of transparency and credibility. This is particularly important in the ecommerce world, where customers often need reassurance before making a purchase.

5. Increase Conversion Rates: Explainer videos are proven to increase conversions. Studies show that landing pages with videos can boost conversions. The more customers understand your product or service, the more likely they are to make a purchase. 

For example, a Shopify dropshipping store could use an explainer video to show the simplicity of its checkout process, the available payment methods, or how to track orders, making it easier for visitors to take action.

6. Enhance Brand Awareness: Explainer videos are a great way to introduce your brand to new audiences. The combination of visuals, music, and narration makes your brand memorable. Videos are easily shareable on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, where they can go viral and reach a much broader audience. This is especially important for ecommerce businesses, as you’re not just selling products but also building a recognizable brand that customers can trust.

7. Increase Social Media Engagement: Social media is all about engagement, and explainer videos are designed to captivate audiences. Research shows that video posts on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok receive significantly more engagement than static images or text posts. A well-crafted explainer video on platforms like these can increase shares, comments, and likes, driving more traffic to your ecommerce website.

Types of Explainer Videos for Ecommerce Businesses

Here are different types of explainer videos and how they can be used across various ecommerce business models.

1. Product Explainer Videos: Product explainer videos are designed to showcase the features, benefits, and value of a specific product or service. These videos are particularly effective for ecommerce stores where potential customers are evaluating products before making a purchase.

How to Use:

• Highlight key features, benefits, and usage scenarios for your products.
• For physical products, such as electronics or accessories, show how they work in real life.
• For digital products, demonstrate how they solve problems or improve users’ lives.

2. How-It-Works Explainer Videos: How-it-works explainer videos break down the process of using a product or service. These videos are perfect for businesses with processes that might seem complicated or unfamiliar to customers. Whether it's an ecommerce platform or a subscription service, a how-it-works video can effectively demonstrate how the service or product functions.

How to Use:

• Walk customers through how to sign up for your service or purchase your products.
• Show the steps involved in completing a transaction or setting up an account.
• Demonstrate any technical or complex aspects of your product or service in a simplified way.

3. Onboarding Explainer Videos: Onboarding explainer videos guide new customers or users through the initial steps of using your product or service. This type of video is particularly helpful for businesses that require users to create accounts or learn how to interact with the platform.

How to Use:

• Show users how to get started with your website or platform.
• Walk them through creating an account, customizing their preferences, or navigating the site.
• Help users understand how to interact with the features of your service, such as shopping, subscription management, or customer support.

4. Brand Story Explainer Videos: Brand story explainer videos focus on your business’s mission, values, and background. These videos humanize your brand and help potential customers connect with your story and values on a deeper level.

How to Use:

• Share the journey of how your business came to be and the values that drive it.
• Highlight your company’s commitment to sustainability, quality, or innovation.
• Use behind-the-scenes footage or founder interviews to personalize your brand.

5. Testimonial and Social Proof Explainer Videos: Testimonial explainer videos feature customer reviews or success stories that demonstrate how your product or service has positively impacted them. These videos serve as powerful social proof, showing potential customers that your offering is trusted by others.

How to Use:

• Feature satisfied customers who explain how your product or service solved a problem for them.
• Include user-generated content that showcases real-world use cases.
• Highlight positive customer experiences that showcase the value of your product.

6. Animated Explainer Videos: Animated explainer videos are a fun, engaging way to explain complex concepts or processes. These videos use animation to visualize ideas and tell stories, making them ideal for businesses that want to simplify a challenging concept or show creative solutions.

How to Use:

• Use animation to illustrate abstract concepts, such as how your service works or the benefits of your product.
• Explain complex systems, like subscription models or technical services, in an easy-to-understand format.
• Use fun, creative animation to make your content more engaging and shareable.

7. Tutorial Explainer Videos: Tutorial explainer videos guide users through a step-by-step process or procedure. These videos are ideal for products or services that require users to learn specific actions or operations to get the most out of their purchase.

How to Use:

• Provide clear, easy-to-follow instructions for using your product or service.
• Create tutorials for setting up accounts, customizing features, or troubleshooting issues.
• Help users navigate your website or platform to complete tasks, such as making a purchase or updating account settings.

8. FAQ Explainer Videos: FAQ explainer videos answer frequently asked questions about your product, service, or business. These videos are valuable for addressing common customer concerns, clarifying doubts, and enhancing the overall customer experience.

How to Use:

• Address common inquiries, such as shipping policies, product details, or account issues.
• Provide answers to questions related to pricing, return policies, or special offers.
• Offer solutions to any challenges or confusion users may encounter.

Where to Use Explainer Videos for Maximum Impact?

Following are some of the best items where you can use explainer videos to create maximum impact:

• On Product Pages: Embedding videos on product pages helps customers understand the benefits of your products, boosting conversions.
• On Landing Pages: Use videos to introduce your brand or explain why customers should choose your platform over competitors.
• On Social Media Platforms: Post snippets on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to attract attention and drive traffic to your website.
• In Email Campaigns: Include video links in emails to showcase new products, promote the best products, or highlight special offers.
• On YouTube: Create a dedicated YouTube channel to host tutorials, product demos, and customer testimonials for your business.

Conclusion

Explainer videos are a powerful and versatile tool for ecommerce businesses of all kinds. Whether you’re showcasing products, explaining your service, or guiding users through your platform, these videos help clarify complex concepts, build trust, and increase engagement. For businesses looking to offer high-quality products with ease, Spocket is an excellent dropshipping supplier to feature in your explainer videos. By highlighting Spocket’s range of trending products and fast shipping options, you can showcase your offerings more effectively, build credibility, and provide an exceptional customer experience.