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The holidays are here, and shoppers are busy searching for the perfect gifts. As an online retailer, you need to grab their attention amidst all the seasonal deals and clutter. As a marketer who is creating as well as consuming content daily, I recommend video tutorials as an excellent way to engage shoppers and boost conversions. Here’s why they work so well.

Why Video Tutorials Work

Tutorial videos help build trust and connection with your audience. Let me explain how:

• Video content teaches viewers new skills so they feel smarter and more empowered with their purchases. Equipping shoppers with a new talent helps them visualize how your product will add value to their lives. This positive feeling translates into higher conversion rates (CR) and average order values (AOV).
• They anticipate customer pain points and objections by addressing concerns directly through informative content. Shoppers appreciate transparency and want their questions answered.

• Videos entertain and storytell to form an emotional bond between viewers and the brand. Amusing or heartwarming video content fosters relationships with customers. In fact, 54% of consumers say they prefer to see videos from a brand or business they support over other types of content. I, myself, prefer to watch brand content over reading it.

• They stand out among holiday shopping noise and competition. Unique and helpful short-form video content breaks through the clutter to quickly capture shopper attention.

Overall, tutorial videos build trust and excite viewers to make a purchase by showing them exactly how your product can benefit them.

Video Best Practices

Here are best practices I recommend for tutorial videos:

Use a Compelling Hook

Get your audience’s attention immediately. I suggest opening with an interesting text overlay, caption, or visual that gives viewers a reason to stop scrolling and start watching. Consider using:

• Intriguing statistics or facts
• Emotional hooks like humor, nostalgia, or drama
• Demonstrating an end result they’ll want to achieve
• Promising to teach a valuable new skill

Anticipate Customer Needs

Identify what your target audience cares about most. Share tips and tricks that overcome pain points. Demonstrate how your product works and highlight its unique value. I also recommend covering frequently asked questions.

Show, Don’t Tell

Show your product in action through demonstrations. Model how to use it creatively in different scenarios. The power is in the visuals – don’t just talk about features; show them being used!

Include Key Product Information

Share details shoppers want, like materials, sizing, care instructions, return policies, and manufacturers. Build trust by addressing objections head-on.

Keep It Concise

Respect viewers’ limited attention spans. I recommend keeping tutorials short by breaking up longer content into a series. According to a study by Wistia, videos under sixty seconds get the most engagement. Analyze your video metrics and refine your strategies for continuous improvement.

Optimize for Mobile

Most viewership comes from mobile devices. Optimize vertical video, audio, captions, and graphics for small screens.

Make it SEO-Friendly

Video SEO is a must for the holiday season. A study by Think with Google found that “holiday gift” searches on YouTube start as early as August. Make sure your video content is optimized for holiday-related keywords to reach shoppers in the planning phase.

Promote on Social Channels

In addition to posting video tutorials to your website, share on social media and through email marketing to increase your conversion rate. Just look at the “#TikTok Made Me Buy It” phenomenon, which included product videos and tutorials, generating over 75 billion views and influencing 67% of users to purchase something or recommend a product to a friend.

Make Shopping Easy

Don’t forget to make purchasing easy! Include clickable links in your video description that go directly to product pages. Or, if you’re using a service like Loup, include links to the products mentioned in the videos, so your audience can easily add to cart without missing a moment of your content. This makes it simple for viewers to find and buy the items they see in your videos without having to go hunting on your website or other retail sites.

Go Live

And last but certainly not least, Live streaming shopping videos create an interactive, engaging experience. Going live allows for real-time customer interaction through product demos, reviews, and click-to-buy functionality. Live streaming leads to more authentic reactions and higher watch times compared to pre-recorded content. Overall, live streaming gives brands a unique way to connect with shoppers through personalized, spontaneous shopping events. And, you can keep a replay of the content on your site for as long as you like so more people can watch and engage with it long after the live stream is over.

Video Tutorial Ideas

Here are some of my favorite tutorial video ideas, tailored to different products, that can help your business stand out:

Fashion & Accessories

• Styling tutorials showcasing how to mix and match pieces from your collection into full outfits.
• Measuring and fitting guidance to display options that flatter different body types.
• Care technique demos – washing, stain removal, storing off-season, etc.
• Packing tips and outfit ideas for different types of trips – beach, winter sport, business, and more.

Beauty and Skincare

• Daily skincare routines demonstrating application techniques and the importance of each step.
• Demonstrate makeup steps to create work, family or social looks for the holidays.
• Skincare ingredient breakdown explaining vital skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, or vitamin C, and recommending products with these ingredients.
• Adjusting skincare and makeup routines according to seasonal changes and different climates.

Home Goods & Furniture

• Step-by-step assembly guides for anything requiring it – furniture, appliances, storage solutions.
• Room makeovers that show how your products look in a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, etc.
• Organization ideas for closets, pantries, laundry rooms, garages, and more.
• Cleaning tutorials using your tools and products – surfaces, carpets, and windows.

Electronics & Tech

• Unboxing and set up videos for new items – what’s in the box, account creation, etc.
• Comprehensive feature demonstrations – how to use all its capabilities.
• Basic troubleshooting tips for connectivity, battery, and common operating issues.
• Phone camera tips, gaming tricks, and other power-user advice.

The Takeaway

This holiday season, leverage the power of video to grab shoppers’ attention. Short-form videos anticipate needs, foster trust, and demonstrate your products’ versatility. Follow video best practices and craft compelling content that engages and converts virtual window shoppers into customers. You got this!

Sabrina Yavil is a strategic, consumer-centric and data-driven marketing leader with over 15 years of experience growing iconic DTC and B2B brands in the beauty and consumer goods industries. She has a proven track record of success in developing and executing innovative marketing campaigns using data to drive decisions and results. She is a known speaker and industry expert and has been featured in publications such as Beauty Independent and BeautyMatter.