Digital Growth - Feb. 2021
An Introduction to Shoppable Entertainment
Marketing and Branding with Video Content
Shoppable entertainment refers to video content that has interactive touch points within it. This means viewers can click on an item they see in the video and purchase it instantly. It is the future of e-commerce and one to which many social media platforms are adapting to. China has seen a lot of success with this format, with its influence steadily expanding worldwide.
These videos are a reflection and extension of your brand. This medium presents businesses with a multitude of opportunities and more connections with their audiences. When delivered well, it can vastly improve the customer experience. However, the video itself needs to be engaging, and the integration of these shopping touchpoints needs to be seamless. The shopping aspect needs to fit in naturally, and the process should be quick and easy to complete - and then continue watching. For many brands, this concept will go hand in hand with their influencer marketing. Since these videos’ primary mover is influential, people can create and inspire high-quality and desirable content that will succeed in this form of selling. It is the point at which people watch this content as their source of inspiration and act upon it in realtime, shopping directly.
While this content was predicted to influence the online shopping experience, its adoption and success have been sped up due to increased video content consumption, which has recently and ongoingly occurred. It has set the stage for people to want to do more than watch - they want to participate and assimilate. If you find the proof of the pudding to be in the numbers, consider the fact that shopping habits around the world are changing, with mall culture moving to online and mobile shopping. Whatever the industry, brands find ways to make their products both shoppable and entertaining, from 360-degree showrooms to streaming fashion shows, showcasing product galleries, and hosting online pop-ups and live shows through video content. These touchpoints are being adapted to various platforms so that no matter what video you create or share, it can be transformed into something shoppable. Over time, we have seen this develop, focusing on mobile led shopping experiences, from shoppable social media tags to QR codes to scan. The key is to produce and deliver this content well, in a meaningful way, and stands out among the multitude of other online videos.
Marketers will have to work creatively with these kinds of videos to increase engagement, sales, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. One of the best ways to do this is through personalization. While this makes the creation, production, and distribution of this video content more complex, the results can be exponential. Marketers are tasked with creating deeper connections and taking their storytelling ability to new heights with shoppable entertainment. Much of this concept’s success is based on the perceived value of the brand and the video, which will directly influence sales. Some successful models include introducing episodic, original content that features a combination of interviews with people of interest and products.
The Customer Experience Reimagined Shoppable videos give new meaning to ‘click to buy.’ For decades, people have been influenced by the content they consume. For example, seeing a particular style or brand in a movie can influence people to follow suit and purchase a similar product. With this, people can see something as they are watching it and purchase it immediately. It shortens the customer journey. These posts are already available on social media giants Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat in select regions, with expansion plans in place. It is indicative of how consumers want to see and experience retail online going forward. The days where one flat image is enough to entice a sale are long gone - customers want to see the product and interact with it. With this functionality enabled with your video content, you can allow the customer to purchase or find out more about the product offered directly. It increases the reach and interactions a brand has with its audiences. As a result, sales are also increased as it cuts out the customer’s need to search for the product or visit the website.
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