6 YouTube advertising ideas for ecommerce brands

Why you should advertise on YouTube?

In the old days, someone looking for a birthday or a last-minute wedding gift would simply have asked a friend or visited a store for inspiration and advice. Today, the modern shopper is going online for ideas, and many customers are being influenced by shopping-related videos. 

A recent study revealed that over 78% of people are watching online videos every week (Invideo).

YouTube has a massive audience of over two billion monthly users. The platform attracts more people between the ages of 18 and 49 than any cable or broadcast network. 

How big and successful would your business be if it was able to constantly reach these numbers? This is why advertising on YouTube shifts from being a want to a necessity if you seek to grow your business.

6 YouTube advertising strategies for ecommerce brands

So how can you effectively tap into this and use it to your advantage? Today, we’ll take a look at 6 YouTube advertising ideas for ecommerce brands.

1. Upload a customer review video

It’s a no-brainer that a recommendation from a friend or family member will be worth more to your potential customer (and be weighted heavier in the decision-making process) than anything you say to them.

Online shoppers view customer reviews as reliable and trust them. According to research conducted by FindStack, 94 percent of customers have avoided purchasing from a business because of a bad review.

Hence customer feedback can make or break your business. Instead of waiting around for anonymous customers to leave you feedback in their free time, why don’t you take matters into your own hands?

GarnierUSA is a good example of a brand that does this. In one uploaded video, Perri, their loyal customer, describes her experience with Olia Ammonia Hair Color. In the 30-seconds video, she describes how she transformed her hair from dull looking to a vibrant auburn color. The change boosted her confidence and made her love her hair even more.

This YouTube advertising idea for ecommerce brands like yours is one you don’t want to miss. Gather a few of your loyal customers and ask them to participate in the video. After a job well done, you could reward them with discounts on products or redeemable coupons.

2. Partner with influencers for haul videos

Everyone loves a good haul video. They’re fun, engaging, and you won’t even notice yourself swiping to the next and the next.

The reason why these videos have been so popular is that people love a good old-fashioned shopping spree.  When compared to typical videos, interaction videos lead to 3-4x greater audience engagement and conversion (Smartzer).

No wonder haul videos net in not just thousands but millions of views on YouTube.  For brands competing in the e-commerce space, this trend presents valuable opportunities since haul videos color and entice the product.

The RealReal, a brand that sells second-hand designer clothes, partners with influencers who promote its products. They recently partnered with YouTuber, Lavendaire who has a million subscribers. She promoted the brand by trying out their clothes in her “How to be the main character in your life” video. She then went ahead to encourage her followers to check out the store.

3. Launch ‘how-to’ videos of your products

Another Youtube advertising idea for ecommerce brands is the famous “how-to” videos. With time being a very valuable asset, no one wants to spend hours reading through lengthy manuals just to understand the gist of a product. Not surprisingly, 72% of customers prefer learning about products via video? 

Although your product might be the best in the market, it might be cast aside when a customer has a hard time understanding how it operates, and there’s no supporting material for it.

“How-to” videos are not just for customers who’ve already made a purchase, the videos entice leads who are yet to. This is true because, at times, we don’t know that we need something until it’s pointed out. In fact, 84% of individuals report that watching a brand's video influenced them to buy a product or service (Optinmonster).

Once the video highlights the features of your product in a colorful way, explaining the operations, a need for the product awakens and your leads will go on and purchase. 

Don’t let your customers spend hours reading through the user-manuals of your products. Save them time by launching 30-90 seconds “how-to” videos.

4. Invest in advanced targeting videos

YouTube users spend an average of 19 minutes per day on the site. This makes YouTube a hot cake that every business owner should partake in.

Advanced targeting lets you choose who will be able to view your ad. This comes down to geographical location, gender, and even age. The ads will then be shown to them as they browse through YouTube.

Advanced targeting enables you to appear right in front of your target audience instead of crossing your fingers and hoping to. 

The best thing about these videos is that your team can be as creative as you want. Remember, you only have 5 seconds to capture the viewer's attention before they click the dreaded “skip ad” button. So put your best foot forward and keep them hooked.

5. Create a behind-the-scenes video

Behind the scenes videos provide the chance for customers to see you not just as a brand but as humans just like them. These types of videos work great as they build an emotional connection between you and your customers.

A good example is General Motors Co’s behind-the-scenes video shot by Forbes Middle East. The President of the company, Mario Spangenberg is featured driving one of his cars. 

In the video, he highlights the trends of the automotive industry and why providing mobility solutions should be the goal of any car manufacturer. 

So free up a weekend and get your team together. Shoot a few behind-the-scenes videos, edit them, and upload them on your YouTube channel. Make sure to remind your social media manager to reply to the comments that will be posted under the video. You’ll be surprised how a short, goofy video can boost customer sales, customer retention, and brand loyalty.

6. Message from the CEO

Sometimes all you need to do to maintain the loyalty of your customers is to show up. Yes, you read that right. If you’re the CEO, show up before their screens and let them interact with you. This way, you cease from being a faceless brand to one whose image they’ll remember since they saw you. 

One tip is to make the video an interactive one rather than shooting an uploading one. Hold a live Q&A session on YouTube and encourage customers to type in their queries. Once you’ve addressed most of them, ask them their favorite thing about your brand or a favorite product they’ve purchased from you.

Take for example, Zoe Foster-Blake the CEO and Founder of Go-To Skincare. She takes an active role in getting in front of the camera to talk about her own skin-care routine, products she loves using and speaking about the company in general. She bubbly attitude fits in with the brand's tone plus making it very enjoyable and interesting to watch. 

Just like Zoe Foster-Blake, don’t be afraid to let loose. Instead of wearing a suit and appearing to be in a business meeting, wear something casual. Laugh at the funny comments, smile a bit more and let the audience see your passion for your brand pouring out from you.

This builds a rapport and a strong emotional connection between you and them. From there on, you’ll cease to be a faceless brand but they’ll remember you and the interactive video whenever your brand name pops up.

Final word: the rise of video

Whether or not these trends will endure for decades or become nothing but a passing fad is not known. One thing’s for sure: people have always sought input from others when making purchase decisions — and today that information is increasingly coming from online video.

Video marketing is gaining more and more popularity as the days go by. Investing in YouTube will prove to be worthwhile in this ever-growing digital era. These 6 YouTube advertising ideas for ecommerce brands will get you started. You don’t have to do them all at once. Pick one and work through the others. In a year’s time, as you look back, you’ll be glad you started.