Amazon Product Videos: A Guide for 2023

Amazon Product Videos: A Cheat Sheet for Successful Amazon Marketing in 2023

Amazon’s mission is to provide its customers with a flawless shopping experience so it equips third-party vendors with a wide range of resources.

Amazon’s mission is to provide its customers with a flawless shopping experience, so it equips their third-party vendors with a wide range of resources. One of those resources? The ability to add product videos to your Amazon marketing mix. 

Creating a product video is the simplest and most effective way to tell your product’s story, and it’s the next best thing to having someone hold and use your product. And brands and sellers on Amazon need to include video in their marketing strategies now more than ever. 

The importance of Amazon videos

Amazon product videos offer a bunch of benefits that can significantly impact your sales and brand image. 

According to Amazon, product videos can increase sales by up to 9.7%, and shoppers who view videos are 3.6x more likely to convert than non-viewing shoppers. Videos provide a dynamic way to showcase your product's features and benefits, making it more appealing to potential buyers. Engaging videos can captivate viewers and encourage them to take action, such as making a purchase. It can also give you a competitive edge.

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Including videos in your listings can also improve search rankings, making it easier for customers to find your products. It also caters to different types of users, boosting engagement and, presumably, search visibility. 

Not to mention, high-quality videos convey professionalism and commitment to quality, which can build trust and loyalty among your customers. 

And when customers have a better understanding of your product through videos, they’re less likely to make a purchase they’ll later regret, reducing returns and associated headaches. 

Who can post product videos on Amazon?

Marketplace sellers who own a registered brand (according to Amazon’s Brand Registry) used to be some of the select few who could post video content to their product listings through A+ Content. Vendors who sell wholesale to Amazon could also use the A+ Content within the Vendor Central interface. And Amazon Storefront merchants were also able to use video. 

navigate to Inventory and look for Upload and manage videos. You’ll see a tab for Brand, which allows you to add up to 300 ASINs to each video, or Non-brand, which limits you to one ASIN. 

Related: 10 best Amazon seller apps in 2023 > 

Things to consider before creating a product video for Amazon

Knowing where to start can be the biggest challenge you face. There are a few things you should consider before you dive head-first into the world of Amazon product video production.

The first decision you’ll need to make is who will create your video content. There are two options. You can do it in-house or you can outsource it to a production company. 

The good news is that video content is getting cheaper to produce. That means this decision will ultimately come down to whether or not you want to invest the time into creating video. That part remains unchanged: creating great content takes time!

The second thing you’ll need to think about is all the pre-production questions that’ll set your video content up for success. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself:

• How will you position your brand? Remember that brand storytelling is everything! It’s what will create repeat and lifelong customers for your e-commerce business.

• What pain point does your product address? At the root of every sale is a single thought: What’s in it for me? Answer this question for your target customers and you’ll nab the sale with ease.

• How will you present your goods in a way that makes them easily understandable and relatable? One of the main barriers to purchase is when your customers can’t envision their lives with your products. Demonstrate your products in a way where they can imagine it as part of their daily lives.

• Can you use your video to answer commonly asked questions? Whether that’s how to use it or what it’s good for, video can help clear up any confusion your customers might have.

• Do you have product variations? E-commerce product videos are a fast and easy way to highlight multiple variations without making the user click through a long list of photos.

• What’s your goal for your product video? Are you trying to educate? Inspire? Persuade? This goal should guide all of your decisions along the way.

Not sure what to say? Use Magic Script, a tool that gives you personalized video scripts to help move you out of writer’s block and into making video magic.

You should also consider the setup of your video: visuals, backgrounds, props, music, etc. These elements each play an integral role in making sure your product video is brand cohesive and visually irresistible. Play around with it! Your product videos should be anything but bland and boring. The sky’s the limit!

You’ll also want to keep in mind Amazon’s technical requirements. Here are a few different allowed file formats for uploading, for example:

• 3GP
• AAC
• AVI
• FLV
• MOV
• MP4
• MPEG-2

What are the types of Amazon product videos?

An Amazon product video is a short video used to show off a product's best features, walk customers through real-world scenarios, and give shoppers a taste of what they'll be getting. Depending on what you're trying to sell, you'll want to use a different type of video in your listing. Amazon product video types include:

1. Product highlight video

A product highlight video focuses on your product's key functions and advantages. These videos should be brief, straightforward, and focused on the most important features of your product.

By highlighting your product's features up front, you grab shoppers’ attention and encourage them to make a purchase. The goal of your video should be to make your product seem like the most interesting thing ever!

Product highlight videos are great for:

• Products with a complicated setup or installation process
• Features that are new or difficult to explain via words or still images
• Items that have tons of features and benefits you want to showcase

2. Lifestyle video

A lifestyle product video is essentially a combination of an influencer marketing video and a traditional sales pitch. When used effectively, lifestyle videos tell a captivating brand story that promotes more than just a product but an entire lifestyle. 

Related: Lifestyle product photography by soona > 

Customers who make purchases online typically don’t see the item until it’s delivered, so they may have trouble seeing how your product would improve their lives. It’s therefore crucial for the product to be used in the video so viewers can get a sense of how it works.

Knowing your target audience and their wants is pivotal when creating lifestyle videos. Get your customers emotionally invested in your product and show them how your product can change their lives for the better. Consider collaborating with creators and even using your props to evoke the right emotions in your target demographic. You might even tap into your existing base for user-generated content (UGC) to mix into your Amazon product videos. Note, however, UGC is typically lower-quality, so it might be better for marketing purposes instead of your product detail page. 

✨ Meet Trend by soona. Trend is a UGC marketplace which helps e-commerce brands generate authentic content.

Lifestyle product videos are great for: 

• Products meant for use in a specific circumstance
• Sports goods
• Cooking or food-related products
• Evoking an emotional connection to your brand or product

3. Unboxing video

You’ve probably seen unboxing videos before on YouTube where someone takes you through opening a package of a product and explains the experience and everything you can expect to find inside. Customers appreciate being able to “virtually unbox” their purchase before its arrival and this type of video makes that possible.

For your unboxing video to be interesting you should use storytelling techniques and ensure the products are easy to see in the video. a well-made unboxing video will sway hesitant customers to make a purchase.

Unboxing product videos are great for: 

• Brands with high-quality or unique product packaging
• Products that come with lots of pieces or components

4. Comparison video

An effective comparison video explains what makes your product stand out. You can make a before-and-after video showing how a customer’s life changed after using your product. You can also make a comparison video showing how your product is better than your competitors’.

Remember that Amazon has some fairly strict rules about what can and can’t be said in a comparison video. Stick to the facts and stay away from defamation or derogatory statements. 

Comparison videos are great for: 

• Highlighting a new version of an existing product
• Showcasing how your item compares to competitors’ items

5. Customer experience video

Customer experience videos provide customer feedback. As humans, we need social proof and validation. When we observe other people engaging in an activity and appearing to enjoy themselves: We’re more likely to feel like we’d also enjoy engaging in that activity. 

Video testimonials from satisfied customers are a great way to build trust in your Amazon business as a seller. Get a customer to record their thoughts on your product on camera so you can use them in your customer experience video. 

Customer experience videos are great for: 

• Lifestyle products
• Products that promise specific results
• Building social proof
• Evoking an emotional connection to your product or brand

6. Explainer video

When it seems like customers always ask the same questions, an explainer video is just what your Amazon product page needs. This is your moment to really showcase the details of your product.

Get into the weeds and show your customers exactly how your product works and how they can use it. Sure, you might send instructions with your product, but why wait to demonstrate its usefulness until after the sale? Help your customers push past any hesitation to purchase by using explainer videos demonstrating your product’s ease of use.

Explainer videos are great for: 

• Demoing how to use a product
• Revolutionary or new products with unique features and/or use cases
• Answering commonly asked questions

Related: Amazon Prime Day 2023: how to prepare and maximize sales > 

Tips to help you create Amazon product videos

Keep the following tips top of mind when you’re embarking on your Amazon video strategy. 

Know Amazon’s requirements

Just like with photography, Amazon has fairly strict standards when it comes to product videos:  

• Videos should only be in English.
• You need to back up any claims you make with evidence.
• Avoid using any references to medical claims, health insurance claims, or giving any medical advice.
• Avoid anything that could be construed as offensive. such as politically charged, sensitive, or sexually suggestive content.
• Your video shouldn’t contain any time-sensitive or promotional language.
• Refrain from making false accusations against rival businesses.
• Don’t direct viewers away from Amazon.
• Use clear and high-quality videos.

Your video may be withdrawn or destroyed if it violates Amazon’s product video guidelines. Your ability to upload videos to your account can be disabled, and your account may even be terminated.

Get to the point

There’s no technical limit on how long your video can be. Amazon simply restricts your upload size to 5 GB. But that doesn’t mean you need to use it all.

✨ Here's the scoop: Short and sweet is better. Get the viewer's attention in the first few seconds of the video, and keep the video concise and to the point.

15–30 seconds is perfect for keeping attention and getting to the point. Remember, you’ve only got a few seconds to capture the attention of your audience. So the first few seconds of your video are the most precious. Use them wisely!

Focus on stories and solutions

Promote your products by highlighting how they’ll solve your customers' problems. Zero in 🎯 on your products’ most appealing qualities to maximize the customer's experience with your video.

Ensure quality standards

Ensure the audio quality is top-notch, especially if your video features a voiceover. Use royalty-free background music to give your video a more polished, professional feel. And maintain high-quality lighting when shooting.

Don’t forget about accessibility! Highlight key functions or advantages with on-screen text.

How to get the best Amazon product videos

If you're looking to create high-quality Amazon product videos, partnering with professionals can streamline the process and ensure you end up with awesome videos that move the needle. Professionals will guide you through the entire production and post-production process, ensuring your video aligns with your goals and resonates with your target audience.

Every studio works a little differently, but here’s what to expect when you work with a studio like soona:

• Choose what type of video you want to shoot. Behind-the-scenes, 360-degree spin, and unboxing videos are great for hiring out, for example. 
• Customize your video. Tell your product video agency what products you want featured, which backgrounds to use, and if you want them to use models. At soona, you can also select add-ons like product b-roll, talking head, and how-to demos. You can essentially build your whole video shoot! 
• Bundle video production services. At soona, for example, we offer product video packs to help you get the most bang (or ROI) for your buck. They’re pre-priced for easy budget planning and include all the main shots you’ll need to drive online sales, so you don’t have to think about it. 
• Repurpose the content on your own. When you use soona product content packs, you get access to all your footage and buy separate clips for $93/each post shoot. You can then do whatever you want with those clips, even beyond Amazon. 
• Get your premium add-ons. To take your product videos up a notch, add a little zhuzh. With soona, you can select from options like music, graphics, text, and additional cropping. 
  

From BTS to unboxing: we create stress-free product videos for e-commerce brands. Check it out > 

Get Amazon product videos through soona

You can improve the user experience and boost conversions by adding a product video to your Amazon listing. It can however be time-consuming to create high-quality videos. That's why having a reliable partner is essential.

Using soona you have access to a virtual platform to create original content. Our Amazon-specific product photography is the perfect solution if you need high-quality videos for your Amazon listing. Book a shoot with us today and see how we can help you make videos that people can't help but stop and watch.

FAQs about Amazon product videos

How can you add a product video to your Amazon listing?

Log in to your Amazon Seller Central Account. Navigate to the Catalog section. Click Upload & Manage Videos to add a video to your product listing. Upload your video, choose a format, and give your video a title. Pick a thumbnail and decide which ASINs to use. Double-check everything and then send it off to Amazon for verification.

Why should you use Amazon product videos?

You should use Amazon product videos because you can easily boost conversions by as much as 80%. Videos help your customers shop more efficiently by quickly conveying your product's benefits and features. One disadvantage of online shopping is that you can't try things on to see if they fit or feel right. Videos make up for the fact that you can't touch and feel the product by bringing it to life in a way that pictures and words can't.

What are Amazon video guidelines?

• Videos should only be in English.
• You need to back up any claims you make with evidence.
• Avoid using any references to medical claims, health insurance claims, or giving any medical advice.
• Avoid anything that could be construed as offensive. such as politically charged, sensitive, or sexually suggestive content.
• Your video shouldn’t contain any time-sensitive or promotional language.
• Refrain from making false accusations against rival businesses.
• Don’t direct viewers away from Amazon.

What are Amazon’s technical requirements for product videos? 

you should export your file on the highest quality setting that you have available on your video editing software. you’ll also need to upload a thumbnail image as a cover. JPEG or PNG works. shoot for a 16:9 aspect ratio with a minimum resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. even better if you can get it exported at 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Is there a limit to how long a product video can be?

There’s no technical limit on how long your video can be. Amazon simply restricts your upload size to 5GB. but that doesn’t mean you need to use it all.