As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s the case, then what about a video? If you are not including videos on your product detail pages, you may be missing out on conversion and sales. Videos can bring a product to life, showing customers details that an image may not. They are also easier to digest than tons of text, more effectively showcasing functionality, transparency, and increasing customer trust.
Vendor Central updates
As of March 2020, Amazon announced that viewership data and some metrics were now available for product videos that have been uploaded by vendors. You can see these via Items > Upload & Manage Videos. This allows you to track views and engagement.
This is important information. Leveraging this data can allow you to create content that better influences your customers’ next purchase, or tailor your videos to include content that converts better.
Videos uploaded in Vendor Central may appear on the product detail pages and in search results. Videos may not appear on product detail pages with more than 6 images in the top carousel.
Benefits of product videos
Amazon recommends each product have at least one video. Videos can be made in a variety of ways. For example, they can contain product details, customer testimonials, brand information and more. Vendors can upload a single video to up to 2000 ASINs. This means a more generic brand information video can serve as a cost-effective means of promotion and increase engagement.
Videos are easy for customers to watch, can trigger emotions in customers and tell a story, they allow brands to showcase products creatively and in a way that places them in a lifestyle situation. Videos can combine music, colors/logos, voice-overs, and cross-over product placement. They can also feature trustworthy spokespeople, brand CEOs, and more.
Video requirements
Videos must be high quality, an .mp4 or .mov under 500MB (480p or higher recommended). Amazon has a specific video content policy that vendors must adhere to. Some of these include certain rules about what claims you can make.
- All claims, both express and implied, must be supported.
- You may provide your personal opinion, provided it is clearly noted as such. Any claim that could reasonably be interpreted as a factual statement must be accurate and substantiated.
- Claims that relate to product characteristics such as safety features, performance, technical specifications, dimensions, weight, etc., must be accurate.
- Any awards that are mentioned or depicted (for example, “Product of the Year 2017”) must be supported by the details found on the product’s detail page.
- You must be the brand owner of all product ASINs being promoted in your videos.
- Comparisons that mention the name of a competitor brand must be strictly factual and objective. For example, “Product X has an incredible 8GB of RAM, which is 2GB more than Product Y,” is acceptable.Competitor comparisons must not be defamatory or derogatory. For example, “Product X is easy to use and looks great, much better than Product Y, which is a piece of junk” is not acceptable.
- You also cannot mention prices, promotional information or discount claims.
- If you mention customer reviews, you must include accurate product information that can be substantiated. They also must be less than one year old.
See the full list of content guidelines and ensure your content meets the requirements. Amazon may restrict your account so that you cannot upload videos, if you are violation. This could also result in suspension or termination of your account.
Additional help
Amazon has tried to make uploading videos and creating videos fairly simple. It’s even possible to do it with a smartphone. However, Amazon recommends professional video production companies and videographers for better video creation. There are many video producers available, with many different styles and costs. Bottom line, vendors should capitalize on this piece of product detail page optimization if possible.
