Last week’s blog post talked about how to rank on Google in 30 seconds using YouTube videos and utilizing the title, description, and tag fields to include your keywords. but what about actually making the video to upload in the first place? What are some of the best practices, especially if you are selling a product online? This week I’m going to layout for you exactly how to craft your script for maximum views and better yet, conversions (sales).

It used to be that the video itself didn’t really matter for SEO purposes, the only thing that mattered was the title, description, and tags being used. That is no longer the case. YouTube uses voice to text recognition software and cannot only determine if you are using copyrighted music illegally, but can also determine what you are saying. In fact, it uses this technology to close captioning, so your script is highly important. Yes, you will want to use your keywords correctly in your script too. YouTube can also determine what images/video clips are in your video, much like Google’s image search can determine similar images to what you are searching for (remember, YouTube is owned by Google), so again, don’t use copyrighted images or your video could be banned (or worse).

When creating a product video, you do not just want to hold up a product and talk about what it does. Rather, you want to tell a story that engages your viewer. You may want to show the product in action – by demonstrating how it is actually used. But remember, this is essentially a commercial that we are talking about, not a training video or tech support tutorial (that’s a different, but equally valuable type of video for a different purpose). What we want to create for this blog is a 1 to 2 minute product video for the primary purpose of search engine placement and driving traffic to your site so the viewer can buy the product. That means that you will want to also embed the finished video on the product page.

Okay, so here is a script outline for best practices when it comes to creating a product  video for SEO purposes.

1. Brand Placement.

   (4 seconds): (1 and 2 can be switched)

Use a standard graphic and theme music. Make it consistent for all your videos.

2. Create a “hook” or call out to your audience.

   In just one or two sentences present a main character of the video. This should be your customer avatar. Create a video specifically for your ideal customer! (5 seconds) For example:

This is Sam and he loves to entertain by cooking out. He recently moved to a new apartment in the city…

OR

This is Zach and he loves to go camping. He lives in Colorado…

3. POP: Point out the Pain.

   Identify the BIG problem for your prospect. A good story needs some sort of conflict, and then a resolution. Same goes for a good product video. Write no more that 1-2 sentences to describe a problem. (25 seconds) For example:

Sam’s neighborhood prohibits the burning of liquid fuels like propane or open flames like charcoal and other solid fuels. Electric cooks don’t taste as good. This means that he may not be able to cook outside.…

OR

Frequently there are fire bans in the mountains but Zach likes to cook his meals, not just eat prepackaged food…

4. State a “what if” question

   (this brings up their hope) For example:

What if there was a type of BBQ that could be used on patio decks without electricity? …

5. After describing the problem continue with displaying your product which solves this problem.

   Make sure your offering is unique (or at least describe it to emphasize its uniqueness). (20 seconds) The best way to show it is through the social proof:

Sam’s new neighbor told him about how he had recently purchased an solar grill that was approved by the local fire department, and he used it to cook on his deck all year round. He even offered for Sam to try some fish he had just grilled…

6. In several sentences explain how the product works.

   Avoid unnecessary ins and outs as well as technical details – just give the overview to your customers: (20 seconds)

This BBQ effectively retains flavor just like propane and charcoal through our unique patented technology that recirculates the steam and combines them with the grease drippings to put it back into your food.

7. Add your product benefits by including 3 main features.

   Give more details about its advantages and describe how it differs from other similar products. If it’s possible, present facts and figures since it’s important to specify actual evidence – show the number of your clients, tell about how long your company is on the market or give other figures you are proud of. (15 seconds per feature/benefit) For example:

Our BBQ cooks in one third of the time than others because it works like a pressure cooker and actually gets hotter than traditional BBQ grills; it is cheaper to operate because it uses solar power and maintains all the health benefits of the food by locking the moisture in…

8. Make your offer and provide a clear call to action.

   Make the logical conclusion of the story and show the audience the next step to be done. (15 seconds) For example:

Sam purchased our solar BBQ Cooker and not only continues to enjoy cooking outdoors, but has found some great new recipes for entertaining his neighbors …

Take a look at my finished example video. Certainly this video could be more engaging by actually videoing same cooking on his balcony instead of using canned images, but the concepts of the scripts are hopefully enough to get you thinking about how you can create product videos for your ecommerce store. Note that I am addressing an apartment dweller, not an outdoorsman, although if your customer avatar was an avid camper, you could make an equally compelling video to target that type of customer as well.

Did you find this article useful or learn anything? If so, I’d love some feedback about what you thought.

GregJameson

Greg Jameson has been writing blog articles on ecommerce and internet marketing for over 10 years. Learn more about Greg at https://webstoresltd.com/about/