Video at Scale for E-commerce: 6 Tips for Success

Are you missing out on the power of video to boost your e-commerce sales?

While using video to sell products isn’t new, many brands still struggle to use it effectively at scale for e-commerce.

And it’s not hard to see why. Video is undeniably more complex than still photography – demanding more time, money and resources to get right. 

It’s a significant investment, sure, but there are things you could be doing to cap that spend.

Why Getting it Right Matters

Video shoots don’t tend to happen as regularly or quickly as photo shoots. If you don’t capture what you need on the day, it’s not as simple as scheduling a do-over for the next week.

Yes, post-production can work wonders (we should know!), but wouldn’t it be even better to minimize the need for extensive edits from the start? 

Briefing your video crew correctly is essential for getting the results you need. #nopressure  Even a seasoned team might not be familiar with the nuances of e-commerce video production. And let’s face it, you might not be either! 

Minimize Costs and Maximize Value

Our team edits hundreds of videos each quarter, so we know what works and what doesn’t. We’ve pulled together six essential tips for a successful video shoot. Follow these, and you’ll not only achieve a better end product but also save valuable time and money in the process.

Camera & Lighting

White Balance: Calibrate the camera’s white balance before shooting to ensure natural and consistent colors. If you don’t have a color card, use a neutral grey object.

Consistent Lighting: Any change in temperature or intensity can create color shifts that take time to correct in post-production. Use the same light sources and keep their intensity consistent.

Color Profile: If possible, capture video in a flat cinema color profile like C-Log and 10-bit color depth. This gives greater flexibility in post-production – more detailed color grading and a wider dynamic range – allowing for more control over the video’s final look.

Shooting & Composition

Punch-Ins: Instead of repositioning the camera for close-ups, create punch-ins during editing. Ensure your original capture is of high enough resolution to support this.

Consistent Movement: Try to shoot the creative in one take and have models follow a consistent movement and speed so the flow of walk-ons is seamless across all videos.

Resolution: This is an e-commerce video, not the latest blockbuster movie! Avoid resolution overkill. Your e-commerce site can’t handle massive files, and page speed matters! Find the sweet spot between quality and performance.

Recently, a client of ours was giving us 4k files, which we had to output in 1K. We didn’t need that level of resolution. All it did was slow everything down – longer to make edits, longer to render, longer to transfer. And the larger the file, the more storage space it needs – not much of an issue when you’re dealing with one oversized file, but multiply those and your infrastructure costs really start stacking up.

By following these best practices and planning carefully, you can ensure your e-commerce video shoots are efficient and effective, minimizing post-production time and costs. 

Worried about the cost of video at scale or even how to get started? Whatever stage you’re at, we would love to help.

We help big-name brands use video at scale, and we know the best ways to get the best results. If you’re ready to dive in, schedule a free consultation and we’ll share our insights and discuss the right approach for your business. Or, drop us your details and one of our team will be in touch.