Building Compelling Content to Compete With Amazon

Look for ways to incorporate video content into every aspect of the shopping experience. Here are some examples:

• Put products in motion by developing video content that helps guide the purchase decision. Examples include product demonstration videos that step through the features of a complex product or show how an apparel ensemble looks as a model moves, as well as "shoppable video" that creates an immersive experience with product links and displays built in.
• Go social to spur user-generated video inspiration. Invite your brand followers on social media to create video ads or submit six-second looping Vine videos you can combine into full-fledged creative campaigns.
• Use value-added videos to build lifestyle content. Hawaiian-based Crazy Shirts, famous for T-shirts and active wear, captures the brand's island lifestyle essence in this video of a photo shoot.
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Other ways to incorporate video to add value to your brand include "evergreen" how-to videos that answer frequently asked questions and help shoppers get more from your products, which can reduce customer service costs, as well as behind-the-scenes event excitement such as store openings, in-store classes, product demonstrations, charity events and product launches. You can also use mobile video apps such as Viddy or Vine to shoot on-the-fly, inexpensive footage.