Indeed, product videos can be incredibly inspiring as they contextualize and clarify your items so much better in the world of virtual shopping. According to 2018 Etsy buyer research findings, the addition of product videos on online listings can go a long way and provide more transparency to your buyers, boost their confidence, and convey all the valuable information that’s usually impossible to acquire from photos alone.
Making videos using a smartphone is fun, and there are endless camera features and tools to take advantage of. Thanks to the prevalence and exceptionally advanced features of smartphones, capturing footage has never been easier.
Check out these essential tips and inspirations on how to take Etsy listing videos with your smartphone, along with some interesting types of listing videos to attract new online shoppers and retain the existing ones.
1. Set the Stage
It is essential to keep all those shoppers in mind who might be scrolling through your items on smaller mobile phone screens. The best way to make your items pop is to shoot on uncluttered backdrops. So, always opt for solid colors such as grey or white as they usually tend to work well for everyone.
There are plenty of examples and video inspirations you can take from the internet and other Etsy sellers, but here are a few types of listing videos that can intrigue online shoppers on a whole different level.
● Videos Addressing Common Questions
A veteran online seller will be aware of how challenging it can be to ensure their shoppers take all the time they need to read through detailed listing descriptions.
So, use multimedia video format to your advantage to address the most frequently asked buyer questions, convey scale, showcase your product from various angles, and highlight exclusive details of your product design and materials.
If you have any variations in your product items, such as different colors, sizes, materials, etc., think of unique ways to exhibit them all in a video.
● Videos Showcasing Your Products in Use
Do comprehensive research on your target market to gauge in what ways shoppers might use your product. A video that exhibits your product(s) being used can better clarify its details and functions. It can even help online shoppers imagine themselves using the product.
This valuable information can determine how you present your product in the video and address anticipated related buyer questions. If you deal in wearable items such as clothing, accessories, shoes, or jewelry, shooting a video of these items on a model can indeed convey better movement and scale.
It also allows you to elevate your primary piece with other complementary stuff in your shop. This can encourage multiple item orders, such as a statement necklace and a pair of earrings or a beautiful dress paired with a jacket.
If you deal with products in the home and living segment, consider making a video where you demonstrate the ease of installing a particular item or showcasing some home styling suggestions for your shoppers. This way, they can visualize it in their homes and see how it will work out in their own set up.
● Videos Highlighting the Creative Aspects and Details
A major driving force for people who purchase handcrafted products is the appreciation and respect for the entire process and its creativity.
If your product items' complete dimensions and details are easily conveyed via your listing photos, you can consider opting for a listing video that highlights the in-depth creative process behind it.
Focus on capturing hands-on components at different stages of your work. It can be adding a customization option or a time-lapse video of the entire process for making the item.
Photos by @ifthebroomfitsco / Shop their ETSY: IfTheBroomFitsCo
See their creative process on TikTok.
2. Prep Your Smartphone
Before you start shooting your video, it is recommended you fully charge your smartphone. At the same time, you must ensure your phone has a minimum of 2 GB of memory storage space to capture the required amount of footage you need.
If need be, you might also have to get rid of some unimportant files, photos, or videos to create some additional space on your smartphone.
3. Lighting
One of the most essential things to keep in mind while filming your video is to ensure there’s adequate and proper lighting. Always choose a spot with an abundance of indirect natural light for shooting your video.
Allowing light to gently fall on the main subject sideways will create an impressive illuminating effect. Avoid direct or harsh light falling from behind or in front of your video subject since it’ll only make your subject appear silhouetted.
However, in case there’s no natural light, there are plenty of lighting products/solutions available. So, you must ensure to get the right equipment to shoot your listing videos properly.
4. Stabilizing the Camera
The best way to make your video appear more professional is to keep your camera steady. Some essential and helpful tools, such as a clip-on stand or a tripod, can be excellent for maintaining more control and stability over your shots.
If you’ve just started, you can make do for now and create your own stand by using solid materials, like a stack of books, to create a level surface. But with time, it is a good idea to invest in one of these tools for stabilizing the camera.
● Take Your Etsy Video Listings with Olivia
One of the best ways to take all your Etsy listing videos on a smartphone is to do using an all-in-one content creator tool in a box, like Olivia - your very own minimalist “bestie” for creating the best video content ever on your smartphones.
Olivia is the ultimate content creator that provides you the greatest, simple, and compact set-up for shooting your live stream or viral social media video. Given its awe-inspiring features, Olivia can make the process of shooting listing videos on your smartphone so much easier.
Here are the most outstanding features that justify why you need to get this all-in-one content creator tool:
- The multiple-angle filming with a 360-degree rotation and tilt allows you to easily switch between different angles and fulfill all your multi-angle filming needs.
- It is perfect for arts and crafts, cooking, taking photos or filming videos, overhead shots, live streaming, reading, vlogging, makeup application, etc.
- The set-up is entirely wireless, with a wireless Bluetooth remote for operation.
- Panoramic, double-sided fill light, 100 LED lamp-set up with 3 color temperatures and 7 different light effects.
- It also has a warm/cold lighting mode for different atmospheres that make your skin look flawless and healthy.
- The height can be adjusted up to 51 inches (40-130cm) with 8 different settings.
- It comes with solid and sturdy silicone grips to keep your phone scratch-free and safe.
- It is smaller than an average lunch box and can easily fit in your bag.
- Power: 3.8v 1000mAh battery with wireless charging that can last up to 3 hours.
You can purchase the Olivia all-in-one content creator tool at an amazing price at Papparazo.
Photos by: @adorablepawdesign / Shop their ETSY: AdorablePAWdesigns
5. Frame Your Angles and Shots
There are various features on smartphones that you can take advantage of to create spectacular listing videos.
● Aspect Ratio
To maintain a consistent listing experience for online shoppers, you might want the aspect ratio of your listing videos to reflect the same alignment as your main listing photo, as the video shows right after the photo. The aspect ratio indicates the width to height ratio.
For most smartphones, shooting a video in default portrait mode can lead to a 9:16 ratio video, which might not be easy to view on some phone screens. The idea is to keep your videos at the same ratio as the size of your product photos on Etsy. In general, Etsy recommends an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 3:4.
● Resolution
Most smartphones in the new era are equipped with two cameras: rear/back and front cameras. If you want to capture spectacular and high-quality videos, use your smartphone’s rear camera. To get the best quality videos, make sure you adjust your resolution settings to keep it at 1080p HD at 30 FPS (frames per second).
● Focus and Exposure
Focus on your shots by tapping on the primary subject in the frame. Most smartphones consist of a feature that auto-locks for exposure and focus. If your phone has this feature, simply hold your finger on the exact spot till your camera indicates that the AE/AF lock has been activated. This ensures your subject is well-lit and will stay focused.
After adjusting these settings in your phone, take a few shots and test videos to ensure everything is exactly the way you want. And if you aren't satisfied, you can make more modifications and adjustments till you determine your preferred settings and then record your listing videos.
Photos by @metallina.craft / Shop their website: Metallina Craft
6. Add The Final Touches
Use the “Trim” function on your smartphone to eliminate any unwanted or additional footage at the starting or ending of your favorite video clips. Typically, every completed listing video should be somewhere between 5 to 15 seconds long.
It is best to avoid adding filters or changing the color saturation on your listing videos, as it risks presenting an accurate depiction of your products. Also, make sure you remember that any videos that you upload on your Etsy listings won’t play audio. So, you don't need to remove any narration or background noises.
Wrapping Up
The biggest significant advantage of being an online seller is that there’s no need to interact face-to-face with each buyer that you usually have in a tangible store.
So, using your creative listing videos, make sure your consumers enjoy the best of both worlds: the convenience and comfort of online shopping and the personal connection of an independent craftsman and a small-scale business.
Remember, your shop has a unique story unlike any other, and you’re the expert of your product and craft line.