Video content is becoming integral to the success of just about any online venture. Whether you're creating a Vlog, Blog, or a VlogBlog (... is that a thing?), or just want to increase your followers on social media, video content is essential.
How do I know?
Because literally every video content survey and study over the past ten years continues to show an upward trend in video consumption.
Video marketing has become one of the primary methods of online advertising because it catches the attention of the viewer and retains it for a longer amount of time than text-based marketing.
This is why Etsy sellers should be adding videos to product listings. It is a great marketing move for any brand, especially if you're on a platform such as an Etsy shop that places an emphasis on listings with videos.
Reading words is cool... but video can say a lot more, a lot quicker.
And modern society loves quick consumption and immediate gratification a lot more than you may think.
Hence, the growing popularity of video content.
In one report, as much as 92.7% of global internet users watch digital video content of one kind or another every week!
So if you are involved in e-commerce and have a product listing on Etsy where they allow you to showcase your products using video content... then it's incredibly important that you know how to add video to your Etsy listing.
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How To Add Video To Etsy Listings
If you want to know WHY Etsy wants you to add video's to your product listings, be sure to read the rest of the article, because the WHY is just as important as the "how", if not more so.
Once you understand the WHY, the next step is to understand HOW to add videos to your listings!
So, here's how you add a video to your Etsy product listing:
Here are screenshots showing each step of the process of uploading videos to your Etsy listings:
Keep in mind, all other detail requirements for the listing also need to be filled in otherwise, you'll get an error message when you go to save or publish the listing.
Want to download these instructions for uploading your Etsy product video? Here's an infographic with step-by-step instructions on how to do just that:
Why Etsy Loves Videos on Product Listings
Etsy is an e-commerce search engine.
Yes, they have all these cool seller tools and features, but the core functionality... the engine that drives Etsy and keeps them in existence is this:
Etsy's job is to connect their customer (the person searching for products, the Etsy shopper) with the best results for the query they've entered into the search bar.
So, they built a search engine that does that very thing. And that's why you need to pay attention to Etsy SEO optimization with the content you put in your listings. Particularly content SEO.
YOUR job is to show Etsy why YOUR product should show up at the top of the search engine results for the query that their customer entered. And Etsy knows that their customers enjoy video content... so guess what Etsy's going to do for seller listings that have videos showcasing their content?
Yes, you guessed correctly.
The Etsy search engine algorithm is going to surface your video-enhanced product listings to the top of the search engine results when their customers are looking for a product like yours.
It's a win-win-win for everybody involved.
Not to mention, an Etsy video helps to build trust when customers are viewing your product page. Photos are easy to steal from other people, manipulate, etc. Whereas videos tend to give a sense of confidence that what a person is seeing is authentic and can be trusted more than just an image.
Etsy's recommended product video categories
Etsy loves videos on their product listings so much that they've even laid out the exact types of videos that you should create for your product listings:
Videos that address common questions
Get lots of questions about your products? Help answer them in your video! Is it vintage? Show the flaws; that's what makes them unique!
Videos that show your product in use
Earrings? Put them on! Custom coffee mug? Show how it's better than the rest!
Videos that highlight the creative details
Custom-designed products? Show clips of your production process!
If you put some quick thought into your videos before recording them, you'll find a lot of success with selling your products on Etsy.
Cropping Your Etsy Listing Video
If you want to crop your Etsy product video, you can do that by following these step by step instructions:
Pro Tip 1: Your Etsy listing video cannot exceed 100MB
Be careful when creating your product video. It's pretty easy to exceed 100MB with video content these days, especially when shooting the video in higher quality modes (e.g., 4K).
It's fine to record the video in higher quality modes, but keep in mind that every second is going to add towards that 100MB limit. For example, every second of a 30 FPS recording in 4K will be approximately 6 MB. That means that in order to stay under the 100MB video file limit for Etsy, your 4K video would need to be less than 15 seconds long.
Pro Tip 2: Etsy listing videos do not play audio
Don't bother adding cool soundtrack music (even if you own the rights and can use the audio commercially) because Etsy won't allow it to play audio. Trust me - I learned the hard way when I painstakingly selected JUST THE RIGHT music for my first product video, only to upload it and... nothing.
Silence.
Yeah - so don't worry about audio on your product video for Etsy. You'll be greeted with silence.
Pro Tip 3: Highlight the product in ways that a simple photo cannot
Etsy product photos are great, but videos are much better when it comes to product presentation. Just because Etsy doesn't allow audio doesn't mean you can't showcase your product by holding it, moving it, showing how it works to your potential customers, giving a 360 view, etc.
So, do all of those things.
Since customers cannot view your product in person, they'll appreciate you showing them everything you can from every possible angle.
Another strategy is to showcase your product with lifestyle images. Show people what it's like to own, touch, feel, or even smell the product you're selling.
Buyers rarely buy things that they NEED.
If they're buying from you on Etsy, it's probably a WANT.
And "want purchases" are generally emotionally influenced which is where videos give you a fantastic opportunity to involve the emotional element of the purchase process.
Pro Tip 4: Your Etsy product video needs to be short or engaging
If your video on Etsy is going to be long, then you also need to make sure it's engaging. People have short attention spans, even when it comes to video content. So don't take too long getting right into the good stuff (as in, the first 3 seconds).
If your video can keep people engaged, then a slightly longer video is perfectly fine (as long as it's under the 100MB limit, of course).
Otherwise, a quick < 15-second video is great, but the first 3 seconds should still grab the viewer's attention and keep them focused on your product video.
Where Videos Appear on Etsy Product Listing
Now that you know how much Etsy (and their customers) love videos on product listings and you learned how to add videos to your product listings... you're probably wondering where they show up on your product listing page!
Well, any product videos that you upload will appear in the same place as your product photos!
In fact, Etsy released a feature where videos will autoplay on listings when the person viewing your listing scrolls over the photo/video section on your listing.
According to Etsy, this autoplay feature has even further improved conversion rates for product listings that have videos showcasing the product.
Conclusion
It's clear that Etsy really wants its sellers to include videos on their product listings.
Remember, it's Etsy's job to match their customers' queries with the best search results for whatever it is they're interested in buying. And it's YOUR job to show Etsy why YOUR product should be the one they show their customer.
Product videos are just one of the many signals that you can send to the Etsy algorithm as to why your product is the right one to show at the top of the search engines.
To learn more about optimizing your listings (not just for Etsy, but for Google, too), take our Learn Content SEO courses! For just $10/mo, you can take all the courses we create + all future courses we publish!
Chances are, if you put into practice just HALF the stuff we teach, you'll be head and shoulders above most of the other online sellers competing for customers on Etsy, Google, and anywhere else your products are being sold online.
Etsy Product Video FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about videos on Etsy product listings.
Why can't I add a video to my Etsy listings?
If you are unable to upload a video to your Etsy product listing, that means your video is too long (>15 seconds), or the file format is not accepted by the platform. Try changing the video format to one that Etsy allows being uploaded, and make sure that the file size is under 100MB.
What is the recommended Etsy listing video length?
You can upload a video from 5 - 15 seconds long that showcases the product in various ways, as outlined in this article.
What are the Etsy listing video requirements?
The primary requirement for uploading videos to Etsy product listings is that the video file must be under 100MB. The ideal resolution for the video is at least 1080px. Remember, there is no point in including any audio in the video that could contribute to the overall file size since all videos uploaded to Etsy are silent.
Are Etsy product videos good for SEO?
Yes, product videos on your Etsy listing are great for SEO. Etsy has stated that video content on listings improves buyer conversion rates and they continue to place an emphasis on listings with product videos.
How many videos can I upload to my Etsy listing?
Each listing on Etsy can only have one video uploaded.
Can I add a video to my listing from my Android or iOS app?
Yes, you can upload a video to your Etsy listing via your Android or iOS app by selecting the "+" icon under the section titled "Photo and video*" on the app.