Short videos are growing rapidly, and they are a new form of Chinese content marketing that drives traffic for businesses. Insights found that Taobao short videos have achieved significant growth in 2020 thanks to the participation of merchants and creators. The short video has become an important Chinese e-commerce magic weapon for the deep connection between merchants and consumers.
In the era of many marketers focusing on producing a short video, we need to understand the core elements of marketing in China: people, product, and market" have all changed within China's fast-moving digital landscape. Consumers can swipe through short videos anytime and anywhere. They can effortlessly "pass" uninterested content, which aggravates the fragmentation of information transmission and they make purchase decisions at the same time. When Chinese consumers are watching short video content for entertainment and social video, they do not have clear demands. Brands need to produce content that creates motivation and to inspire users. Consumer decision-making is also more perceptual. Short video can not only show more product dimensions and features but also allowing the merchants and creators to show the creativity side of the brands in this competitive market.
The essence of a short video is timing. Therefore, optimizing the key indicators of short videos (effective viewing rate, interaction rate, store access rate and account attention rate) must not only effectively control the time rhythm, but also grasp the content and form of expression.
Research shows that the first 3 seconds of the video is the critical period for the audience to stay, and the topic should be with an easily-understandable message for all users and eye-catching content. The 9th second is normally the point to push the value of the video. Short videos that can highlight effective communication and applied consumer psychology are more capable to stimulate interactions. The 11th second is the prime time to attract audiences to visit the store. Before finish presenting the core selling points of the product, the audience can respond to the information and show a willingness to further understand the product or the brand. After the 16th second, the audience's interest to follow the main account will increase dramatically. More exciting contents from the same business and creator should be used to retain the audience and to engage "follow us".
The up-and-down sliding mechanism gives users the flexibility to choose short video content, but it poses a great test for the "first-sight" appeal of the content, which is also the basis for subsequent audience formation and interaction. M insight pointed out that the five elements of successful video content are “beauty, straightness, fame, strangeness, and popularity”. In the creation of short video content, it does not need to be comprehensive in all aspects. You can create content based on the elements above to retain viewers at the "first glance" and increase the effective viewing rate.
Within the ten seconds, try to extend the information in the horizontal, vertical, and other dimensions as much as possible, and race against time to feed your audience with more information for them to get to know your product’s values. Take the beauty and skincare category as an example, you can introduce the differences of products horizontally, help consumers weigh the advantages and disadvantages and quickly find products that suit them, and introduce the combination of categories and usage scenarios such as teaching skincare procedures, matching skills, gift voucher strategies, etc. You can also try to analyze the product from multiple angles, such as ingredient texture, use feeling and applicable skin quality, long-term effects, and even the technological background of the product to make the information more comprehensive and multidimensional.
Through the analysis of a large number of short videos in the beauty and skincare category, we found that short videos content with smooth communication are more attractive. Talk genteelly like friends can turn the advertising and marketing of commodity selling points into private conversations that shorten the psychological distance with the audience and show higher quality of the video content.
Taobao short video content is mostly about the products. it is an essential process to show the value of products and to engage users to purchase. Consumers who are watching short videos do not have clear active needs and they are more likely to watch short videos for inspiring.
Therefore, short video creation should effectively convince the audience within ten seconds to solve three challenges: