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How to Add Videos to Your Shopify Homepage?

Last updated: August 01, 2024
Written and researched by experts at AvadaLearn more about our methodology

By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

The online business industry has become increasingly competitive since more and more merchants switch to online platforms to reach a wider customer base and increase purchases and revenue. That means each business has to compete with multiple rivals who are selling the same types of products. That’s why they need to care more about the visual appeal and aesthetics of their stores.

One of the most optimal methods is using video in merchants’ product pages. By doing this, they can create a good first impression of customers to their brand, build up a brand reputation, trust, and engagement. Moreover, they can even bring about a positive overall shopping experience, making them stand out from their competitors.

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This post will show you the importance of adding videos in your Shopify store pages and the step-by-step guide to insert your videos more easily.

Let’s get started!

Why you should consider adding videos to your Shopify homepage?

Though using video is perhaps one of the most underrated tools when it comes to increasing sales in E-commerce, don’t look down on it. Not using video in Shopify pages seems to ignore human nature, especially in competitive industries indirectly. If you find your business reaches the same number of customers for a long time, let’s look for opportunities to make improvements via this useful but simple method.

On Amazon, 48% of online consumers make a beeline for the marketplaces adding videos on their pages when they want to buy something. Also, according to Animoto, 96% of customers tend to purchase products from stores with videos since it makes their experience and decision making easier. What’s more, one survey made by RetailDive has found that the most important reason leading customers to choose to purchase in a brick-and-mortar store instead of online stores is the ability to see, touch, and feel products.

Humans want to carefully handle and inspect a product before buying it since they want to know how it works. When it comes to online selling, creating those feelings is even more critical to make your customers sure of their buying decisions. No need to say, adding video in the Shopify store is an ideal way to help fulfill that digital shopping experience.

So, what are the benefits of inserting videos into your store? Let’s find out now!

Adding videos in Shopify Product Pages increases conversions

As I mentioned earlier, the key to increasing sales in online stores lets customers understand how your products work. However, they are static and not as detailed as video. Images force clients to use their imagination, which means they can’t be sure about this solution.

Adding videos in Shopify Product Pages increases conversions
Adding videos in Shopify Product Pages increases conversions

On the other hand, video is a virtual demonstration of the product, which directly shows customers every small part of your products and the mechanism they work. According to research, almost 75% of online consumers are more likely to buy things from a store that provides a video explaining the product.

Therefore, inserting a video in your Shopify Product Page will help your business sell more products and increase conversions. Videos are effective, but product videos are even more since you can include as much information as possible about your offer’s products in these videos.

Adding videos in Shopify Product Pages helps persuade customers to buy products more quickly

Customers want information without wasting time
Customers want information without wasting time

What did you do when you wanted a product? We tend to do long research about this, right? Moreover, we spend time comparing prices and scrolling down searching engines for days to find answers to the questions we place on these products. Nonetheless, why do customers need to spend time with your store when they can buy products from your competitors who make it easier for them to finish their research?

Customers want information without wasting time so let’s provide them via videos and they are more likely to buy from you. Instead of adding a long text in the description box, you should insert video in Shopify product pages to provide information that can be easily digested. The fact is that 4x as many customers will watch a product video than read long product descriptions.

Adding videos in Shopify Product Pages helps decrease Ecommerce return possibility

If you are selling a product, the return problem must be a fear for you at all times. As regards online shopping, returns tend to be more than a headache to any online retailer. In fact, just nearly 9% of purchases from brick and mortar stores are returned while this percentage is at least 30% when it comes to orders made online.

As regards online shopping, returns tend to be more than a headache to any online retailer
As regards online shopping, returns tend to be more than a headache to any online retailer

It is because customers don’t know much about the products they are about to buy. The only way to solve that issue is allowing them to see the product being used, understand how it works, and even see the value represented via adding a video.

If they are already satisfied with their choice, the returns will surely sink. Many businesses have proved the effectiveness of adding a video to the Shopify product page. For example, GlamCorner started a specialized campaign to reduce returns by leveraging user-generated content including videos on their product pages. The results were far beyond expectation since they experienced a 50% reduction in returns.

How to add videos to Shopify store’s homepage?

Step 1: Upload your MP4 video to Shopify

Step 1: Upload your MP4 video to Shopify
Step 1: Upload your MP4 video to Shopify

Firstly, you should upload your video that is at MP4 format to Shopify by following the instruction below:

  • Sign in your account and go to your Shopify admin
  • Go to the Settings section
  • Click on the Files button
  • Click on the Upload Files button to upload the MP4 video that you have downloaded to your PC or created before
  • When the upload process is done, the video URL to use is located here. You should click inside and select the entire address to copy the address shown

Step 2: Create a new section

Create a new section
Create a new section
  • Go back to your Shopify admin
  • Go to Online Store and click on Themes
  • Search for the theme you want to edit and click on the Actions button
  • Click on the Edit code button
  • In the Sections directory, click on Add a new section with the name index-avada-video
  • Now let’s copy the following code for this file content. However, keep in mind to replace your video link from step 1 instead of the example link I have included.

Code:

<div class="section-avada-video">
  <video autoplay muted loop playsinline class="hurabg-video">
    <source src=">https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0382/4185/files/avadablog-intro.mp4?830" type="video/mp4">
  </video>
</div>
{% schema %}
{
"name": "Section name",
"settings": []
}
{% endschema %}
 
{% stylesheet %}
.section-avada-video{
  width:100%;
}
.hurabg-video{
  right: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
}
{% endstylesheet %}
{% javascript %}
{% endjavascript %}
  • Click on the Save button to finish Step 2+

Step 3: Include the new section to home page

  • Go to the Templates directory
  • Click on “index.liquid”
  • Now it’s time for you to include the new section anywhere you expect to display the video on your Shopify home page

{% section 'index-avada-video' %}

  • Click on the Save button and your MP4 videos have been added to your Shopify’s home page

How to add a background video on Shopify?

Now you know how to add videos to the Shopify store’s homepage. What about uploading videos from other sources or adding a background video on Shopify?

Videos from Youtube

After uploading your video on Youtube, you will be sent an URL. Copy the entire link that Youtube provides. This link can be used on your Shopify store. It will look like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZNzMaQ4PYA or https://youtu.be/kZNzMaQ4PYA. Then, add this link to your clipboard.

Vimeo

Similarly, when uploading your video to Vimeo, you will also be sent a link to your video. This link is designed to be used on your Shopify store. It will look like https://vimeo.com/220859711. Copy this link and add it to your clipboard. However, while Youtube supports autoplaying on both computer and mobile platforms, Vimeo does not work as autoplaying on mobile.

After knowing how to upload videos to your Shopify page, let’s look at the guide to add your background video to a section.

How to add a background video on Shopify?
How to add a background video on Shopify?

The instruction is not more challenging. Here are what you need to do:

  • Go to your Shopify store
  • Navigate to Customize Theme section
  • Click on the section representing your choice of theme
  • Paste the copied link into the Background video link area

Take a look, your video is now arranged in place and is likely to autoplay.

However, the background you have placed will be silent, which means having no sounds. So, what if merchants want to add sound in their videos. Luckily, there is still a way to handle this issue by:

  • Paste the same link of the video into your section’s Button link field
  • Add some text to encourage customers to click on the video to watch it. The text is located at the Button text field

When your customers click on it, the motion will then open the video in a full video player and the sound will be listened to. Those actions to add sound into background video are simple so we recommend you should fulfill them when you upload a video to your section. It is because background videos are made to make customers take a look at the brand and create a good first impression. When you have got their attention, playing a full video with sound for them will be more effective than one with only imagery.

Conclusion

To sum up, leveraging videos is a great way to engage customers, reduce abandonment, increase conversions and revenue, and boost the brand reputation in long term purpose. There are many online retailers who are selling the same solutions as yours to potential customers. Consumers tend to choose to buy from one who provides them with detailed information about the products in an easy-to-digest way.

Add videos to your Shopify Product Page to see the increase in sales and reduction in returns. We hope this post is helpful to you when developing an online business. If we miss something, please tell us in the comment section below. We will reply to you as soon as possible. Share and visit our site for more interesting posts.

Good luck!


Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.