Product video uploads in Seller Central are now widely available to all US sellers on Amazon.com. Until recently, product video capability was only available for vendors or Brand Registry sellers. If you’re an Amazon.com seller, you should certainly be taking advantage of product videos ASAP. Looking for guidelines and tips? Read on for details on how to upload a product video to your items and what types of videos increase conversion and engagement.
Note: Product videos in the EU and UK are still only available to vendors. Watch Seller Central in your locale for any updates or changes to features.
Where will my product videos show up on Amazon?
Product videos you upload via Seller Central will show up in the carousel of your product images. Typically, six product images and a video will show. If you upload more images, your video might not appear in the carousel. Plan accordingly.
What content to use in a product video?
Sellers can be creative with what type of content appears in their videos. The use of a video allows for customers to see a lot of information presented in the exact way you want it shown. Brands can use music, voice-overs, answer customer questions, compare products, cross-sell items across the range, tell a story, or present the items in a lifestyle situation. Some businesses introduce a brand story or showcase the CEO or face behind the business. Whatever route you take, videos should be on-brand and consistent with your tone, style, and design. Professional videos with quality production value have solid potential, but your videos don’t always have to be complicated.
Whereas before, many customers might leave Amazon to do external research (YouTube or company websites, for example), they can now see more information on Amazon and make an informed buying decision without navigating away from the Buy Box.
Content guidelines for Amazon product videos
Access the latest content guidelines for videos in Seller Central before you start creating videos. Note that a single video can be uploaded to as many as 300 ASINs in Seller Central and as many as 2000 ASINs in Vendor Central. Even if you don’t have the resources to make individual product videos, consider using the video feature by using one brand story video across all of your range, for instance. Especially if you are a new or lesser-known brand. A more generic brand information video can serve as a cost-effective means of promotion and increase engagement. Think about how your video topics can help you stand out from the competition. Also, think about your particular product. Some items may need more explanation than you can give in a picture or copy. This is the ideal use case for a product video.
Some other considerations you should think about include if your product has variation. Do you need more than one video to explain all the options? Another consideration is localisation. If you plan to re-use content if you expand to another locale in the future, try to anticipate what you would want in your videos and what makes sense for customers.
Amazon has a list of guidelines for your video content. If you violate these rules, your video will be taken down, your ability to upload videos may be removed, and your account may even be terminated. Be sure to follow the content guidelines. Some key points to pay attention to:
- Your product video must be in English.
- The claims you make (implied or explicit) must be supported by evidence. You may provide your personal opinion, provided it is clearly noted as such. Any claim that could reasonably be interpreted as a factual statement must be accurate and substantiated.
- You must be the brand owner of any products used.
- Do not make defamatory or derogatory statements about competitors products or brands. Any comparisons must be factual. For example, “Product X has an incredible 8GB of RAM, which is 2GB more than Product Y,” is acceptable.
- Videos cannot contain prices, promotion information, discount claims (including words such as “cheap,” “affordable,” “on sale,” etc.), or time-sensitive information.
- No health claims, medical claims, or medical advice (If this your product category is health and wellness, supplements, beauty, etc. you’ll want to pay particular attention to this category.
- No sexually suggestive, controversial, abusive, libellous, or shocking content.
- Videos must not direct viewers away from Amazon.
- If you mention customer reviews, you must include accurate product information that can be substantiated.
- Any customer review you use must be less than one year old.
- Do not truncate or modify the customer review in any way that could change its meaning.
- See Amazon's full guidelines for video content on the detail page.
Amazon product video technical guidelines
In order to display properly on Amazon, your video file size must be under 5GB. It should have a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480p or higher in quality. The accepted file formats are .mp4 and .mov. For video creation by professionals, Amazon recommends a few companies specifically.
Videos require a thumbnail image for display on the product detail page. Use a quality, designed image and not just a freeze frame or screenshot, for best results. Try to allude to what the video is about, such as frequently asked questions, about the company, etc.
Uploading a video on Seller Central
Seller Central makes uploading and managing videos easy. Navigate to the “Inventory” tab and click on “Upload & Manage Videos.”
This will take you to a page to upload your file and provide all the relevant information, such as ASINs, title, etc.
Uploading a video in Vendor Central
Vendor Central product videos are also easy to upload. Navigate to Items > Upload & Manage Videos after signing in to your Vendor Central account. As of March 2020, Amazon announced that viewership data and some metrics were now available for product videos that have been uploaded by vendors. Leveraging this data can allow you to create content that better influences your customers' next purchase, or tailor your videos to include content that converts better.
Once submitted, videos may take a few hours to days to populate on the live site. Keep an eye on this in the video manager, because Amazon doesn’t notify you when the process is complete.
Lights, camera, action!
Now that product videos are available for all US sellers and vendors, we suggest you utilise this tool when you optimise your product listings. If you need help with an integrated marketing strategy and merchandising support, listing optimisation, or full account management, please contact us.
