Digital shops or eCommerce websites are on the rise. They have been overtaking brick-and-mortar stores due to lockdowns and social distancing. In 2021, 2.14 billion are expected to buy goods and services online. To keep up with the phase, social media networks have added features to make online shopping easier. Facebook and Instagram launched “Shops” and “Stickers” to direct customers to a brand’s shopping cart. Pinterest enabled “product tagging” on pins. WhatsApp made shopping easier through “Carts.” Today, YouTube tests product tags on video clips.
Last 09 October 2020, Bloomberg reported that YouTube was asking creators to tag products in their clips via in-house software. Such a move aims to convert the world’s largest video-sharing platform into a shopping site. Android Police reports that some creators now feature product links on their YouTube videos. A shopping bag icon shows at the bottom left corner of the video. Viewers can explore the product’s page once they click it. That’s where they can find product information and purchase options. These product tags under testing are visible among YouTubers in the United States using Android, desktop, and iOS.
YouTube tests product tags on video clips as of 14 January 2021.
Implications for Marketers:
Putting product tags on YouTube videos is a significant step to video marketing. There’s a big chance for YouTube to become an online shopping destination. Marketers should keep an eye on such developments. It pays to invest in video marketing. They have proven to influence viewers to take action, thus, increasing conversion.
