One of the best ways to showcase your products, their value, and reach new customers is by creating product demo videos. These videos provide an interactive walk-through of all your product’s features. Whether it’s demonstrating how your newest vacuum technology works or a detailed software demo. These types of videos can also be used as an effective promotional tool.
Today, we’ll look at the difference between explainer and product demo videos, why they’re so effective, some video examples and tips for making them.
What is the Difference Between Explainer and Product Demo Videos?
You might be asking yourself the question, “aren’t product demo videos and explainer videos the same thing?” Not exactly, but we understand why you might think that. Both can be used to demonstrate how your product works. Both can be filmed as live-action or animated videos. However, despite the similarities, there’s a very fine line between the two.
Explainers, on one hand, help to frame the problem/solution scenario, whereas a product demo would go into greater detail about how the product works.
Why Should I Use Product Demo Videos?
Let’s just say that before making a new purchase, consumers do their homework.
Most consumers resort to explainer videos when making decisions about products or services (96% to be exact). And 64% are more likely to purchase your product after watching an explainer video. But do product demo videos have the same impact?
Well, nearly ⅕ of people in business have invested in product demo videos. And these types of videos are used by 55% of consumers to make purchasing decisions. Even when shopping in-store, 55% of customers consult online video before making a purchase. But why? What is the appeal of product demo videos?
Customers will know exactly what they’re getting. Seeing tutorials of how specific features work in ”real life” can eliminate any pre-purchase anxiety or buyer’s remorse. Plus, a product demonstration video can drum up curiosity (and act as your chance to address any objections and pain points before they even come up). It’s authenticity that creates trust.
What Is an Example of a Product Demo Video?
You’ve probably seen customers make product demo videos on YouTube all the time. Let’s say you purchased an iRig for your iPad to connect and record your guitar in Garageband. You might record a video unboxing the iRig, turning it on, showing off all the key features, connecting it to your iPad, and then demonstrating how it works.
This is the same basic concept you could apply to your business with your product. Look at this video we created for Active AQUA’s Infinity Trays & Rolling Benches.
This video addresses the unique features that may be important to their target audience, such as the fact that the products are BPA-free and recyclable. This product demo video also discusses the new features and functionality (the tray sizes, materials, interlocking joints, and visual representation of how they work).
As you can see from this example, it’s best to keep these short, clear, concise, and focus on the product at hand.
Tips for Creating Effective Product Demo Videos
For those already familiar with your product but curious about how it works, product demo videos are most effective. Therefore, there’s really no need to over-explain what the product is or why they need it in these types of videos.
Consumers will just need to see the product in action to understand what makes it unique and how it can help them solve their problems.
Note: Using live footage is always beneficial when producing a product video since it allows you to watch the product in action.
Consider What Type of Video Will This Be
Product demo videos could be animated or feature live elements that require filming. But before you even start your video, you have to consider where your video will be uploaded. This will directly affect its size, aspect ratio, and video duration. Vertical videos, for example, fit perfectly for Instagram stories, and short square videos work better in the feed. Therefore, you’ll want to create content with the video ratio in mind from the start.
Create a Plan for Scriptwriting
Every good movie and book has a well-thought-out storyline and your product video is no different. Spend some time planning out your product demo videos by crafting a script and structure.
- What makes your product stand out from the competition
- If you know you have a great new product, don’t be afraid to compare yourself to competitors
- What characteristics does it have?
- What issues will it address?
Remember to keep these points in mind as you plan your script.
Have a Strong CTA (Call to Action)
If you’ve done any type of social media or video content marketing, you’ll know to conclude your video always, always, ALWAYS with a call to action. A strong CTA = conversions.
You don’t want to spend your time, energy, and money creating great product demo videos only to leave out this part. Your viewers should be able to understand what your product does and how it will benefit them and what to do next. Otherwise, they will watch your video and think, “Cool. Now what?” Tell them what to do and how to do it.
Now, you don’t want to just shout, “BUY THIS! BUY IT NOW!” Although some infomercial hosts will do that. Reiterate how your product eliminates the viewer’s pain point, then tell them how to get on what to do next (i.e., contact us, schedule a call, place an order).
The Final Takeaways
Even though creating one of the best product demo videos takes time, they can offer value to your brand’s video marketing efforts - especially if you want to attract new clients. The benefits, in our opinion, make all the effort worthwhile.
More and more consumers are searching for video content when researching products. In fact, video has become one of the most effective marketing tools. Video has been an effective marketing strategy for generating leads for 86% of video marketers, up 2% from 2021 and 5% since 2019! According to 81% of marketers, video has a direct and positive impact on sales. And 94% of marketers agree that videos have improved user comprehension of their product or service.
To get your potential customers to the buying customer stage, you’ll definitely want to leverage video marketing and product demo videos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a product demo and an explainer video?
A product demo shows how something works, often using UI walkthroughs or real-time usage, while an explainer video simplifies broader concepts. Learn more in our blog on Software Demo Videos That Showcase Great UX and Features.
How can I tailor a demo video for different decision-makers?
Create versions that address pain points by role, technical for engineers, strategic for executives, and usability-focused for end users. See how this was applied in our Qventus Case Study.
What makes a great call-to-action in a product demo video?
A great CTA should be clear, value-driven, and aligned with the buyer journey. Whether it's “Book a demo” or “Try it free,” timing and delivery are key. Learn how to optimize yours in our blog on The Power of Video CTAs.
Do I need different demo videos for social media and my website?
Yes, shorter, attention-grabbing versions work best on social, while full-length demos are better for landing pages or sales enablement. Our Marketing Video Services are built to scale across platforms.
Want to make a high-quality marketing video of your own? We’ll help you catch your viewer’s attention. For pricing and more information, please contact us today.
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