Video marketing for ecommerce: A guide for Australian brands

Social media has changed how Australians shop—and video is leading the charge.

From quick TikToks to short Facebook demos, ecommerce brands using video see faster growth, deeper engagement and stronger ROI.

But shrinking budgets and a geographically dispersed customer base means Australian marketers require a social media strategy that clearly maps where and how to include video. We’ll provide Australian ecommerce teams with a roadmap to make video work harder, including examples, data and tools.

Why does video marketing matter for ecommerce brands targeting Australian buyers?

Video content is the go-to format for social media, and in ecommerce, it’s become a non-negotiable  for product discovery and conversions. By 2028, most adults will spend 3 hours and 30 minutes binge-watching videos every day.

The 2023 Online Advertising Spend report from IAB states that video ad spend grew by 14% last year, outperforming every other digital format. That momentum is fuelled by brands investing more in social-first formats like Reels, Stories and TikTok video, not just legacy video ads.

But this demand is also making content creation more intense, especially for underresourced teams.

According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index™, over 90% of Australian social media marketers say they feel they need to be ‘chronically online’ to keep up, with more than half reporting some level of creative fatigue.

This pressure makes streamlined video formats even more valuable. Since 2022, Australian retailers have been early testers of shoppable video, letting users click and buy directly from TikToks, Reels and Stories. Interactive clips shrink the path to purchase, especially in mobile-first shopping environments.

Here’s the truth: Audiences don’t care about high-quality, polished video content. They just want brands to show up in a way that feels authentic.

From lo-fi UGC to slick demos, video builds trust, reduces friction and speeds up decision-making.

What types of video content work best for ecommerce brands in Australia?

Here’s what’s resonating with Australian audiences right now:

Product demos and explainers

Think of these as your 24/7 sales assistant, helping customers understand how a product works and why it’s worth buying.

Keep demos short and focused—60 seconds or less is ideal for networks like TikTok and Instagram Reels—to retain viewer attention.

Source: TikTok

Highlight features important to Australians, such as durability for outdoor products or sustainability for eco-conscious buyers. Track success by monitoring watch time and click-throughs to product pages. For small teams, batch-record demos and repurpose clips across ads, email and social channels to maximise output.

UGC and influencer content

Relatable, raw and often shot on smartphones. It performs well because it feels trustworthy. And in Australia, influencer content performs especially well: 46% percent of Australians have purchased items recommended by influencers.

Source: Instagram

Partner with micro-influencers who have engaged Australian audiences and encourage customers to submit their videos. These formats excel in the discovery and consideration phases, boosting engagement and social proof. To get started on a budget, incentivise video submissions with giveaways or loyalty rewards.

Find the best influencers worth partnering with for your target audience, niche and demographic.

Discover Sprout Social Influencer Marketing

Tutorials and how-tos

Ideal for beauty, homewares and tech. These show customers how to get the most out of their purchase.

Source: TikTok

Publish tutorials on YouTube for longevity, and repurpose them as Instagram highlights and other social stories.

Don’t be afraid to shoot longer, more in-depth tutorials and how-to videos, either. Although short-form video is an engagement driver, longer video content has been shown to increase video conversion rates.

Unboxings and hauls

Unboxing and haul videos are still incredibly popular, especially in fashion and lifestyle.

Source: TikTok

Unboxing and haul videos effectively convert buyers in the consideration phase, and can be measured through engagement rates and shares. Encourage customers to film their own unboxings or host live unboxing events to extend reach without heavy production.

Behind-the-scenes videos

Share how your products are made, introduce team members or showcase sustainability efforts.

Source: Instagram

Behind-the-scenes (BTS) videos build trust and loyalty while providing content for social channels. They perform well at the consideration and retention stages.

Remember, lo-fi works, and small teams can film BTS clips with their smartphones, focusing on storytelling and lessening the need for professional video production.

Customer testimonial clips

Real stories from satisfied customers are the ultimate brand trust builders.

Source: Instagram

Capture testimonials highlighting the Australian context like customer needs, regional usage or local service experience. Post testimonials on product pages, social channels and in email campaigns. To gather testimonials, send simple video requests post-purchase or invite reviews through loyalty programs.

Seasonal content

Australia’s unique seasonal calendar and holidays create opportunities for timely video content—think summer holiday gift guides, EOFY sales previews or local promotions tied in with cultural events, like Sydney Mardi Gras or State of Origin.

Remember, one piece of video content can often be repurposed in many ways across different social media networks. You may need to crop or resize it to match recommended video specs for each social network you post to.

According to Sprout’s Content Benchmarks Report, short-form video gets two times the engagement of static posts in Australia, especially when:

• It’s under 30 seconds
• It’s unpolished (yes, lo-fi works!)
• It features real people, not just product shots

Your takeaway? Mix it up. High-production polish works well for brand ads, but relatable content is what really drives conversions.

What trends are popular in ecommerce video marketing?

Looking ahead, keep an eye on these trends:

AI-powered video creation

With advances in AI, ecommerce brands can now produce high-quality video content faster and more affordably, helping aid the creative block most marketers face with social media.

Sprout Social’s AI tools help brands find what their target audiences are watching online, automate scriptwriting and generate captions, streamlining the creative process from ideation to final cut.

Interactive and shoppable video experiences

Interactive video formats that let viewers shop directly from content are fundamentally reshaping ecommerce.

Meta and TikTok increasingly support click-to-cart features embedded within Stories, Reels and livestreams. Sprout Social’s publishing and analytics allow teams to plan, schedule and measure these shoppable videos, shortening the path to purchase.

Vertical-first storytelling

Mobile-first vertical video remains king in social media feeds, especially among Australian shoppers using smartphones.

Short-form video delivers the highest ROI compared to other digital marketing trends, securing more investment in 2025 than any other format. Mastery of vertical storytelling relies on fast cuts, captions for sound-off viewing and punchy intros that hook viewers within seconds.

Social media practitioners can use Sprout’s video editing capabilities (included in all plans) to ensure content fits native mobile formats perfectly, maximising reach and engagement.

Live shopping combined with short-form video

Live shopping and short-form content fused together is a strategic move to reach Australian buyers.

Brands are combining TikTok Shop’s live selling features with engaging short videos like Instagram Reels to create hybrid campaigns that entertain while converting.

You can use Sprout’s scheduling tools to coordinate multi-format campaigns, track real-time engagement and quickly adjust messaging for optimal impact.

Influencer voiceovers and creator partnerships

Leveraging influencer voices for product explainers and storytelling blends brand authority with authentic creator appeal.

Sprout’s Influencer Marketing features make it easy to find, manage and measure partnerships with Australian creators, so your ecommerce brand can work with trusted voices that resonate locally.

Optimising for voice search and video SEO

As Australians increasingly use voice assistants and smart devices, optimising video content for voice search is key. Add accurate captions and transcriptions, and ensure key product information is clearly spoken in videos.

Sprout’s analytics tools help marketers and social media managers track how your video content ideas perform across search and social discovery, so you can fine-tune SEO strategies.

Which networks should ecommerce brands prioritise for video content in Australia?

Sprout’s 2025 Index found that Australian consumers spend the most time on:

• TikTok: Gen Z and Millennials dominate. Plus, 55% of TikTok users have bought something after seeing it on the app. Prioritise trends, humour and 15–30 second native content.
• Instagram: Reels and Stories remain must-haves for brand reach, especially with influencer partnerships and UGC.
• YouTube: Still the go-to for tutorials, reviews and long-form storytelling. Consider doing 60–120 second product explainers.
• Facebook: Yes, it’s still relevant. Use it for promos, lo-fi explainers and community storytelling.

Best practices by platform:

• TikTok: Be fast, fun and trend-driven
• Instagram: Showcase community through Reels and Stories
• YouTube: Educate, then convert
• Facebook: Keep it local and relatable

ViralPost® makes scheduling across all networks seamless, allowing you to optimise for the best time to post in Australia.

How to build a consistent and engaging ecommerce video strategy

A strong video marketing strategy isn’t just about keeping up with trends, it’s about creating a repeatable system that drives consistent results. For Australian ecommerce brands, that means pairing creative storytelling with operational precision.

Whether you’re running campaigns solo or managing a growing social team, success starts with a clear framework. From planning themes to scheduling posts and analysing performance, here’s how to turn video into a scalable, measurable engine for growth.

Set clear goals and plan content themes

Every high-performing video strategy starts with clarity. Before you pick up a camera, define what success looks like, whether that’s driving awareness, building community or converting views into sales.

For Australian ecommerce brands, it’s often about balancing all three. Discovery-focused videos like tutorials or influencer collaborations drive reach, while product demos and testimonials move audiences closer to purchase.

Once you define your goals, choose two or three recurring themes that reflect your brand story and audience priorities. These themes should serve as creative anchors, or content pillars you can build around throughout the year.

For example, a homewares brand might focus on DIY tutorials, sustainability stories and customer spotlights. Align those pillars with campaign calendars and Australia’s unique retail rhythms.

Collaborate, schedule and optimise posts

Consistency doesn’t happen by accident, it’s the product of collaboration and foresight. Shared content calendars and automated publishing workflows ensure your team stays in sync, even across time zones and remote offices.

But consistency doesn’t mean rigidity. The most agile brands leave room for calculated experimentation.

Use A/B testing to compare formats, like voiceover vs. no voiceover, UGC vs. branded footage or 15-second Reels vs. 60-second explainers. Then let the data guide your next move.

Track what works and iterate

A consistent video strategy is never static, it’s built on continuous improvement. The most successful ecommerce marketers use data not just to measure performance, but to inform creative evolution. Review your key video metrics weekly to uncover what formats, hooks and lengths drive the most engagement or conversions.

Look beyond vanity metrics like views. Track completion rates, watch time and conversions to see how effectively each video moves audiences through the funnel. Repurpose top-performing content across platforms, and refresh underperforming videos with new hooks, CTAs or thumbnails.

When you treat video as a living strategy, not a one-off campaign, you create a sustainable engine for growth that scales creativity and proves ROI.

Which metrics matter most for ecommerce videos?

Measuring the impact of video content doesn’t just mean counting views. It’s about understanding how each video moves customers through the funnel and what actions they take as a result.

Leverage this breakdown of key metrics at each stage to inform performance improvements and strategic adjustments.

Top of funnel: Awareness and discovery

At this stage, your goal is to reach new audiences and stop the scroll. Focus on metrics that show visibility and initial engagement:

• Views and video completion rate: These metrics show how many people are watching your videos and how far they’re getting. Use completion rate to identify strong hooks and effective pacing.
• Reach and impressions: Reach refers to the total number of unique viewers, while impressions reflect the total number of exposures. Together, they help you assess how effectively your content is being distributed across social networks.
• Average watch time: Longer average watch times often signal stronger storytelling or content relevance. This is also a key indicator used by platform algorithms to surface engaging videos.

Use these insights to refine intros, test thumbnails or adjust video length and format for better retention.

Mid funnel: Engagement and consideration

Once you’ve captured attention, measure how your videos are sparking interest and driving further interaction:

• Clicks and tap-throughs: This includes link clicks, sticker taps or in-video CTAs, clear signals of curiosity or product interest.
• Profile visits and follows: These metrics indicate that viewers want to learn more about your brand or stay connected after watching.
• Shares, saves and comments: These interactions are strong signs of content relevance and resonance, especially when users tag friends or rewatch your video. They also help boost visibility in social algorithms.

Here, test different calls to action, experiment with voiceovers or captions and consider adding interactive elements like polls or product tags.

Bottom of funnel: Conversion and revenue impact

At this point, you’re looking for proof that video is driving action, not just attention:

• Add-to-cart and checkout initiations: These actions help connect video engagement to shopper intent, moving users closer to conversion.
• Conversion rate and sales attribution: Track purchases directly tied to your video efforts. Where possible, use UTM parameters or product tag analytics.
• Revenue lift and ROAS: Use sales data to measure how much incremental revenue your videos generate, especially when part of paid campaigns.

This is where shoppable video formats, influencer partnerships and testimonial clips often shine, helping turn viewers into buyers. Make sure you’re identifying the top creators, themes and formats that consistently deliver engagement and conversions.

What winning ecommerce video strategies look like

Australian ecommerce brands are innovating fast. This is how some are nailing video:

Koala

Koala nails vertical-first storytelling with bite‑sized, cheeky explainers that are perfect for a scrolling feed.

A standout is their 2‑minute brand film, which earned over 1.3 million views across networks and boosted CTR on other ads by 18 %.

Source: Vidico

Koala also released cinematic 12K commercials during COVID, used across OOH, social and TV, with seamless edits that reinforced their relaxed, Aussie identity.

Punchy product explainers, humble attitudes and ultra-localised humour, Koala nails vertical-first storytelling that speaks directly to Australian shoppers.

The Oodie

The Oodie’s TikTok-first strategy leans into UGC and memes, giving its community the spotlight and generating millions of impressions. They actively encourage customers to post their own videos and even reward creators with giveaways.

From creators unboxing or lounging in their Oodies to stylised morning-routine videos, each piece of content is clearly designed for TikTok-native performance.

But get this: The Oodie also scored 58 million TikTok views while scaling daily ad spend to over AU$6,500 at a ROAS above 3.5.

Source: TikTok

The brand also knows how to target seasonality, bringing out ranges of Oodies suited to colder weather during the winter months and making educational content on which Oodie you should choose.

Bailey Nelson

From in-store fittings to optical care tips, Bailey Nelson mixes branded shoots with user testimonials for an authentic, omnichannel video presence. Their content builds brand trust and clarifies value, key in high-consideration ecommerce.

The company uses short-format tutorials, vibrant b-roll and founder-led narratives to stand out in the high-consideration eyewear space. Bailey Nelson’s brand campaign video won Best YouTube Campaign 2022, delivering a 97% brand awareness lift plus a 3,600% increase in Google searches.

Source: Vidico

Bailey Nelson has also partnered with Story Machine and Afterpay for high-production documentaries showcasing brand heritage and in-store experiences.

While these are all great examples of video marketing in the Australian ecommerce scene, take inspiration, not imitation. Test new formats and double down on what drives results.

Turn your ecommerce video strategy into measurable impact

By now, it’s pretty clear that if you’re running social strategy for an ecommerce brand based in Australia (or trying to reach Aussie buyers), video content isn’t optional. It’s essential to compete.

But with the right systems and tools, video content doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Sprout makes it easy to plan, publish and optimise your video content without the chaos.

Start your free trial and explore how Sprout can streamline your ecommerce video strategy today.

Frequently asked questions about video marketing for ecommerce brands in Australia

How long should an ecommerce video be?

TikTok & Reels: 15–30 seconds for max engagement

YouTube: 60–90 seconds for explainers or reviews

Facebook & Instagram Stories: Under 15 seconds

How can I create engaging product videos with limited resources?

• Use your phone and natural lighting for authenticity.
• Edit with free tools like CapCut or Canva.
• Lean into user-generated content or creator collaborations.
• Reuse customer reviews as voice-overs.
• Shoot in batches to save time and streamline editing.

Authenticity beats production value, especially with Australian audiences.