In this edition of Mastering Video Commerce, we’ve covered:
- YouTube’s new tools for content, community, and commerce.
- Amazon launches AI video ad generator.
- TikTok invites brands to join 2024 Holiday Gift Guide.
Plus, insights on how you can create impactful videos on a budget, 2025 social commerce trends, video marketing resources, top podcast episodes, and how you can get 20% off your subscription with Vimmi.
TOP 3 VIDEO COMMERCE STORIES
1. YouTube Unveils Powerful New Tools to Boost Creator Commerce, Engagement, and Growth
YouTube has announced a series of innovative features at its recent “Made on YouTube” event, aimed at enhancing creator tools and audience engagement using AI.
This marks a new phase in AI generation, with Snapchat announcing upcoming AI video clip creation in the app. Meta and TikTok have developed AI video models but haven’t integrated them into their apps yet.
YouTube is also expanding affiliate programs and adding gifting options in live streams to offer additional revenue opportunities.
Key highlights:
👉 Google’s Veo Integration
YouTube introduced AI features for its Shorts platform using Google’s DeepMind video-generation mode, called Veo.
Creators can use Veo to add AI-generated immersive backgrounds and create six-second video clips from written prompts, boosting high-quality content production for video commerce.
Veo’s AI backgrounds improve upon the 2023 Dream Screen feature, with backgrounds and six-second clips available later this year.
👉 Inspirations Tab
Creators can use the “Inspiration” tab in YouTube Studio for AI-powered content ideas and concept generation.
It will also help with titles, thumbnails, and outlines.
Next year, the YouTube team will add a shortcut that will take users directly to the Inspiration Tab from any source of inspiration, like top comments, other videos, or catalog.
👉 Communities Feature
YouTube is launching a new Communities feature to enhance interaction between creators and fans.
This space allows subscribers to engage in conversations directly with each other and the creator.
This will allow creators to build stronger relationships with their audience, fostering engagement and loyalty, particularly useful in social commerce.
Communities are currently available on select channels, with plans to test with more users this year and expand access in early 2025.
👉 Hype Program
Hype boosts visibility for smaller creators, democratizing audience reach and providing opportunities for new brands and influencers to gain exposure.
Fans can “hype” videos to connect creators with new audiences.
Videos with the most hype points appear on a leaderboard, boosting discovery.
This feature has been tested in Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan, with plans to expand soon.
👉 Auto-Dubbing
This will help creators overcome language barriers, enabling broader global audience reach.
Currently limited to some creators, it will soon be available to many more creators, supporting languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian.
YouTube is also piloting a feature to transfer tone, intonation, and ambiance into dubbed audio for a more natural experience.
👉 AI-Enhanced Replies
The YouTube Studio app’s Comments tab is becoming ‘Community’ for enhanced fan engagement. To ease responding to numerous comments, AI-enhanced reply suggestions will be added, tailored to users’ style for easy customization.
👉 New Revenue Streams
YouTube is introducing Jewels and gifts, digital items designed to enhance real-time fan engagement and provide creators with a new earning opportunity.
This feature will first be available on vertical livestreams in the U.S., enabling viewers to interact and express excitement more easily.
There are now over 250,000 creators in YouTube Shopping. The affiliate program, currently available in the U.S. and South Korea, is expanding to Indonesia in partnership with Shopee. In the coming weeks, the program will also launch in Thailand and Vietnam, allowing more creators worldwide to share products with fans and grow their businesses.
These updates position YouTube as a more robust platform for creator commerce, as it gears up to compete with popular social platforms.
2. Amazon Launches AI Video Ad Generator Before Holidays
Amazon has introduced an AI-powered video ad generator that transforms product images into video ads, aimed at making video advertising more accessible and affordable for small- and mid-sized retailers.
This tool, part of Amazon’s Sponsored Brands campaign suite, is currently in beta and free for ad partners. To use the video generator, retailers on the Sponsored Brands platform submit their product page and select “choose an AI-generated video” from a menu.
Gellé Frères, a French skincare company, has been using the video generator as holiday marketing campaigns begin. A spokesperson stated that the solution “significantly reduced the time required to produce a video ad” and has enabled video advertising for a broader range of products.
Amazon also introduced a live image capability, allowing brands to add dynamic elements to static images.
Availability of the video generator and live image capability is initially limited, and Amazon will refine the technology based on advertiser feedback.
These tools are part of Amazon’s broader strategy to attract sellers and increase advertising spend by offering them innovative solutions using generative AI.
3. TikTok Invites Brands to Join 2024 Holiday Gift Guide
TikTok is inviting brands to be part of its 2024 Holiday Emporium gift guide, which will be featured on TikTok Shop and promoted by influencers and in-app marketing.
To be eligible, brands must meet the following requirements:
- Have an active TikTok Ads Manager account.
- Have a TikTok account in good standing that follows the community guidelines and ad policies.
- Have products available for purchase on an e-commerce platform.
- Begin TikTok Shop set up by October 1, 2024.
To qualify, sellers must spend a significant amount on TikTok ads — $12,500 for Silver tier or $19,500 for Gold tier over three months. TikTok will select products at its discretion.
Brands can utilize TikTok Shop Ads solutions like Video Shopping Ads for shoppable videos, Product Shopping Ads for targeting high-intent shoppers, and LIVE Shopping Ads to boost sales during live sessions.
