Introduction
Videos can be added to support your products and give your customers a better idea of the look and feel of an item. Videos are also a great way to show off your brand and tell your story.
There are two ways to add videos to your store:
Method 1 - Use a YouTube or Vimeo video link.
- Used for longer videos (exceeding 1 minute).
- Easier to share your content on other platforms (e.g. social media).
Method 2 - Upload a video file to Shopify.
- Ideal for shorter videos (1 minute or less).
- Generally more convenient because no accounts are required on external platforms.
In this guide, you'll learn how to add a video to your store's sections using both of these methods.
Good to know:
- Enabling autoplay has pros and cons. We've written more about it here: Should I enable video autoplay?
- Autoplay is not supported on mobile view for Vimeo or YouTube videos and some devices and browsers do not support it.
- If your video is located in a section or block with a set height, ensure the video uploaded reflects the same aspect ratio of the container or you may see a black background around your video content.
Method 1: Using YouTube or Vimeo links
This method requires your video to be uploaded to either YouTube or Vimeo. To do this, you will need to create an account on your chosen platform (if you don't already have one) and follow the respective instructions to upload a video.
Once your video is ready, you can follow these steps to add it to your store pages.
A step-by-step guide
Step 1. Copy the video's URL from YouTube/Vimeo
Go to your video and click the Share button. You will then be presented with several options.
If you're using YouTube please follow the instructions found via the Google Support Docs: Share videos and channels
If using Vimeo please follow the instructions found on the Vimeo Help Centre here: How do I share my Video
Step 2. Navigate to your theme's video section
Open your Theme Editor tool and go to the video section you wish to use (e.g. Video with text overlay).
Click into the video section's settings and paste the copied link into the Video URL box and save.
Method 2: Uploading a video to Shopify files
You can host shorter videos on Shopify by uploading to Content > Files section. This method has some technical limitations which are detailed below.
When uploading a video to Shopify, your video file must meet the following requirements:
- Video file type: .mp4 or .mov
- Video length: Up to 60 seconds
- Video size: Up to 1 GB
- Video resolution: Up to 4K (4096 x 2160 px)
You can use the following steps to upload a video to Shopify and display it on a page.
A step-by-step guide
Step 1. Select the video in the theme
In video supporting section you can 'Select video' where you can upload a new video to your files or connect an existing one.
If you ever need to review your videos you can find them under 'Content > Files' and filter by video.
The benefits of adding videos to your store
Videos have become a must-have for many online stores. They're a fantastic way to increase conversion rates, engage customers, and improve satisfaction. Videos give customers an immersive and interactive experience that helps them better understand products and their features. This is essential because customers are more likely to make a purchase when they know what they're buying.
On top of that, videos can build trust and credibility with customers. Customers who see a product in action are more likely to trust it and believe it can deliver what it promises. Videos may also reduce the risk of returns and refunds since customers are less likely to be disappointed with their purchase if they've seen it in action beforehand.
Including videos in your online store can positively impact search engine rankings and drive more traffic. This is due to the fact that videos tend to be shared and viewed more frequently than other forms of content.