If you were a kid or had a kid anytime in the last ten years, you’re probably familiar with unboxing videos.
And even if you’ve been a happy childless adult, chances are you still know what they are, even from the name.
In unboxing videos, a content creator unwraps a brand-new package and shows what’s inside.
…And they aren’t just for kids anymore.
Nope, we’re all taken in by them: we want to see what’s inside. We love the feeling of opening a brand-new box, even if we’re only experiencing it vicariously through the internet.
But the BEST part of unboxing videos, by far?
You can use them to get excellent results for your brand.
Why are unboxing videos popular?
Unboxing videos are popular because if we see a package, we want to know what’s inside. It’s natural human curiosity–and if someone on social media knows how to tap into that, we’re instantly hooked.
Think about the last time you got a package shipped to your house. Even if you know what’s inside, it’s still exciting to peel back the tape, open the box, and see the thing you’ve ordered for the first time.
And it’s even more exciting when the box looks cool, someone’s hyping it up, and you have no idea what’s inside, right?
I mean–we all love a good present, don’t we?
Some influencers create this effect better than others–it’s all about their ability to intrigue you.
Another reason these videos are popular is that people like to know what comes in the box before they purchase something. Product photos can be stylized and photoshopped, but seeing someone pull it out of the box feels authentic.
People also love watching them because they can give the thrill of buying something new, on demand. They get to see what it looks like, fresh out of the box… And imagine themselves doing the same thing.
All these elements are part of why unboxing videos are so popular, but watching one yourself is the best way to see why they’re popular!
What are some examples of cool unboxing videos?
Check out this example from Clip:
And another one from us:
✅ We also have some examples from TikTok:
The first two video examples are from creators on Clip, and the other two are TikTok unboxing videos from influencers. As you can see, they all do a great job of building excitement and anticipation around what’s in the box!
How can I generate ROI with unboxing videos?
As amazing as unboxing videos are, you can’t just make a couple, stick them anywhere online, and expect to sell out. You need to be strategic with them.
In our experience, you’ll get the biggest ROI from unboxing videos on social media: both paid and organic posts.
You might *think* that they’re a good fit for product pages, but they aren’t- people are much more likely to watch them on social media. Chances are, if they’ve ended up on your product page, they’re planning on buying your product. They’re going to be more interested in seeing it in use or finding out where to buy it–not seeing it come out of the box.
If you’re going the organic social route, you HAVE to post the unboxing video somewhere it’ll get high reach.
It’ll be hard to create conversions if you post an unboxing video to an account with a small number of followers and reach. So, if your brand’s social media accounts don’t have much of a following, you may want to hire influencers.
And if you’re working with influencers, the question isn’t, “How big is their audience?” but “How engaged are their followers?”
Smaller accounts are generally better at generating conversions– but that doesn’t mean you’re going to get a huge ROI because their followings are smaller.
So, organic social is a dance of trying to figure out the right balance between engagement and reach–and it’s a hard one to strike.
The good news is there’s a better method to get ROI, and that’s paid ads.
Paid ads are our FAVORITE place to use unboxing videos because you can put money behind them to get as many eyeballs as possible. Unboxing videos work great on Meta’s ads platform (especially Instagram unboxing videos), and on TikTok and Snapchat.
We’re not going to get into how to run ads–there are plenty of resources out there for that. But this is where the real ROI comes from.
It’ll still take some trial and error to figure out. You’re going to have to try a few different types of unboxing videos to see which one works for your brand. This can be discouraging, but hang in there.
Not all of the videos you put in your ads will work–and you won’t know until you try. But the ones that do work will more than pay for the ones that don’t.
Our tips for unboxing videos
We’ve run a lot of unboxing video ads, and there are a few things that will increase your chances of having a great ROI. They are:
Tip #1: Hire ENGAGING creators
This might surprise you, but not all content creators are natural in front of the camera. If you’re rating them on a scale of 1 to 10, most of them won’t be 1s. But they won’t all be 10s, either.
For the best unboxing videos, you want the creator to be at least a 9/10. Look for:
- Flow, with no awkward silences
- Enthusiasm
- Natural–It should seem authentic like they don’t even care that the camera is on. Like they know how to film unboxing videos because they do this all the time.
This last one is the MOST important. The good news? It’s easy to spot from their portfolio. Check out videos from every creator you’re thinking of hiring, and you’ll notice subtle differences. These small differences will make a HUGE difference for your brand.
Tip #2: Be on theme
Even though the main attraction of the video is the unboxing, the story surrounding it needs to make sense. 💡
For example, consider these two hypothetical videos for a protein powder brand:
In video #1, you just see a content creator’s hands as they unbox the video on their floor.
In video #2, the content creator smiles at the camera as they walk into their kitchen. They’re wearing workout gear, and they say, “I just got back from the gym, and I am STARVING. Good thing my new protein powder from [brand] just arrived!”
Which one is more compelling?
The last thing you want to do is confuse people about what the unboxing video is about.
So ask your creators to frame the unboxing in a way that makes sense. If you’re a makeup brand, this may look like asking creators to unbox and use your products before a night on the town. If you’re a skincare brand, it may look like asking people to unbox and use them as part of their nighttime routine.
You get the point–how you set up the unboxing, and the experience the video delivers, makes a difference.
Your content creators don’t have to spend a LOT of time on it, but showing how they’re using your products or why they need them will increase your ROI.
Tip #3: Show your product in use
We touched on this in tip #2, but it’s worth repeating:
Don’t just have the creators post it and then say, “bye!” Have them show a quick shot of how they’re using the product.
To go back to our protein powder example, have them show themselves sipping and enjoying a protein powder shake after the unboxing. Or, with the makeup example, have them show their final look while out on the town.
Most amateur unboxing videos don’t do this– but if yours do, they’ll stand out and make your products even more enticing.
Tip #4: Let creators create
Other than the tips we’ve already shared–about asking them to set up the unboxing and show your product in use–don’t try to control the narrative of the unboxing video.
Part of the ✨magic✨ of unboxing videos is their authenticity. You’re seeing exactly what’s in the box, hearing real-time reactions and feedback, and you feel like you’re there in the room with them.
If you force your creators to follow a script, you’ll lose that authenticity.
That doesn’t mean you can’t offer guidance. If you have some talking points and insights to share about your product, great. Just make sure you’re on the side of giving creators artistic license with these unboxing videos. If you have exact calls to action, hooks, and features you want them to focus on, an unboxing video may not be the perfect format for your brand.
Other things to consider to get the perfect unboxing video
If you’ve found the perfect creators for your unboxing video, you may think your job is done, right? Well, there are a few other things to consider:
Packaging
We’re going to speak up for creators here: Unboxing videos can only be as awesome as your packaging.
You might hire a 10/10 creator who is engaging and knows how to build excitement for a product, but if your packaging design isn’t appealing, no one will care.
So before you start asking for unboxing videos, make sure your packaging and presentation are on point, okay?
For inspiration, check out the packaging in the example videos above. Even if the packages weren’t fancy, each brand did something to make their package stand out and get your attention. There are zero plain brown boxes in sight, and everything inside the boxes is wrapped for an even better reveal.
Video quality
You can’t afford to have people keep scrolling because they can’t hear or see your video. This means you need HD video–communicate that to creators so they record on the right settings. Let them know you want all the small details captured.
Video duration
If you’re wondering how long your unboxing video should be, the answer is: It depends. 😜
If you’re unboxing something like a MacBook–that’s going to take a bit, right?
But if it’s an iPhone case? Not nearly as long.
So it depends first on how complex your product is and how much you want to capture. You’ll also want to consider if the social platform you’re planning to use has restrictions on video length.
Creator quality
Okay, we KNOW we already mentioned this, but just in case you skimmed past it or weren’t paying attention:
Get your brand a creator who is engaging, can hook viewers, and keep them watching.
👆 This is the single most important part of your unboxing video. If you don’t get a creator who can do this, you can kiss ROI goodbye.
How to find content creators to do unboxing
So where do you find these awesome creators who are engaging, know how to hook viewers, and create videos with amazing ROI?
We’re glad you asked! 💁♀️
The truth is that trying to find high-quality UGC creators can be a frustrating waste of time.
That’s why we created Clip. To connect brands with some of the best content creators on the planet. 🌍
In just 7 days, you can get best-in-class UGC from amazing content creators. Our unboxing videos are performance-driven, and we coach our creatives on how to make content that generates sales.
If you’re ready to get amazing unboxing videos for your brand, try Clip today.
(Our prices are reasonable too!)
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