Video E-Commerce Accounts for 20% in Southeast Asia, Consumption Trends Shift Toward Content
Video content is becoming the core engine driving e-commerce consumption.
According to the latest data released by YouTube, video e-commerce has already accounted for 20% of total e-commerce sales in Southeast Asia, becoming a mainstream force that cannot be ignored.
This trend clearly indicates that consumers’ shopping decision paths are undergoing profound changes, shifting from traditional text-and-image search toward more immersive and trustworthy video content. For sellers who hope to expand into emerging markets, mastering video marketing capabilities is no longer a bonus, but a required course.
The Southeast Asian Market Reveals New Global Consumption Trends
According to ABS-CBN, this milestone data from the Southeast Asian market is actually a microcosm of global e-commerce trends. Whether it is TikTok’s short video commerce or YouTube’s shopping livestreams, video is becoming the shortest path connecting products with consumers.
Compared with static images and text, video can more vividly demonstrate a product’s functions, usage scenarios, and texture, quickly establishing consumer trust and stimulating their desire to buy. Especially in the Southeast Asian market, where mobile internet penetration is extremely high, the growth potential of this model is particularly significant.
Sellers Must Shift from “Traffic Operations” to “Content Operations”
This change requires that the core capabilities of sellers must extend from traditional “traffic operations” (such as advertising placement and keyword optimization) to “content operations.”
In the past, sellers cared about how to make their products rank higher in search results; now, sellers need to think about how to create video content that attracts users, resonates with them, and ultimately drives conversion. This means that insight into consumer needs, content creativity, and production capability are becoming more important than ever.
Seller Response Strategies and Steps
| Step | Core Operation | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Conduct off-site trend research | Use tools to analyze popular video content related to your category on YouTube, TikTok, etc. | Understand what consumers are watching and liking, and find inspiration for products and marketing. |
| Step 2: Try lightweight video production | Start with simple unboxing videos or short function demonstration clips, without pursuing high-cost big productions. | Authentic and useful content is often more persuasive than glamorous ads. |
| Step 3: Build a video content matrix | Plan different types of video content, such as product reviews, tutorials, and user stories. | Diverse content can meet different consumers’ information needs. |
| Step 4: Combine with influencer marketing | Cooperate with local influencers in the target market to quickly reach potential consumers through their influence. | Influencer endorsement can effectively boost brand trust and conversion rates. |
Insights
The rise of video e-commerce in Southeast Asia reveals an important new direction for product selection and marketing: demand no longer exists only in the search box of platforms, but in large quantities on off-site social media and content platforms.
To seize this wave of dividends, the most efficient way is to change the habit of focusing only on platform internal data and instead adopt the idea and tools of “off-site demand research.” For example, by analyzing high-view YouTube videos about a certain type of product (such as “portable coffee machine”), we can quickly identify consumers’ biggest concerns (such as “is it easy to clean,” “how is the battery life”), their favorite design styles, and emerging usage scenarios (such as “afternoon tea in the office” or “outdoor camping”).
The information extracted from vivid user content is the most valuable basis for differentiated product development and iteration. Combining these off-site insights with platform internal data such as market size and competitive landscape for dual validation, sellers can find those true blue ocean opportunities with explosive potential. This is exactly the three-dimensional product selection mindset that extends “data analysis” from inside the platform to the entire web.
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