LED Lighting in 2024: Revolutionising Ecommerce and Content Creation Studios
Will 2024 be the year of large-scale adoption of LED lighting in Ecommerce and Content Creation studios? After all it is video that counts. Video resonates, and Video is what customers want to see.
The explosion of TikTok in 2023 has cemented videos importance, but Stills remain crucial for that vital sales conversion.
There are challenges slowing the mass adoption of video for PDP (product detail page) but no doubt the influence of Video is growing.
Is LED lighting the efficient solution for combining both Stills and Video into one Content Creation workflow?
LED Lighting - Constant Improvements:
Just yesterday, Aputure announced three new additions to their lighting range, showcasing the rapid evolution of LED technology. They're leading the charge, and others are quickly following suit.
This continual advancement positions LED as a prime candidate for all studio lighting. LED is cheap to run (at a basic level), low noise, low heat output, safe to handle and has a relatively low cheap purchase point. Unlike Strobe, as a basic rule, LED does not put strain on the electrical supply to a studio space.
The Rise of Video Content:
Background : We were lucky enough this year to attend Peter Davies Asos Studio Director talk at Flow, where he demonstrated ASOS’s Video First Mindset. Link to the recap.
Peter poses the question on the Pixelz page: is it time to abandon stills and turn to video - or is video only to delight and entertain and not specifically sell?
The presentation showed how Video is so engaging, and immediate. Of course, Video is easier at scale, something ASOS can work with well, but all brands should be considering Video content for 2024.
But Why Video?
The growing trend of video when it is unproven for sales even with A/B testing in ecommerce and is difficult to integrate into PDP is curious. But we know that Video resonates with the audience. Bad Video of course is disengaging, but great video sells through emotion.
There are several factors for the need for video in 2024.
Storytelling:
It's easier to convey stories through video than with stills. This storytelling doesn't have to be a complex narrative; it can be as simple as capturing the fall and fit of fabric. But Video has the chance to hook the viewer, to bring Brand Values. Video is memorable.
“ Stills are Information, Video is Emotion. ”
The Dominance of TikTok:
Video content is here to stay, thanks in part to the dominance of platforms like TikTok. Even on LinkedIn, there is a noticeable shift towards video content for communication. Short-form video is the way forward across all areas of social media, and where social leads, ecommerce follows. GenZ are also already moving toward much longer content on TikTok.
Video is Easier than Stills:
This may be arguable and even controversial. But GenZ is demonstrating every day that video is straightforward, easy, fast, cost-effective, and immediate. The preferred tool is the smartphone, potentially not scalable for ecommerce in early 2024, but support for phone content in-house will continue to grow.
Video for Emotion and Hook :
It connects with audiences emotionally and is easy to consume. The question now is, which Content Studios and ecommerce platforms will lead the charge in embracing video?
What are the Challenges ?
Complexity in Matching Strobe and Video Set Lighting:
Matching stills and video is notoriously difficult, Whilst this is universally recognised, it means every studio workflow tool developer is focusing on their own way to simplify this and achieve consistency.
Matching strobe and any form of constant lighting is the real issue. Where Strobe penetrates and freezes, constant lighting interacts and wraps in a different way. This along with aligning different camera profiles for stills and video can pose a problem.
However, these are largely hardware issues that will improve and eventually be fully resolved. As LED lights increase in power, consistent light output and modifier ranges, the need for Strobe becomes reduced for stills.
The quickest in-house solution for consistency is switching content creation in ecommerce to LED.
Efficiency in Combining Video and Stills on One Set:
So, what do we know about this? Making the switch will mean refining the lighting and also designing that lighting with a Video-first mindset and matching the stills back to this.
This is the reverse of how most studios work, building out from a Strobe lighting first.
Video Lighting, to be pleasing, often requires more refinement, flags, and scrims to hero the product. But if this can be achieved in one set shooting Video and Stills, efficiency can be gained.
The Case for LED Lighting in Combined Sets:
A well-designed set, with a considered lighting setup that allows stills and video under one LED set, is the way forward.
Throw into the mix that with the use of app software, the switch between several lighting setups can be swift and painless. If this can be combined with shooting the content on a single body of camera, colour consistency can be achieved.
Video Content and Colour Accuracy:
Arguably, as customer or viewer we are all more accepting of the colour shifts of video. We place much more emphasis on colour accuracy in the still photos. This means we have a little extra latitude in setting up our video workflows.
Quick Takeaway
More time goes into the initial setup and testing of LED sets, but the overall efficiency comes from the long-term gains.
The TikTok Surge in 2023 and Changing Audience Expectations:
With 1 billion downloads in 2023, TikTok is the definitive app of the past two years. Will it continue to grow in 2024? Even if some of the momentum slows, the change has already happened in how we think of video. We consume video voraciously.
The Future of Video in Product Display Pages (PDP):
Who integrates video really well into PDP? It can be a real challenge and greater video content may involve rethinking the full customer online experience. Importantly though its more vital that the video content resonates and is not taking up valuable screenspace without adding value.
Conclusion:
As we move forward into 2024, the growth of LED lighting into content creation studios appears inevitable. The rise of video content and the dominance of platforms like TikTok suggest that LED lighting is not only a cost-effective solution but also a necessity for staying relevant in the industry.
The efficiency gains and the ability to seamlessly switch between stills and video setups make LED lighting a prime candidate for studio lighting.
Combined with a well considered and tested workflow, embracing this technology can lead to enhanced content quality and a competitive edge in the content creation landscape.
Ready to elevate your content creation studio with LED lighting solutions?
Contact us today to discuss how LED lighting can enhance your content quality and streamline your workflow.