Video Production | sage greene

UX-Driven
Video Content Strategy

Designing Videos That Speak Clearly, Perform Brilliantly.

Role: Creative Direction, Art Direction, UX Design and Research

Project Brief

As part of Amazon’s effort to enhance the product detail page experience, I led UX research focused on video content optimization. Using an eye-tracking system and customer interviews, we discovered that users prefer straightforward, informative videos over purely inspirational ones. I translated these insights into actionable creative strategies, developing scalable production guidelines that balance clarity with brand tone and quality. From content structure to post-production, I directed each stage to ensure our videos not only inform—but also elevate the customer’s confidence in their purchase.

1. Challenge

Amazon product pages were increasingly featuring videos, yet customer engagement remained low. Many vendors invested in production-heavy videos, but these often failed to build trust or drive conversions.

Our goal was to rethink the video experience — making it impactful, trustworthy, and cost-efficient.

2. Insights

I led a UX research initiative combining eye-tracking analysis and customer journey mapping. We discovered key behavioral patterns:

Key Findings:

Most users did not enable sound, especially on mobile.
Narration and music had little effect on engagement—removing them reduced production cost.
Customers strongly preferred POV (point-of-view) style because it simulated a hands-on experience, which is crucial in online shopping where physical interaction isn't possible.
Presenter-style videos often felt like TV ads and were perceived as less trustworthy or emotionally pressuring.
Vertical format (4:5) outperformed horizontal (9:16), as mobile users were unwilling to rotate their devices and preferred a full-screen experience.
Text placement mattered:
- For small products, customers focused on the center of the screen.
- For larger products, bottom-aligned text was less intrusive during product usage scenes.
Faces in the video had mixed impact:
- Positively boosted engagement and imagination for cosmetics and lifestyle products.
- Distracted users and reduced product clarity for functional or industrial items.

3.Strategic Creative Shift

Through interviews and behavioral observation, we learned:

50-second videos felt too long. Users preferred shorter content that helped them visualize product use quickly.
Authenticity mattered more than polish. Customer trust was higher for content that resembled user-generated reviews than commercial ads.

We shifted our creative strategy:

Reduced video length to around 30 seconds. (depends on the contents, but shorter is better
Prioritized clear visuals and feature-first storytelling.
Designed a style between CM-level polish and review-like trust — scalable yet emotionally resonant.

4.Execution

Directed 200+ short videos using this new system.
Trained internal and vendor teams in the updated creative standards.
Rolled out global video design guidelines based on UX findings
Developed a modular video production framework adaptable across categories, intentionally designed with future AI integration in mind. Anticipating advancements in AI-generated personalized content, we standardized a 16:9 format containing three vertical angles in a single frame. This approach enabled AI tools to later analyze and assemble the most effective video cut—making every shoot an investment in scalable, automated content creation.