How to Compress Video Size for Shopify Without Losing Quality

Does your Shopify store load slowly because you have so many videos? Learn simple ways to reduce your Shopify video size while retaining their quality.

Ali Shah - Writer for Tolstoy
By Ali Shah
Nevena Radulović - Tolstoy Editor
Edited by Nevena Radulović

Published May 7, 2023.

In today's fast-paced e-commerce environment, it's critical for online store owners to create high-quality videos to showcase their products in the best light. Nevertheless, high-quality videos come with bigger file sizes, which can result in slower website loading times and negatively affect the user experience in your store.

As a result, you need to compress video size without sacrificing quality to provide quick website loading times and improve your store's customer experience. Luckily, you can achieve this by following the strategies below to reduce video size for Shopify.

1. Select the Appropriate Video Format

The video format you select can significantly influence file size. Shopify supports the MP4 video format, which is a popular option for web videos. You can use video compression tools such as Handbrake or Adobe Media Encoder to convert your video to MP4 format.

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2. Minimize Video Resolution

Reducing the resolution of your videos is an efficient way to minimize video size. For product videos, Shopify recommends a maximum video resolution of 1080p. Video compression programs also allow you to easily change your video resolution to one that's optimal for your needs.

However, remember that lowering video resolution can result in a loss of quality, so it's important to choose a resolution that strikes the right balance between video quality and size.

3. Reduce the Bit Rate

Bit rate refers to the quantity of data delivered per second in a video. Lowering the bit rate can reduce file size without dramatically compromising video quality. However, you need to be careful not to lower it too much, because this can damage the video quality and impact user experience.

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4. Choose the Appropriate Codec

Codecs are in charge of encoding and decoding video files. The H.264 codec is frequently used for web videos because it provides high-quality films in modest file sizes. When compressing video files, use this codec for the best results in terms of the quality-size ratio.

5. Use a Cloud-Based Video Compression Solution

You can also consider a cloud-based video compressing service like CloudConvert or Clipchamp if you prefer a more automatic option. These sites let you upload your video and have it instantly compressed using predefined optimization parameters.

Achieve a Bigger Impact with Smaller Videos

Managing to reduce the size of your videos without sacrificing their quality will offer you various advantages. Shorter videos load more quickly, which will help improve your Shopify store's user experience and lower your bounce rates. What's more, these videos cost less to host because they use less bandwidth and storage space.

Finally, smaller videos are more likely to be shared on social media and other platforms, thereby broadening your content's impact and reach and increasing your conversion rates. By combining these benefits, smaller videos can increase the overall impact of your video content and boost your bottom line.