What is the video section?
The Video section in the Alchemy theme is a flexible section which allows customers to watch video content. Videos provide a way to display engaging, promotional and educational media in a way that would be difficult to achieve through static images. Videos can enhance customers' shopping experience and may lead to increased conversion rates.
The Alchemy video section can be used for background videos by choosing autoplay. In this case, the video will play automatically and the video audio will be muted. Alternatively, the video can play with audio when a play icon is clicked. The video section also has settings for optional text and buttons. This text content can be displayed as an overlay on full width videos, or the text and buttons can be shown above smaller videos within the section. The video section is compatible with content boundaries.
How set up the video section
Steps
- Open the Theme Editor. Click Add section and add a Video section to the page.
- There are two different methods to choose a video.
Video upload: Select a video file (e.g. an MP4) hosted on your Shopify store.
External video: This is a video from an external link and supports YouTube or Vimeo videos. - Once the video source has been selected, a Video alt text can be added. This is hidden text that will be read out by screen readers and should describe the content of the video.
- It is also recommended to add a Custom cover image that will display in the place of the video while the video is loading, or if it cannot autoplay. This could be due to reasons such as a user’s poor internet connection, limited browser support or slow page load times.
- Select the Video Size.
When the Video size is set to Small, Medium or Large, the content of any additional text or button blocks added will be displayed above the video and the full video will be shown.
When the Video size is set to Full width, any content will show in a Text overlay and the video will be cropped. This full width layout can be used as a moving background image when the video is set to autoplay. - The Autoplay setting controls the video behaviour.
Autoplay on: The video will automatically play WITHOUT audio.
Autoplay off: The video will play once WITH audio after the user has clicked on the play icon. - Use the Style settings to further configure the section, for example by choosing a Top boundary effect or Color scheme for the section background or text.
- Four types of optional block can be added - Subheading, Heading, Text and Buttons. These will display above the video if the Video size is not full width or in an overlay for full width videos.
How to use the Text overlay settings
When Video size is set to Full width, any text will appear in a Text overlay. This layout can be useful when a video is used as a moving background image. Full width videos may be cropped.
Steps
- In the main Video settings, navigate to the Text overlay settings.
- Choose the Overlay position and Text alignment.
- Select a Color scheme and use the slider to adjust the Border width, Border color and Corner radius.
- Set the Text background opacity. If the opacity is less than 100% then the image or video behind the text overlay will be partially visible and blurred. To remove or adjust the strength of the blur, go to Theme Settings > Design > Text overlay background blur.
Caution
FAQs
When I select autoplay, can the video play with audio?
No. Browsers don’t allow sound to be active by default on auto-playing videos. Most browsers will block the video, which can cause issues.
If you need audio in your video, it’s always best to give your customers the choice as to when they want to play the video.
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