Behind The Tool: Joe From Novel

For those new to Novel—what is it, in plain English?

Some cool Shopify brands use Novel for on-site video. It usually takes about 45 seconds to install and get set up. Page conversion usually increases. Site visitors usually hang out on the site longer.

What made you want to solve this problem?‍

Consumers were becoming addicted to short-form video across socials (20hrs of watch-time per week), yet e-comm websites were stuck in a static past with only images and words.

What’s one common misconception brands have about adding video to their site?

That videos need to be perfectly produced and high quality for them to have the best conversion impact on the website. False.

Let’s rewind a bit—how did your background lead you to building this?

‍Prior to Novel, my co-founder and I developed a live-stream platform for music artists (used by Lady Gaga, Oliver Heldens, Sam Feldt, Naked and Famous..). Building a livestream platform from scratch gave us the technical knowhow for scaling high-speed video experiences across e-comm webpages.

What’s the “aha” moment for new users once they start using Novel?

‍Within a 30 second onboarding experience, a customer will already have their first video carousel live on their homepage, measurably improving conversion.

There are a few other video tools out there—what sets Novel apart?

‍Novel's platform is easier-to-use and manage, and far more affordable than other solutions at scale.

What’s a trend you’re seeing in your space that not enough people are paying attention to?

‍The possibility of AI video generation completely replacing UGC creators.

Let’s talk about building the product itself. What’s a lesson you’ve learned the hard way?

‍Product Development takes 2-3x longer than even your pessimistic estimates.

And finally—best piece of advice you’ve ever received?‍

Most people carry a pretense of having "life figured out". The good and bad news is.. nobody does.