Updated: Jun 1, 2021
In 2021, online content has the capacity to go viral and reach millions. When it comes to trends, they get popular fast.
The latest craze dominating the ecommerce scene is livestream shopping. This form of streaming commerce is taking off, with hosts making thousands of sales per stream.
This growth in popularity can be blamed on the global pandemic. When stores were closed brands had to look towards internet solutions to stay in touch with their customers. Livestream offers a real-time shopping experience in which brands can connect with their consumers to sell.
It seems in a post-pandemic world this trend is set to stick around. The format has been huge in China for a decade and by 2023 the market is set to be worth $25 million in the US alone.
This may sound intimidating and you may be asking yourself, "I'm a small business, how on earth can I start using livestream to sell?". Even if you aren't a huge corporation like Adidas or Amazon, you can still take your brand live with shoppable livestreams.
So, here are some tips to consider if you want to delve into the ever growing industry of streaming commerce...
Choose a suitable platform!
Make sure you have done your research into platforms that will help you go live!
There are several options out there. Some great platforms include:
Popshop Live: aimed at independent retailers and ecommerce businesses. Brands can talk to hundreds of customers at a time to sell products. Just sign up to the app to become a seller and your application will be reviewed.
Smartzer: The interactive video platform helps brands to create clickable video streams. Brands connect the Smartzer player to their streaming platform using a RTMP link and stream key. Viewers can then tune in to shop directly from the video in real-time. Anyone can subscribe to Smartzer to create livestream shopping experiences. The Smartzer editor is now available or businesses to download on Shopify.
Bambuser: Integrate the platform with your ecommerce to livestream and interact with customers. Viewers watch videos and make purchases even after the event. Bambuser also lets users broadcast one-on-one with customers for personalised consultation style appointments.
Whatnot: Whatnot's platform is for collectors and is similar to eBay. The platform specialises in the resale of rare products like designer sneakers. Anyone can shop on the app, however, not everyone can sell. The team reviews applications and accepts established businesses with good reputations.
Choosing a platform can help you achieve engagement that goes beyond just Instagram live.
Platforms that focus on livestream shopping experiences are better equipped to provide you with a seamless selling experience. They are also more likely to provide your customer with a top tier buying experience. Instagram Live has a slight delay broadcast, which can cause issues when trying to achieve seamless conversions or communicating in the comment section with viewers.
What else do sellers need for a successful livestream?
Exciting, personable content!
To really achieve sales, hosts need to be engaging, friendly and have personality. A planned stream with dynamic content will retain viewers and reduce drop off. Fans love behind the scenes content, if this is your first livestream, give your viewers a unique and human view of your brand. Story telling is a great way of engaging a viewer. Maybe even try a Q&A if you have time!
Inform your viewers to gain customer trust.
Although personality is important, it is still essential to give information about what you are selling. Video tends to be the clearest way of portraying a product so do your best to demonstrate the key features and why your viewer will want to buy it. Be passionate about your product!
Film in a good location with good lighting and no background noise.
There is nothing worse than being on a video call and not being able to hear the other person because the WIFI is bad or there's shouting in the background or you can't see them. The same goes for livestream. You need to create an environment that your customers would want to be in. Ensure you have clear lighting, a fun back-drop (think about coordinating your brand theme and values), make sure the room is soundproof or maybe even provide a subtle backing track.
You don't need state of the art equipment. However, some simple tools can make you look professional.
A tri-pod to rest your phone or camera that you are streaming through will ensure your camera stays still and level with your host.
If your WIFI is weak, consider getting an extender or hot spotting from a stronger device.
Maybe invest in a cool backdrop if you plan on doing multiple streams or buy some standing lights to make sure your viewers can see you!
Keeping livestreams consistent and offering your customers special events to join can boost engagement and increase brand loyalty.
By offering multiple streams you can sell more and more products! As word gets out about your livestream shopping experience you will grow your consumer base.
Streaming commerce doesn't have to be rocket science! For more information on how to create your first stream visit smartzer.com
- May 4, 2021
Updated: Jun 7, 2021
It is no secret that video is the most informative form of content for educating new and existing customers quickly. Viewers claim they retain 95% of a message when obtained via video (Social Media Week). Compared to static images and text, video can tell your audience a lot about your product in a short space of time. This means that video has the ability to convert viewers into customers fast.
For brands on Shopify, creating video doesn't need to be complicated. There are several applications that can simplify the process and help businesses to produce content that converts.
A Shopify Video Maker is a tool that can take text, images and audio to create dynamic content. Here are some tools that can help you to create video on Shopify...
1. Video Background: by Code Black Belt
Add an exciting element to your website by creating a Video Background. Code Black Belt's app allows brands to choose any video for their ecommerce background quickly. You can choose which section of your website you'd like the video to cover and can edit the size, audio and more. The app is free for 30 days, easy to install and fully customisable.
2. Smartzer: Shoppable Video and Livestream
Smartzer's app helps brands to create immersive, interactive and shoppable content. Brands can choose to create an on-demand shoppable video in which they upload their product links to a player and then add them to a clickable overlay to make them shoppable. It is possible to share these videos across social media and implement them on ecommerce landing pages to boost engagement, click-through-rate and conversions. Smartzer also offers brands the option to create a Shopify livestream. Here, all you need to do is upload your products you want to display to the app before the stream, then link the player to your chosen streaming platform. Brands can then film a Shopify livestream in which viewers will be able to buy products in real-time without leaving the video. Check out the above example of Smartzer's livestream with German brand, Magiclaze, on Shopify.
For more information visit smartzer.com
Easy Video: Product Videos by Nexusmedia
EasyVideo allows you to copy and paste a link to YouTube and Vimeo videos to use it for items in your store. The app helps you to embed video code to product pages and display video instead images. You can adapt the video to suit your site theme, with some themes requiring extra configuration. So, instead of just a plain image you can demonstrate your products with an exciting, moving image. This will provide a more detailed view of your product, giving the customer the confidence to buy online.
4. Widgetic: Video Player
Widgetic allows users to create video on Shopify that showcase product features. The app allows you to add all of your social media video content into a single player to then customize them to match your stores onsite style. The app can also be applied to your product descriptions, playback content from your social media channels, testimonials and more. This way, customers stay informed with video updates.
5. Product Videos: Omega
Omega's software allows brands to add Youtube and Vimeo videos to product descriptions. Users can add multiple videos with no limitations on how many there can be. The tool lets users view a video in Lightbox Popup and you can select to display a single or gallery video. Users copy and paste the video URL into the app and can edit layouts.
6. Shopideo: Product video by Menelabs
Shopideo also helps brands add YouTube or Vimeo videos to product pages and can even create video thumbnails. An intelligent search engine allows users to browse product related videos to find there perfect content. The app doesn't slow down the speed of your product pages when browsing which creates a better shoppable content experience.
7. Promo.com: Promo Videos
Promo helps Shopify brands to capture their audiences attention and draw in business. The app automatically creates videos for your store, products, brand awareness, social channels and more from existing content. Just upload your desired videos and let the app do the rest.
8. Live Stream Shopping: by Channelize.io
Live Stream Shopping (app) helps brands accelerate purchase decisions by combining real-time product experience with product information verification and instant chat room communication. Shopify livestream apps allow brands to engage with buyers in real-time. Like Smartzer's app users host live, engaging shopping experiences to promote products and sell instantly. Videos can be repurposed as on-demand content after the stream has ended.
9. Vimotia: Shoppable Videos
Vimotia helps brands to create TikTok style shoppable content on their ecommerce to boost sales. The apps swipe feature turns ordinary videos into refreshing shoppable videos. Content is monetised by featuring an 'Add to Cart' button so that viewers can purchase with one click. Shoppable video shortens the path to purchase, encouraging impulse buying.
10. Tolstoy Interactive Video
Download Tolstoy to create personalised product recommendations, quiz, FAQ & video chat on your ecommerce. The app helps brands to create shoppable videos, interactive experiences and quizzes to promote your brand and sell. The app helps users to welcome visitors to their site with a personal touch, create interactive FAQ, automatically answer popular support questions to lower ticket volume and explain complex products in a way that shows.
Video helps to build brand loyalty by showing site visitors authentic and detailed product information. Using video content in marketing and across ecommerce is now essential for creating a name for your brand, so why not use the above apps to win on Shopify?!
For more information on how to create shoppable video and livestream visit Smartzer.com
- Apr 29, 2021
Updated: Aug 24, 2021
The world is becoming increasingly digital and with this, brands could start to lose their human touch. With rapid technological advancement, it is important that customers can still view brands as personable instead of just a business entity.
So, how can marketers reach out to their customers in a way that both engages and builds a relationship?
This blog will explain five up and coming formats that brands are using in video content marketing to solve this online disconnect.
#1 SHOPPABLE VIDEO
Shoppable video is an informative, immersive and monetised form of video content marketing. Videos feature clickable overlays that can be tagged with product information. Viewers can tap, spin, swipe and drag videos to explore relevant information and discover their next buy. Shoppable videos drive viewers quickly down the shopping funnel, shortening the path to purchase by offering information and 'add-to-cart' functionality. This form of video content marketing leads to 3-4x more engagement than standard video.
#2 SHOPPABLE LIVESTREAM
Livestream shopping is an up and coming trend set by China. Brands across the world are playing catch up and gradually looking towards interactive video platforms to help them allow their fans to shop live. Streamers upload product links to a player then attach the players RTMP and URL to their chosen livestreaming platform. Viewers can then shop along with the host by clicking on product popups alongside the stream. A chat bar enables customers to ask hosts questions and communicate with one another, providing a community feel to the shopping experience.
#3 CHAT BOTS AND FACETIME
Chat bots have become the norm for online shopping experiences. Automated messaging popups allow customers to ask questions and get answers fast. Now, this is developing to use features like facetime so that store associates can have virtual consultations with clients. Customers can book one on one appointments to discuss products and gain the confidence to buy online. As a result, brands can give a human feel to the digital shopping experience.
#4 BRANCHING VIDEOS
Branching is a type of interactive video that lets the viewer choose their route through the content. This depends on data inputted by the user via multiple choice questions or customisable options. Branching videos are usually decide your own adventure type videos or they could be as simple as choosing a colourway for a product. Branching videos involve the viewer in a gamified experience. The viewer becomes an active participant, entirely engaged with the content. Branching interactive video is great for tracking user behaviour and harvesting data to understand what makes your customer tick.
#5 EFFECTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
Using these formats in your video content marketing strategy is amazing, but you need to share them appropriately for viewers to be able to engage. Sharing your videos to platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok can massively boost your engagement. The average person scrolls through 300 feet of mobile content every day. That's equivalent to the size of the Statue of Liberty. So, it is important to take advantage of this increased online audience and stand out on news feeds. Interactive video is far more engaging and memorable than standard video so has the capacity to grip your viewers attention amongst the noise of social media.
For more information on how to create an interactive and shoppable video visit smartzer.com