- 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
Updated: Jun 1, 2021
With the livestream shopping trend running rampant in Asia for years, the rest of the world is playing catch up.
Now, brands are keen to take part in livestream shopping events to sell to their customers in real-time. Especially when the bricks and mortar stores have been closed for the best part of a year thanks to the global pandemic.
With rapidly advancing streaming commerce technology, the offline is brought online by allowing customers to live shop. By pre-uploading product links to players like Smartzer, connect their RTMP link to their chosen streaming service and then go live!
Here are some brands who have taken the streaming commerce plunge...
1. Nordstrom
This year Nordstrom is set to host a series of immersive and shoppable livestreams. Such as Burberry 'how to wear runway looks' tutorials, beauty classes with Charlotte Tilbury and Anastasia Beverly Hills and more. During the events customers will be able to shop-a-long, buying the products demonstrated and send messages to hosts via a chat room. This real-time, virtual shopping experience provides a human touch to digital ecommerce.
2. AVON
AVON has started to create live shop experiences for their customers. The streams offer customers to shop all the products shown with one off discounts. The latest stream was a spring cleaning event in which viewers could shop a variety of cleaning items. They have also done makeup tutorials, educating customers about finding their perfect shade of lipstick, this segment lasted around 30 minutes. This provided a highly engaging way of selling online, including video chat, consultations and virtual services.
3. Estee Lauder
Estee Lauder are jumping on the livestream trend through their own tutorials, featuring celebrity makeup artists like @Nikki_Makeup and more. Harnessing the power of technology, the brand has used streaming commerce to connect with customers in the comfort of their homes. As a result, anyone can achieve a dewy and glowing complexion with the help of Estee Lauder. Their jam packed calendar of events means that there is a stream catered for everyone within which they can purchase their perfect product suited for their skin type.
4. ZacZess X Smartzer
Swedish equestrian brand, ZacZess, teamed up with Smartzer to deliver a shoppable livestream. The dynamic shopping experience was extremely effective for video content marketing purposes and achieved great results. For example, 67% of viewers interacted to view product details and there was over 50% click-through rate with 40% of viewers commenting using the chat bar. The brand proved that no matter how big or small, shoppable livestream can generate high levels of engagement for businesses online.
For more information on how to create your own interactive and shoppable livestream visit smartzer.com
Updated: Jan 17, 2023
Introducing livestream shopping, the latest trend shaking up ecommerce in 2021.
Over the past year shopping habits have changed drastically. The pandemic threw us into a "storeless" economy in which simply visiting a retailer for product advice was impossible. As a result, brands have had to think digitally to find innovative ways to connect with customers to sell online.
Shoppable video streams have provided a welcome solution to digital customer disconnect. In fact, live videos hold viewers attention 10-20x longer than pre-recorded, on-demand content. The immersive, personal, real-time experience allows customers to shop live and brands to sell lots of products fast. Just check out China, they have been using livestream shopping for years with 265 million Chinese customers purchasing from livestreams in 2020. Even Kim Kardashian has jumped on the trend with Chinese influencer Viya Huang, selling 15,000 bottles of perfume in minutes.
Gradually, more and more brands internationally are using interactive video platforms like Smartzer to allow their customers to shop live on streams. Here are some of the top shoppable video streams of 2021 so far!
ZacZess X Smartzer: harnessing the power of shoppable livestream!
Swedish equestrian wear brand, ZacZess, used livestream shopping to its full potential with Smartzer's platform.
Firstly, the brand uploaded the products they wanted to display to the Smartzer player via SKU. They then built a shoppable carousel alongside for the viewers to click and browse as the video played. Following this, the player was connected to ZacZess's streaming platform using the stream key and RTMP link. The brand then went live with customers able to comment and speak to the hosts via a chat room.
Results:
Livestream allowed ZacZess to achieve fantastic results:
67% of viewers interacted to view product details
Over 50% click-through rate to product pages from the livestream
40% of viewers commented using the chat bar
Magiclaze X Smartzer: selling through a livestream event!
German brand, Magiclaze, sells a variety of products from hoodies and sweatshirts to bead jewellery and handbags.
The brand partnered with Smartzer to create an exciting shoppable livestream event. The hosts demonstrated their products to the viewers clearly, giving them the confidence to buy. The dynamic real-time shopping experience was created in a similar way to the ZacZess stream. Product links were uploaded prior to the stream and then the player was linked to the streaming platform Magiclaze wished to use.
Results:
The video resulted in the following successful feature functions:
The stream featured a chat room for their customers to interact with hosts
Shoppable carousel allowed viewers to browse a variety of products without disturbing the stream
clickable popups allowed customers to shop live by adding products to their basket for purchase
Brown Thomas X Smartzer: livestream shopping, bespoke, ticketed events
Gallery: (Clockwise from top left) Max Mara, Charlotte Tilbury Live Event, Arnotts Gift Grotto, Arnotts Christmas Tree Decorating.
Brown Thomas teamed up with Smartzer to deliver an array of shoppable live events. Beauty and fashion fans could sign up for tickets and spaces on the events for a bespoke and exclusive shop live experience. The livestreams featured all star hosts such experts from Laura Mercier, Charlotte Tilbury, Max Mara, NARS and more. Customers could learn how to use the products displayed and purchase them straight from the stream. After the live videos, Brown Thomas repurposed the videos as on-demand content on their ecommerce. This means that anyone can access the streams to learn top style tips and discover new products.
Results:
Brown Thomas's events were highly successful and generated:
Average Engagement Rate = 55%
Average Click-Through Rate = 18%
View Brown Thomas's beauty masterclasses as repurposed onsite content here!
For more information on how to launch your own livestream shopping visit smartzer.com