Author: Armando Roggio / Source: Practical eCommerce
From demonstrating intricate products in real-time to broadcasting webinars and conferences, live streaming is a natural progression of an ecommerce business’s video marketing. It is an important tool for engaging customers.
The technology behind live streaming is not necessarily new. In fact, nearly all media transferred over the web is “streaming,” meaning that it is delivered in a flow or steam so the client device can begin playing the content before the entire file is transferred. This is how we watch YouTube and Netflix videos, for example.
Live video is also not new. Live video conferencing software has been around for years, and anyone reading this article is probably familiar with live webinars or online seminars.
The difference with what we now call live streaming is that it is being widely distributed via social media, and it is this distribution model that has made live streaming a powerful marketing vehicle relative to its cost and the effort it requires.
So how can your ecommerce business use live streaming to reach and engage potential customers?
1. Product Demonstrations
I have written about an experience I had at a brick-and-click retailer in September 2017. This retailer stocked a product called the Orca Rocket beverage koozie, which sells for about $30.
The Rocket had been on this retail chain’s physical shelves for more than a year, but very few sold.
By chance, one store employee sent Rockets to the retailer’s booth at barbecue festival.
At around 11:00 a.m. Saturday, a festival goer asked about the Rocket and a store employee working the booth began demonstrating how it could be converted to hold a bottle or a can. The demonstrations continued, and by 2:00 p.m. this retailer had sold a year’s supply of Rocket koozies out of its booth.
Shoppers hadn’t understood the item’s value until they had seen it in action.
This was an example of how a demonstration can drive sales. This same retail chain has since done product demonstrations via Facebook Live. In some cases, sales were made within moments of the live stream’s release.
For your live streaming campaigns, consider demonstrating and explaining relatively complex products. Your business may get a boost.
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