Live streaming has been a way for businesses to connect with their customers. It allows you to directly communicate with your customers in real time, creating an interactive experience that lets them get involved and feel like they’re part of your business.
While there are plenty of other benefits to using live streaming as part of your eCommerce marketing strategy—such as improving SEO performance, building trust with your audience, and engaging multiple demographics at once—one of the biggest is gaining access to new audiences and boosting engagement.
What is Live Streaming?
As the Internet evolves, so does the way we consume content. Watching videos and reading articles is not enough these days. We want to be part of it. This is where live streaming comes into play.
Live streaming is recording videos and uploading them to various platforms in real time. It’s a great way to engage with your customers simultaneously and build a more personal connection. It’s like being with them in person.
Live streaming is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. It also helps build trust with your audience, increase engagement and conversions, and improve your SEO. In this post, we will tackle the 5 benefits of live streaming for your ecommerce business.
Reach New Audiences
One of the key benefits of live streaming is that it helps ecommerce businesses reach new audiences and increase engagement with current audiences. It’s a trend that’s been gaining popularity lately. Jump on it now and you’ll be ahead of the competition among all e-commerce companies.
Also, many viewers, especially those who don’t want to see overly formal or scripted videos, will find live video more appealing. The spontaneity of live video holds the viewer’s attention much longer than many other forms of media.
Builds Trust and Connection With Customers
Because this happens in real time, the interaction with your viewers feels more real. It offers a personal connection that other forms of communication cannot replicate. Being there in person is the next best thing. This experience is essential to inspire trust and create customer connections. There is a sense of knowing you and your company personally.
These experiences are valuable because they help build a loyal customer base. This connection builds trust in your brand and encourages them to buy from you and return in the future. Customers are more likely to recommend your products and services to friends and family. You can answer questions and address concerns that they may have about your products.
Gives Customers a Closer Look
Live streaming is a great way to show your customers what they are buying. Customers can see the product in action, including how it’s made and where it comes from. They also get a chance to experience shipping and delivery firsthand.
Live streaming is also an excellent way to give your customers a closer look at how their favorite brands operate; they’ll feel more connected and involved with the process than ever before when they’re watching you on screen.
Boosts Visual Merchandising and Manages Inventory
Your followers can see your product in action when you live stream. This is an effective way to show how your product is used and showcase your product attributes. Live streaming is also a great way to do a little visual merchandising. You can style and present your products in an engaging way to your followers.
Live streaming also helps with inventory management. When your followers find a product they like, they can buy it immediately. No need to wait for products to be added to your online store.
Improves SEO Performance
Live streaming helps improve your SEO performance by:
- Helping you rank for relevant keywords. The more organic search results that are related to your business, the better. You can also use live streaming as an opportunity to test new keywords or phrases that might be relevant in the future–and if they do well, they’re likely to rank higher than other competitors’ content later on.
- Increasing user engagement and building a community of viewers who want more from you. When people follow along with their favorite brands on social media channels like Twitter and Instagram, they’re more likely to buy from them again especially if those products are relevant. By building up this kind of audience over time through live streaming content that engages customers and builds brand loyalty, it’s possible for companies like yours at any stage in their lifecycle.
Creating a Compelling Live Stream
Here are a few tips on how you can create a compelling live stream:
- Use a live streaming platform that is easy to use.
- Plan ahead and have a schedule.
- Make sure you have a good internet connection.
- Have a good lighting, camera and microphone
- Be prepared to answer questions from viewers during your live stream
Choose the Right Live Streaming Platform
If you’re just getting started, there are a few things to consider when choosing the right live streaming platform for your business.
- Target Audience: Do you want to reach a global audience or just a local audience? Some platforms have a wider global reach than others.
- Content types: Not all platforms are suitable for all types of content. If you plan to stream video or audio, make sure your platform of choice supports those formats.
- Budget: Some platforms are free to use, while others have a subscription fee.
Make Your Live Streams Engaging
An engaging live stream starts with planning. Ask yourself:
- What do you want to achieve with your stream?
- Who is your target audience?
- What kind of content do you stream?
Lastly, be prepared to answer questions from your audience. Being prepared for possible questions will make your live stream more engaging as you interact with your audience.
Having a clear goal will help you create a format that works for you and your audience.
Wrap-up
As e-commerce companies continue to dominate the market, various technologies are constantly emerging to help increase sales. Live streaming is one of those technologies that can become an integral part of your e-commerce business. Live streaming can help you attract new customers while increasing engagement with existing customers. Live streaming can benefit your ecommerce business if you are looking for a way to increase your ecommerce sales and marketing efforts.
