Advantages of livestream shopping: a buyer’s perspective

Since the live sales industry is still considered a rather fledgling one in the Western hemisphere, it’s not evident to many, why this method of shopping is considered more practical than purchasing products conventionally. We know that tried and tested practices are difficult to change, but the advantages of livestream shopping make up for all the deficiencies of traditional virtual shopping. In the below sections we shed light on these elements.

No more confusing redirection

It’s especially specific to aggregator websites and social media live shopping events that they don’t offer a direct purchase possibility. As customers, even the sight of the redirection button or link might be demotivating because our unconscious connects it with snail-paced page loading times. What’s real oil to the fire is when we land not on the expected product page but on a totally different one. This phenomenon is most often caused by the retailer failing to provide the promotional site with the appropriate link, the product selling out or getting a different URL. Regardless of the cause, the reaction tends to be identical: we hit the exit button and abandon our buying intent.

Livestream shopping sessions feature no such issues, since the tool allows for putting the introduced items directly in the shopping cart and purchasing them. Thanks to the clever product feed embedded into the videos, customers save precious time and energy.

The time of uncertainty is over

Everyone’s familiar with the feeling of finding the desired product online that lacks a proper description, decreasing the confidence to buy it. Several descriptions leave out the material, size, function or maintenance of items. Therefore, genuinely determined customers must risk a “fifty-fifty” chance at ordering the goods, from which the potential torment of return had already taken their enthusiasm.

The advantages of livestream shopping include detailed product introductions. The video format offers a great opportunity for the streamer to show viewers the physical attributes of each item and share all necessary infos about them. This method entails higher customer satisfaction, as consumers make doubtless orders.

Tearing down the communication barrier

The previous paragraph brings about the following logical question: what happens when we still need more information about an item. Well, in case of conventional online shopping, we can usually expect to select from phone or e-mail-based customer support. The greatest disadvantages of the latter are undoubtedly lengthy connection times and high tariffs, while the most significant drawback of the latter one is the multi-day response time. Although the live chat option provides a more pleasant alternative, it still leaves much to be desired.

The live sales tool has got your back regarding this problem too. As consumers we expect to have our questions answered immediately with the competent party. Among the advantages of livestream shopping, direct and instant communication is unbeatable. We have the freedom to type in any question, request or doubt into the live chat that’s available throughout the entire session. These are all made visible to the host of the event, who is thus able to react to them. Naturally, viewers can reflect on each other’s comments, and answer the already-posed questions asked by latecomers, saving the host lots of time.

The time of dubious coupons has come

We happily exploit the benefits of coupon codes during conventional online shopping. However, these are often improperly positioned on webstores, making them disappear or difficult to find. And if they’re found at all, there’s still a fair chance that they cannot be used on the respective order or have already expired.

Such inconvenience never happens during livestream events.The streamer fills the audience in on the current coupon code and often even displays it throughout the whole video. Moreover, since the session is replayable, even those can benefit from the coupon who missed the live event.

Thoughts to take away

As you can see, the advantages of livestream shopping far exceed those of its conventional counterpart.

So, if you expect attention, meticulousness, honesty, trustworthiness and responsibility from sellers, you cannot go wrong with Bannerse! Book a demo with our expert with only a few clicks.

E-commerce Trends 2022

The core characteristic of e-commerce is constant change, something that was catalyzed by COVID-19. In the last couple years, marketers have been experiencing stronger competition than ever. Furthermore, a brand new audience – GenZ – appeared on the market, for whom the presence of complete digitalization is nearly as natural as breathing.

Even though e-commerce trends vary year to year based on consumer needs and preferences, there are some revolutionary technologies that are not only here to stay but are about to reform the market. Here’s our toplist of the most popular and promising practices.

AR and VR technology

AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) aren’t considered new concepts, however their lightning-fast development and enormous demand secured their place on our list. Both are efficient techniques designed to solve the most frequent issue of customers. Product pictures uploaded to webshops often don’t reflect the real attributes of items, which scares consumers away and makes them dissatisfied. AR and VR enter the picture here, since they are able to create a 3D picture of items, fostering confident purchases.

Use of AI

The repertoire of e-commerce trends wouldn’t be complete without mentioning AI (artificial intelligence). We’re talking about a technology that has enjoyed undiminished success for years, as it pushes out new functions constantly. Numerous webstores use AI for identifying customer buying behaviors and providing consumers with a more personal shopping experience. However, artificial intelligence is expected to be able to make orders to refill storehouses, make personalized recommendations to visitors and analyze communication channels to reach specific target audiences.

Sound-based control

More and more people are using Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa. Both virtual assistants are responsible for making life easier with taking and executing sound-based orders. But all this is about to step out of its everyday limits to take its worthy place among the latest e-commerce trends. According to the survey of Voicebot.ai, the number of shoppers with voice commands is expected to rise by 55 percent by 2022.

Therefore, as an e-commerce entrepreneur, it’s worth integrating this channel into your CRM system and marketing strategy. Product optimization for voice search is a significant criterion. This is because if items are ranked for the appropriate keywords, the user experience of those who use dictation to search can be crucially increased.

Mobile commerce

Online marketers struggle to meet the needs of customers browsing from smartphones. How big of an audience are we looking at? Well, based on the latest U.S survey of OuterBox, 79% of smartphone users made at least one online purchase in a six-month period on their device.

These statistics suggest that the vast majority of webstores are optimized for smartphones. However, this is not the case. Several companies still have room to improve in this area, providing competitors with an easy opportunity to gain advantage. By optimizing your webshop for mobile, you can leave numerous competitors behind while decreasing your bounce and abandoned cart rates. So it’s high time to make mobile commerce a top priority on your agenda!

Livestream shopping

Naturally, we cannot leave out the livestream shopping solution of our toplist, which is shooting ahead like a rocket among e-commerce trends to win all podium places. On one hand, this method offers an excellent sales domain for content creators because it provides them with a platform to sell their content.

On the other hand, it allows for building a more personal connection between brands and consumers. Apart from this, its conversion also surpasses the one of other sales techniques. Among others, shorter customer journeys, and lower bounce and abandoned cart rates prove that.

Conclusion

E-commerce trends involve a great deal of challenges. But simultaneously, they offer new opportunities to separate and lift yourself above your competition, making your business even more fruitful.

We do everything we can on our side to contribute to your success: that’s why we present you Bannerse. Book a demo with us quickly and easily!

Livestream shopping efficient and creative topic ideas

Would you like to reap the benefits of livestream shopping but can’t think of any good topics that could entice and capture the audience? This isn’t a rare case – but one we have an effective recipe for. In the below sections we spell out our top livestream shopping topic ideas, that are not only unique and creative, but also strengthen brand awareness along with user engagement.

Lay the foundations with a brand intro

This is a rather smart move despite whether your brand is well-known on the market or your products are just gaining recognition. During the brand introduction:

Also, you can talk about your product palette, services, and the assets you plan to expand your business with at later stages. Visual impulsions are important to customers, as they can build a better connection with brands that they can link with a face.

Moreover, livestream shopping is a magnificent tool for building trust and appearing likeable and approachable. Need some extra persuasion? According to the latest Techjury statistics, 82% of people prefer watching a brand’s livestream event instead of its social media posts.

Basic livestream shopping topic idea: product range

It comes logically from the previous paragraph that once your viewers got closer to your brand, you show them your goods. Exploit the advantages of the video format here: do a detailed display, where you show your products from each angle while informing your audience about the functionalities of your goods, how to use them and why they are better than similar products seen at your competitors’ websites. The same event allows for the popularization of certain goods and introduction of trending and worse performing ones.

Simple yet effective livestream shopping topic idea: Q&

It’s only suggested to shoot your shot when you had already collected enough FAQs from previous live sessions. Your viewers will appreciate that you dedicate time specifically to answer their questions or react to their comments. Furthermore, you can complement the already-gathered questions with ones you haven’t encountered yet but you would pose them if you were a customer.

Livestream shopping topic idea for showing your knowledge: outlook to trends and actualities

It makes a positive impression to show that you’re knowledgeable about trends, news and actualities concerning your respective field. This gives off the signal of being active, adaptive and open-minded. Therefore, it’s advised to keep track of the events regarding your area of activity, and react to them in livestream meet-ups. For instance, if you sell beauty products, it’s a good idea to cover the latest make-up trends or trending evening skincare routines done by influencers.

Pro tip: as a beauty webshop owner, it’s an excellent move to highlight those goods with which the hottest social media make-ups can be created, and it’s a plus if you share some useful tricks on how to do them.

Your go-to livestream shopping topic idea: inviting a guest

It’s considered an incredibly strong strategy to invite a guest speaker of your domain. On one hand, it’s easier to conduct a stream in company. On the other hand, there’s a great chance this tactic will lift you above your competitors. The more relevant and popular your guest is, the better, and it certainly doesn’t hurt if they have a huge follower base.

These attributes will enhance sales and user engagement. For example, if you sell sports attire and equipment, invite a fitness guru to host the live event with you, where they can try and review your products and share their insights on topics.

Livestream shopping topic idea if you create your products yourself: peek behind the curtains

Do you create your goods yourself? Then the next live sales topic idea is custom-tailored for you. Viewers like to sneak a peek into the backstage, find out some secrets, and gain some insight into the process from the idea to launch. Thus, dedicate a stream to showing your audience how your products or at least the most hyped one is made. Don’t guide them through the entire process though – that would be time-consuming and a total attention-killer as the event proceeds.

Get your potential customers acquainted with some cool techniques they surely haven’t been familiar with before. For instance, allow your viewers to learn how to organize the elements of a beautiful dried flower bouquet or wreath aesthetically.

Livestream shopping topic ideas: final words

The above sections served the purpose to give you some inspiration for the content of your next live event. Naturally, the storehouse of livestream shopping topic ideas is inexhaustive – perhaps some great subjects also popped into your head by the time you got to the end of our list. Aim to create relevant, fresh and unique streams that hook your audience.

Are you ready to embark on the journey of livestream sales? That’s the spirit! Exploit the benefits of Bannerse, book a demo now!

Bannerse takes over Startup Safari 2022

April 28-29th 2022 marks the seventh anniversary of Startup Safari, an event that is going to rev up Budapest for sure, as the global pandemic put a stopper on it for two years. The list of attendees proves to be quite exciting this year, making it an event not worth missing!

But first, let’s de-fog the air around Startup Safari

What’s the fuss all about? Well, this event, which takes place at the most fancy and posh locations in Budapest, is much more than just a plain conference. It provides a two-day open forum for Hungarian and regional startups to introduce their business to the audience. This way, the speakers not only pin themselves on the Hungarian startup map, but also have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge, social capital and build a community – something that’s indeed well-deserved after two years of isolation.

Get to know Bannerse on Startup Safari 2022

his year, Bannerse is one of the most potential debutants of Startup Safari, giving us a chance to bring livestream shopping closer to people. One of the most outstanding advantages of Bannerse is that it shortens the conventional buyer journey, as thanks to the product feed embedded right into the live video, items can be directly put in the cart and purchased. All without redirection to any external page. 

Moreover, the real-time available broadcast opens doors to direct and more personal communication, since the host of the session – let it be a content creator, professional, influencer or webshop owner – can answer live chat questions during the entire live shopping event.

Furthermore, this revolutionary e-commerce practice provides content makers and ad space renters with a suitable platform with reselling potential, which is a brand-new business model to use with collaborators.

Efficient and convertable tool

With these features, a much more user-friendly and efficient commercial environment can be created, that is free from aggressive ad messages and redirecting links demotivating the buying intent. Instead, they build brand awareness, trust and user engagement, factors, that are equally significant in boosting sales.

How can one be sure that this e-commerce strategy works? Well, it’s rather easy to prove –the stream can be linked with online analytics tools like Google Analytics, that allows the host to measure and follow the success of the session and products immediately.

Don’t miss out on Bannerse at Startup Safari 2022

The livestream shopping possibility offered by Bannerse is undoubtedly the next stage in e-commerce. You’ll have two chances to see this for yourself: 28th April at 11:00 our brand manager, Réka Leisztner is going to delve into the depths of the livestream shopping concept and explain how great potential it carries to take over the e-commerce domain.

At 13:00 she will take the part of the moderator in a roundtable discussion with some of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian e-commerce market. What’s the venue for both discussions? It’s Twentysix, currently one of the hottest and most trending locations in Budapest.

Join us in the most convenient way for you

For the first time in the history of Startup Safari, the event is going to be organized in a hybrid form. This means that apart from physical participation in conferences, workshops and interactive programs, attendees have the freedom to join in via stream. Naturally, the seminars of Bannerse will also be accessible this way. However, hurry up. Tickets for both on-site and online participation are selling at lightning speed! Therefore, we suggest you buy your ticket as soon as possible to guarantee your seat for our exciting gigs.

Plus, in case our summary got you in the mood for Bannerse, we have good news: you can book a demo with us to get to know everything! Don’t waste time, schedule an appointment with us and lift your business to new heights with livestream shopping!

Increase sales as a content creator via livestream shopping

We’ve already spelled out in a number of previous articles, why livestream shopping is useful for webshop owners. But how can those profit from this tool, who have no online store but can pride themselves on having tremendous content and a populous visitor base?

The next question is rather logical: how do content factories, such as blogs, radio and TV portals or virtual websites of popular magazines generate income? The answer lies in selling ad space. This practice involves the domain owners selling empty display ads to brands with webshops on their own platforms. 

It’s important to outline, that we’re talking about a valuable advertising technique here. The practice of selling ad space was predicted to grow by 18,5% in 2021 according to the latest eMarketer research. The method in question means a mutually beneficial collaboration, as the content maker obtains its source of income, while its partners might gain numerous potential customers. For this symbiosis to be profitable, it’s indispensable to match the brands to the audience of the information channel.

Example: It’s certainly not worth selling handicraft tools on a mom blog, however, diapers all the more.

Selling ad space challenges

Selling ad space is not as easy as it sounds. This isn’t something to shrug off, and the info portal shouldn’t play ducks and drakes of these valuable slots. In spite of this, many are nonchalant when it comes to exploiting sales opportunities to their fullest. We’ve seen numerous blogs and news channels with empty banners and side bars, and also ads with unsuitably identified target audiences.

We’ve come across the other extreme end as well: overcrowded spaces with blaring marketing clutter. These are the leading anti-patterns for selling ad space.

However, even if everything goes seamlessly, there’s a factor to reckon with, for which the content factory cannot be even blamed: advertisements having a picture or GIF format is dull, hollow and forgettable. Thus, a tech-blog can go out of its way to flawlessly and aesthetically position all the electronics-related ads on its site, it might all be in vain, as low user engagement will result in a poor click-through rate. In such situations the potential in this simply scrumptious sales strategy.

So, how could these traps be evaded? The success of selling ad space can be greatly advanced by livestream shopping. We’ll fill you in on the details!

Say goodbye to irrelevant ads and welcome livestream shopping

Customers are ad-sensitive: they react well to witty content but can be easily frightened away with aggressive advertising messages or improperly chosen product placements.

Selling ad space with the involvement of livestream shopping

This can be a real game changer regarding user engagement and sales. Content creators can smoothly insert this tool into online, written materials, posts and vacant displays, while their partners have the freedom to tailor the products shown in the live sessions to customers’ needs.

Regarding income, this method works the following way: the owner of the domain sells the streaming option on its own platform. It functions similar to display, so streamboxes might be sold on a time or click basis. Moreover, the recording of partner-specific videos is also possible, where the goods of the respective webshop appear in the product feed to be directly purchased by viewers.

What products can livestream shopping sell?

Here comes the best part – there are no limitations. The live session can be built up just for anything that can be sold and presented in detail.

For example, a Hungarian website listing event halls in the country may sell the livestreaming opportunity to the number one wedding venue provider in Hungary, whose streamer shows the viewers around the property.

Naturally, apart from services, the tool is also appropriate for popularizing any kinds of products. For instance, a sports broadcaster may insert its partner’s live video into one of its online articles, where the host presents all trending sports attire and equipment. This is surely a beneficial way of selling ad space!

Putting the cherry on top

Regardless whether you’re an info channel or a brand with a webstore, livestream shopping is definitely an advantage-packed opportunity up for grabs. So, let’s waste no more time –get to know Bannerse, book a demo with us!

Influencer marketing and livestream shopping – the winning online sales duo

Being an influencer, as a profession, has globally emerged to be one of the most popular means of living in the past couple years. An influencer is a person who takes pride in having a populous follower base on social media platforms, and has the skills to affect the opinion, decisions and shopping habits of their audience.

Brands with webshops are eager to exploit these advantages and seek out these influential individuals with the aim of having them promote their products. The bigger follower base the content creator has, the better inquiries they receive. This is one of the main pillars of influencer marketing.

The main benefits of influencer marketing

The most significant benefit of influencer marketing is that advertised products get to thousands of people in an instant, via posts, unboxing videos and live events. Since the influencer is not officially a celebrity but rather an “everyday person”, who allows others a glimpse into their seemingly idyllic life, followers feel that they would like to live just as well as the beloved social media character.

This feeling is furthered by the fact that the influencer speaks to the consumers in videos and live sessions, asks them to leave comments and has an outgoing personality – all important factors to raise sympathy in viewers.

How much are companies actually willing to pay for influencer marketing?

Well, according to the 2019 survey by Mediakix, 17% of companies spend more than half of their marketing budgets on influencers.

Does it mean this strategy is flawless? Not exactly. Applying influencer marketing alone and solely on social media platforms carry a number of deficiencies. Let’s dig deeper!

Core flaws of influencer marketing on social media

Therefore, it’s essential to complement this marketing strategy with trust and credibility building factors. Enter livestream shopping!

New wave influencer collaboration with livestream shopping

The messenger seen on the website of the selling organization forms direct contact with those who are interested in the products of the respective brand, so honesty and credibility are expected from them. In such an environment the influencer cannot shrug off the popularization of goods with a conventional text that reeks of marketing and could be applied to any product. Instead, the beloved figure has the duty to educate and entertain simultaneously, apart from displaying all products in detail.

Their aim is to capture people’s attention and exploit the pros of the video format: presenting physical attributes. Thus, the livestream shopping app is not only an excellent tool for promoting goods but also for advertizing services and event halls. Native product messaging is far from being pushy – it’s informative, efficient and value-packed instead.

Another positive characteristic of this practice is that goods are directly purchasable during the live session, and sales are visible in parallel in the analytics tool integrated with the livestream app. Conversion is appropriately measurable this way, which provides the seller with exact data on product popularity, unpopularity and the performance of the influencer.

In addition, the live session allows for the immediate reordering of the product feed based on real-time feedback of consumers. Another plus is post-livestream retrievability, that makes the host of the event accountable.

Get the most out of livestream shopping with Bannerse

All the above-mentioned functions wouldn’t be available by influencer marketing solely targeted at social media. However, it would be a crucial mistake to marginalize them when applying this marketing strategy. On the contrary: content makers should start the live on social media simultaneously in order to gain more viewers.

Have we sparked your interest in merging livestream shopping with influencer marketing? With our service you can see the benefits of this dynamite duo for yourself. Book a demo and let’s start the journey!

Livestream shopping events pro tips – here’s how to boost your sales

According to the evaluation of Vaimo, one of the movers and shakers of digital commerce, livestream shopping events are the future of online sales. In Asia it accounts for two thirds of virtual sales, while in the US revenues generated via this technique have skyrocketed in the past couple years. The sky’s the limit! Even more so, since sales via livestreaming is still a relatively new concept in the Western hemisphere. Therefore, there’s plenty of yet unexploited territories and room for gaining advantage.

Now’s the time to deploy those seemingly tiny but immensely significant practices that launch you in front of your competitors before livestream shopping events conquer more markets. Let’s not waste more time! Below we’ll fill you in on our tried and tested tricks that we highly recommend using to get ahead of the competition.

Useful tactics BEFORE livestream shopping events

  1. Carve it into the calendar.
    Let your followers know in time that a session is coming up. Notify them via newsletter, blogpost or social media post. The aim is to reach as many people with the news as possible.

  2. Analyse feedback.
    Gather as many questions and comments about your products and the service from previous streams as possible. If you haven’t answered them yet, chances are they’re about to pop up during your next live.

  3. Rule out distractions.
    If you’re streaming from mobile, mute all notifications and calls that might derail your session. Same goes for desktop notifications accompanied by sound effects and pop-up windows. Also, it’s recommended to use a tripod or similar alternative for video stabilization.

  4. Pay attention to your surroundings.
    Choose a bright spot and make sure you have a clean and organized background, preferably without focus-stealing elements.

  5. Prepare a schedule.
    Determine the topics you want to cover during livestream shopping events and stick to a logical order to avoid jumping back and forth between products.

  6. Use external assistance.
    It might be useful to have someone check technical accessibility during the stream along with reading questions and comments.

Tricks to use DURING livestream shopping events

  1. Wait up for latecomers.
    Although you had notified your followers on the exact starting time of the stream, there’s always going to be people running late. So, it’s advised to set the session off with a few minutes of introduction, during which viewers can arrive and catch up.

  2. Keep eye contact.
    We cannot stress the importance of this tactic enough. Stop staring down or at yourself. Instead, look directly in the lens during livestream shopping events. This way, visitors will feel like you’re talking to them, which also enhances active participation.

  3. Personalize the experience.
    Greet your viewers, call them by name while answering questions, and welcome latecomers the same way. Moreover, encourage them to leave comments and share how much you appreciate their presence.

  4. Dedicate time on comments.
    It’s crucial for followers to see that you devote time to responding to questions and reacting to comments. Naturally, you can turn this function off if you’re not a fan of bi-directional communication, but never neglect feedback.

  5. Exploit the pros of multi-platform options.
    Kick off your live on your social media channels simultaneously to reach a greater audience. The more the merrier!

  6. Keep to the schedule.
    People’s time and attention have become extremely valuable and difficult things to win. Thus, it’s essential that livestream shopping events don’t exceed the pre-set timeframe. Your stream should be easy to digest, efficient, informative and conversational. Furthermore, we recommend introducing your featured products in the beginning, until the headcount is at its peak.

Post-streaming top practices

  1. Check the statistics.
    Exploit one of the greatest advantages of livestream shopping events, which is immediate conversion rate accessibility. Analyse sales and user engagement to discover what could use some improvement in the future.

  2. Sustain communication.
    Reach out to your audience after the live, thank them for their participation and encourage them to join your next session too.

  3. Log your experience.
    Jot down all your experiences during livestream shopping events to be able to benefit from them at your upcoming events.

There you go, we’ve equipped you with all the necessary know-how that will contribute to the success of your future streams. 

Are you ready to deploy the newly learned techniques? Great! Bannerse is the best tool to help you make the most out of it! It’s an AI-based interactive video ad format to monetize NextGen consumer engagement. Would you like to know more about it and how you can use it? Book a demo with our expert!

How to use a livestream shopping platform for charity work?

Yes, you heard it right. A livestream shopping platform is highly suitable for voluntary help! In the following paragraphs we’ll fill you in on the whys and hows.

The world has been on the alert for years, since the issues it ran up against required lightning-fast reaction times. Therefore, cooperation, empathy and altruism have emerged to be more valuable characteristics than ever, and they have brought together many for the struggle to restore peace.

The second decade of the 21st century kicked off with a global crisis: COVID-19 has been a devastation to political, social and economic relations itself, which are about to be further deteriorated by the current war in Ukraine. Considering the Ukrainian crisis, the following scenario happened: formerly neutral countries declared to impose sanctions against the aggressor, NATO is ready to deploy military units in its member states to safeguard them, and people started to donate. 

The role of donations in a global crisis

In Europe, donations come in all shapes and sizes, of which food, clothing, shelter and transfer are the most common offerings. Meanwhile, citizens of other continents strive to express their empathy by donating money and charity.

Helping people in need isn’t as easy as it sounds. Our good intentions are often thrown off by such simple factors as lack of information or difficult-to-find charity sites. This is where a livestream shopping platform enters the picture: its functions allow for easy, quick, unambiguous, targeted and efficient accessibility to the most vital assets. How does it work in practice? Let’s see!

Why is a livestream shopping platform the best tool for collecting donations?

Depending on capacity and possibility, each civilian can contribute to helping others in a different way. Thus, an interface is indispensable for collecting all kinds of donations, listing them according to relevance in one place at the same time, and making them easily available.

The most effective way to achieve this goal is to integrate a livestream shopping platform into news portals with constant broadcast of information and a huge follower-base. This way, an enormous burden might be lifted from the shoulders of charity organizations.

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