One of Amazon’s newest developments is live shopping – Amazon Live (https://advertising.amazon.com/en-us/solutions/products/amazon-live?ref_=a20m_us_blg_amzninfl_b_lv). Amazon has recruited – and is still recruiting – influencers to host livestreams.
Some show home decor and kitchen stuff. Some talk clothes and accessories. And some demonstrate craft products, like resin molding (which I watched a few minutes ago) or toys, like Star Wars Lego.
Some are great, some are ‘slice of life’, and some… let’s be kind, they’re home-made.
The ‘home-made’ aspect isn’t necessarily bad. When you buy sponsored ads, some people will look at them suspiciously. They know you paid to get there, and they don’t want to be marketed to. But when they see someone chatting about the fashions they’ve seen recently that they really liked, or tools that are genuinely useful in their kitchen, the more home-made and real down-to-earth the presentation looks, the more likely they are to feel that they can depend on what they’re being told.
And there are some other big advantages over your product page, too.
For instance, buyers can use the chat button to ask the livestream host questions, such as how a fabric feels, whether a pan is heavy, or does the bottom has rubber feet or is it flat? Because it’s live, they get their answer right away – and if it’s the ‘right’ answer they can click the product link shown under the video and buy the product then and there.
If you get your product into a video, it’s going to be shown along with other products. That’s not necessarily bad news, if it means, for instance, your tee shirt is being shown with a whole outfit, from boots to bangles, to give potential buyers a great feel for how to wear it.
If you have a product that’s used in craft or art pursuits, like watercolor paints, molds, or polymer clay, for instance, finding someone who is creative to use it in a project is a great way to demonstrate the product’s capabilities. They’ll also be able to explain anything that might be fiddly or tricky, like loading exactly the right amount of paint on a brush, with handy tips for how to use the product to get the best results.
Some of these influencers have a huge following on Instagram or other social media already, so you’re buying into their viewer base.
And yes, ‘buying’ is the right word. Three minutes will cost you $100 or more, so you need to think carefully about getting the right influencers for your product.
Unlike a TV ad, though, those three minutes are recorded, and the recording will be available on the influencer’s Amazon Live page once the livestream ends – so it keeps generating sales for you.
Or you could set up your own brand livestream, if you have the resources for it. This works well if you have the kind of product people get passionate about – collectibles, decor, fashion, or beauty products. Nerdy stuff works well too.
Whether you’re doing your own or using an influencer, take note of the questions viewers ask. If someone asks “Can I get it in pink?” then there’s a version or even a new product to think about. Or if someone asks “What would happen if…” you straight away have an idea for your next Livestream! The interactive input is the really great thing about Amazon Live.
What’s also great is that right now, it’s cheap to use as not everyone knows about it or has adopted it. As it gets more popular, you can guess prices will rise, the influencers will get more competitive, and the returns on investment will reduce. So be an early adopter, and make profits before the crowds arrive.