Shoppertainment Is The Next Big Marketing Thing. Here’s How Your Brand Can Respond.
Did you know that 50% of TikTok users have made a purchase after watching something on TikTok Live? Yup, and that doesn’t happen by accident. TikTok users are 1.6x more likely than others to use TikTok Live to find new brands, and 1.7x more likely to buy something using the feature. They browse with a purpose, and it’s to find something new to love via TikTok Live.
TikTok is a great platform for brand awareness, but it’s also amazing for conversions. It’s just a matter of knowing how to leverage it for your brand.
Shopping + Entertainment = 💯🔥💯🔥💯🔥
The future of commerce is content-driven, and it is called shoppertainment.
Ever since TikTok rose to prominence as one of today’s most popular social media platforms, it has been transforming how people engage with content online. Of course, they want to be entertained, but now they also want to learn more about brands and products before clicking “add to cart.”
TikTok’s 2024 report on shoppertainment for Asia-Pacific notes three key “shifts” that will help brands take advantage of the shoppertainment boom:
79% of consumers care more about the value they get from a product, rather than the discounts.
81% of consumers expect an easier shopping experience – that is, getting detailed brand and product information as they browse.
73% of consumers interact with content through a variety of ways, like lives, stories, hashtags, and comments.
Simply put, consumers want knowledge of product value, a seamless shopping experience, and a community to engage with.
Now you may be wondering, “How do I apply these in my brand’s marketing strategies?” Our customer success team at Near has two answers to that: live shopping and user-generated content (UGC).
Live, Laugh, Livestream.
Shopping-focused livestreams are everywhere now, and that is arguably the biggest proof of how effective shoppertainment is today! And it isn’t just TikTok, either. Whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, Shopee, or Lazada, you’re bound to come across a channel that uses the platform’s live feature to sell its products.
But just because you go live, doesn’t mean that you’re racking up orders left and right. Like all good things, it takes time and effort to bear those hard-earned fruits. Good thing Near has a few tips to make your live events a winner:
Listen to your crowd.
Brands, you have to be as present as possible for your livestream audience. Take it from our head of customer success Ella Sarol. Aside from managing many campaigns for Near, she is also a livestream host and UGC creator for brands like Five Beauty, Luxx Lash, and GCash.
She recommends going live as often as you can for as long as you can. (Remember: one to three hours is the optimal livestream length!) Your channel’s prime time may differ from others’, so it’s best to check your performance analytics to determine when your audience is most active. From there, try out different time slots to see what works best for your market.
Let that program flow.
Prepare beforehand with a script and program, and make sure they help introduce your brand and products and their unique selling propositions. Be vocal about encouraging viewers to check out, too! And when you promote any discounts or vouchers, check on your back end to make sure everything is ready in time for your live schedule. No one likes a brand that gives mixed signals!
Pro-tip: Concentrate your biggest discounts on the platform you’re hosting the live in. Then, leave your viewers incentives to check out while you’re live!
Link up with an influencer.
Influencers often have a solid following, so working with them for your live broadcasts can put more eyes on your live and possibly get you more sales! Today’s audiences also often refer to influencer recommendations for their purchases. Having an influencer voicing their love of your products can also be a big boost to your brand’s rep.
SNAILWHITE is one example of a brand that benefited from this when they partnered with Rei Germar for their “Glowversary” event.
Understanding User-generated content
Lives are not the only way to a curious shopper’s heart. If you want your brand to be in the consciousness of your audience, you have to make visual content that sticks. A great way to accomplish that is through user-generated content, as 79% of shoppers have noted that it has a significant impact on their purchasing decisions.
Audiences can and will filter out unwanted ads, but UGCs let them see the value of a product from the perspective of people like themselves. It makes your brand more authentic and trustworthy.
Near keeps this principle in mind for brands like Tip-Top Chicken. We heavily feature different kinds of videos from content creators on their social media pages to show what makes their chicken products unique.
Key Takeaway
Shoppertainment brings your brand closer to your desired audience through online platforms. Find ways to entertain and educate social media users through live broadcasts and user-generated content, and you may just get yourself a new set of customers who know and love your products!
Want to learn how to use shoppertainment in your marketing campaigns? Contact us at Near Creative for expert advice!
