Connected Thinking: Social Selling

Livestream shopping has long been driving success in China, where the market has grown exponentially from $3 billion in 2017 to a staggering $623 billion in 2024. This phenomenon has begun cropping up on online platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and – most recently eBay - in the UK and US, taking lead from platforms like Taobao in China which has been at the forefront of this movement for years.  

Social Shopping is everywhere right now, and with the average conversion rate for a live shopping event at 9% – more than triple the average of your average eCom site, it’s a trend that brands can’t afford not to hop on board with. Offering the attention-to-detail of an IRL experience, from the comfort of our own homes, livestream adds another dimension to the shopping experience. So, for the latest instalment of our Connected Thinking series, we took a deep dive into the world of Livestream Commerce – a market set to reach $35 Billion in the U.S alone this year.

If you missed the webinar, read on to discover all you need to know for running a successful shoppable livestream:  

1. Map out your three why’s:

So, you’ve decided to try social selling, but don’t know where to start? Ask yourself the following to inform your approach – if you can answer all three you can get going immediately!  

• Why would anyone come to your livestream? Refine your content and product offering to make sure you’re attracting the right people.
• Why would consumers stick around? It shouldn’t be all sell sell sell. Livestream can offer a valuable customer service tool too, generating feedback, learnings and forecasts for the future.
• Why would they have the impulse to purchase? Give your customers a reason to hit buy, whether that’s with the right deal or a unique offering.  

2. Don’t let production value set you back:

Don’t sweat the production, there’s no need for a full studio or an expansive set-up – the best livestreams feel homely and relatable rather than too slick and dripping in production value. Let your content speak volumes.

3. Use livestream eCom results to help you refine your wider marketing strategy:

Livestream shopping should feed into your wider marketing strategy, not run parallel to it. Brands can use insights generated from social selling to inform their strategy, e.g. adapting media investment and ad spend accordingly. Maybelline, for example, launched a new lip product to market and used social selling very early on in the launch, based on the most popular colours in the livestream they adapted their media campaign to lean into these insights.

4. Your host is an imperative part of your livestream storefront  

Social selling should be memorable and entertaining, and your host is a key component in that. Remember, livestream shopping should be a conversation between the brand and the consumers. So, the host needs to be able to riff and respond in the moment, engaging with the commentary as it comes in. Remember to blend engaging, credible and informative.

If you missed the webinar and you’d like to hear more about how social selling can work for your brand, get in touch with our team.