With live streams becoming more popular across the network of social channels in 2021, Facebook has decided to take a twist on the traditional live, combined with the ever-growing eCommerce environment to launch shoppable live streams, named ‘Live Shopping Fridays’.
The introduction of this eCommerce push involves Facebook being the host for live-streamed shopping experiences, with the invitation of retailers to be able to showcase their products to the customer. The key detail is this is a live broadcast, therefore, the customer is at the heart of the discussion, they can ask questions, see the product live and worn on a model, and have the ability to easily purchase the product using the new features Facebook is bringing to the table in Social Commerce. The real time aspect of this element to eCommerce gives real flavour to the, what is currently, the beauty and fashion experience, with the chance to build solid relationships from the outset, and streamline the customer journey through the Facebook platform.
Of course, with most new features on social platforms, it doesn’t always stick exclusively to one. Tiktok hosted a very similar event last year with Walmart, a deal in which the retailer showcased products via TikTok’s live stream feature, with the option to shop the products without leaving the platform. TikTok utilised ‘Influencer Marketing’ with content creators such as Michael Le, who has 48 million followers.
Facebook’s Live Shopping Fridays look set to start rolling out over the next month and are set to be one of the latest trends for summer. Global brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Dermalogica have been invited to interact with their audiences in this way. The live streams are also conducted on the specific company pages, therefore you are showcasing to an already targeted audience.
It is not just the main platforms providing us with a step forward in Social Commerce with shoppable experiences. Ooooo, is a new platform that is specifically tailored to creating shopping experiences through live streams, where you can literally showcase anything from toys, to even busking. Cool features such as coupons for watching, and an easy to use interface to buy products, shows real potential for ooooo. It will be interesting to see how this app evolves in the next 12 months.
This is definitely a big step forward in Social Commerce, and is a trend likely to continue to develop over time. It is bridging the gap between entertainment and the customer purchase journey and is also a clever tool to spread awareness in a different way to the paid advertising elements that social platforms currently have to offer.
Could this be a new way to grab the attention of your audience after the recent security updates and opt-in changes?
