Live Streaming - One Of The Most Efficient Way To Promote Your Brands In China

Hi everyone, hope you are having a wonderful day today, welcome back to my channel!

I'm Yuri Ou, as in “Oh my gosh, don’t you know that live streaming is the most efficient way to sell products in China?”

Topic Today: Live Streaming - One Of The Most Efficient Way To Promote Your Brands In China

This may not be live, but today we are looking at live streaming and just how much it has expanded in terms of its use and application across day-to-day life and business, especially in China.

In recent times, live streaming has been adopted across the globe as a means of constantly sharing content, interacting with followers and fans, promoting products and creating overnight stars, or ‘wang hong’ as they are known in China.

However, while it has become quite commonplace in the last year or so, it has been utilized for a lot longer in China, with it not only being about chatting, doing funny dances and sharing your life with others. It is arguable that live streaming has greatly changed the overall retail habits.

In fact, live streaming generates approximately $3 billion in revenue annually, thanks to a large number of platforms as well as hugely popular live streaming stars, like Li Jia Qi. Wait, you haven’t heard of Li Jia Qi? Don’t worry, to the rest of the world, he is indeed not well known. But within China, it’s a totally different story.

And what is it that this millionaire does that his nigh on 40 million followers love? ……He sells lipstick! Yes, this is a man who raised more than $145 million in sales on Singles’ Day in China! Amazing right?

The fact is that Dou Yin, the Chinese version of Tiktok, offers the option to hop from live streams and videos to purchase on huge platforms like Taobao and Tmall through embedded links, the first e-commerce platforms to do this, or directly through the app itself with its shopping cart feature, meaning it is an incredibly seamless process for buyers which of course has contributed to the success of many of the country’s hottest streamers. Indeed, this process of live streaming coupled with e-commerce has earned its own term, ‘Live Commerce’, very much ‘on demand’ shopping like never before!

Another boon to the live streaming industry in China is the fact that it is highly influential in lower-tier cities. This is because many of these cities or remote rural areas have limited entertainment options for young people to enjoy, so live streaming on Douyin(抖音直播), Kuaishou(快手直播), and Taobao has become a popular and cost effective pastime with users in lower-tier cities.

What many users enjoy is that these personal broadcasts are not just interesting videos, but also an interactive experience with broadcasters where they can make requests, chat with their idols and give them virtual gifts.

Of course, one of the most fascinating things about live streaming in China, thanks in part to such a huge population, is the allure of becoming a big star for its users. Li Jia Qi was a shop assistant previously, and yet he made the Hurun China Under 30s to Watch 2019 list last year!

Users have direct access to domestic stars, the possibility to interact with them, and of course have a go themselves at becoming the next big thing too. And if they’re lucky, users could very quickly find themselves being full time streamers like so many already who have seen such success that they’ve left regular jobs in order to pursue the live stream dream!

With tech giants like Tencent, Alibaba and Baidu getting involved, live streaming business’ rapid growth is only going to continue, with big brands across a range of different industries hoping to boost sales through real time product promotion to users.

Of course, given the current global climate, it makes a lot of sense for brands to take advantage of this new method of retail!

That’s it for me, no live stream here but hopefully you have learned some valuable information regarding this incredible phenomenon! Leave a comment to share your experiences with live streaming, have you ever bought something either directly or as a result of seeing a live stream?

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Take care my friends, have a wonderful day, and I will see you soon!

Yuri O x