Maximising Engagement: 5 best practices for brand live streaming presenters on TikTok Shop
The commercial live streaming sector – also known as live shopping – soared to a remarkable $13 billion in revenue in 2022 in Southeast Asia. No single player is better positioned to harness this trend than TikTok Shop, as this type of social commerce has been core to its experience from day one. TikTok Shop is revolutionising the way we approach sales – transforming casual scrolling into instant “buy now” opportunities.
In light of this burgeoning TikTok Shop trend, our team embarked on a mission to uncover the best practices for brands to master live streaming on TikTok Shop. In a series of 4 articles, starting with this one, we have explored various best practices based on research from Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines.
TikTok Shop livestreams allow brands to showcase their products in real-time, engaging viewers with live demonstrations, answering queries, and offering exclusive deals. It’s a dynamic, interactive platform where brands can create a real-time rapport with potential customers. If you’re familiar with TikTok but haven’t ventured into its live shopping arena, consider this screenshot a beginners guide on key metrics to monitor.
For the first post in this series, our analysts observed 100 brand live streaming sessions in Thailand, breaking down the 5 prevailing ‘mantras‘ that define best-in-class presenter characteristics. While there’s a diverse spectrum of presenter attributes, our post zeros in on those winning tactics that we observed most frequently in our research.
#1: Clear call-to-action (CTA): Undeniable influence improving conversion on TikTok Shop
The predominant best practice for presenters is urging their audience towards actions through CTAs. Impressively, 90% of the observed streams had presenters motivating their viewers to make purchases. However, it’s imperative to recognise that not all CTAs are created equal. Are your CTAs visually captivating? Do they instill a sense of immediate action? Are they geared towards sales or broader engagement?
Take a look at this compelling CTA from Oppo. Even though the clip is in Thai, it’s palpable that the presenter is ardently driving conversions:
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EX Oppo: The host doesn’t merely mention discounts. Instead, they contrast the original price with the newly slashed rate, amplifying the deal’s attractiveness. They stress the exclusivity of live stream prices, kindling urgency to spur immediate buying decisions.
Key Metrics: Click-Through Rate (CTR) / Conversion Rate
#2: Interaction with viewers: fosters engagement and stickiness
Interactivity dramatically enhances audience engagement and stickiness in live streams. When presenters directly engage with viewers—whether by responding to comments, addressing questions, or running real-time polls—it creates a sense of intimacy. Such direct interactions not only bridge the virtual divide but also boost consumer trust and confidence, making them more likely to stay engaged and trust the brand. Notably, in our observation, 85% of the presenters prioritised this interactivity, actively acknowledging comments and answering queries.
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Ex: A great example of this in practice is this live stream from the GQ Thailand apparel brand.
The presenter isn’t merely reactive; she’s proactively attuned to consumer activities, including recent purchases. She elevates their engagement further by personally shouting out and warmly welcoming repeat customers to the stream.
Behind the scenes, a seamless dance unfolds. A moderator (a person who helps the presenter from behind the camera) liaises with the presenters, relaying live comments, highlighting specific products, and promptly verifying product details. This streamlined coordination means presenters can stay fully immersed with their audience, devoid of any device-driven distractions. The result? A profoundly interactive and consumer-oriented live shopping odyssey.
Key Metric: Speed of comment response time
#3 Hosts as product experts: product mastery is a non-negotiable on TikTok Shop
Shoppers today seek genuine product insight. Hence, presenters must share personal usage and offer clear application guidance. Their readiness to tackle intricate queries real-time not only reflects their in-depth understanding but also fosters consumer trust. The presenters ability to explain the purpose/benefits, and differences between various products, enables consumers to make educated choices. An impressive 80% of the videos featured such adept hosts. We labeled these individuals as ‘experts’ due to their proficiency in fielding specific inquiries.
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Demonstrating a solid grasp over their product assortment, the presenter offers custom solutions to cater to individual consumer challenges. Their personal affinity for the products is tangible, amplifying their credibility while clarifying benefits and functionality. Evocative sensory descriptors about the creams application style further paint a clearer picture, facilitating more insightful consumer decisions.
Key Metric: Number of unanswered queries
#4: Presenting with Panache: alignment between brand ethos and presenter bolsters consumer confidence
It’s essential for the presenter not just to showcase products but to echo the brand’s positioning through their appearance, setting, and demeanour. Such alignment can create a deeper connection with the target audience, making the brand more relatable and authentic. We found 70% of videos exemplify this aesthetic alignment.
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The presenter epitomizes the brand’s emphasis on beauty and skincare, both in appearance and presentation. The background exhibits a clean look, employing a green screen with pastel colors and prominently featuring the brand name.
Key Metric: Percentage of repeat viewers
#5: Unleashing seller theatrics: differentiation through entertainment value
The mix of entertainment and shopping gives the live stream a unique flare. Presenters infuse energy, humour, and anecdotes, fostering engagement beyond the product interest. Such theatrics provide brands an opportunity to carve their niche and pioneer the ‘shoppertainment’ wave TikTok is leading. In our analysis, only 55% of the videos showcased hosts blending humour and vibrancy. Highlighting an opportunity to train presenters and harness the untapped potential to improve sales.
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The presenter seamlessly integrates entertainment with product demonstrations (by playing music through speakers), engaging viewers and enhancing the experience.
Key Metrics: Emoji reaction analysis / Viewer Engagement
The road ahead for brands:
Brands looking to capitalise on TikTok Shop need to treat it not merely as a sales channel but as a vibrant stage for consumer engagement and branding. Invest in training your presenters and ensure they merge product mastery with entertainment flair. Prioritise genuine interactions with viewers to foster loyalty. Consistently analyse your viewership and engagement data to fine tune your approach. In the confluence of entertainment and shopping lies an opportunity not just to transact, but to transform the shopping experience. Let your brand be the catalyst for the wave of shoppertainment.
Brace yourself for what’s coming next in our brand live streaming content series: a deep dive into the time windows, product split and discount patterns. Stay tuned to elevate your brand’s livestream game!
PS: For more insights reach out to info@cube.asia
