Top 10 mistakes to avoid when livestreaming (on Amazon)

In our last post, what business entities to establish as a social media influencer or streamer, we mentioned the $3.69 billion influencer marketing spend projected for 2021 in the US according to a new report from eMarketer. This is a $1 billion increase relative to 2020 and strong evidence that brands' appetite for influencer marketing is growing.

We also see this play out on Amazon with more and more high-quality livestreams on the platform but this increase in livestreams does not keep up with the growing demand from brands. JungleScout reports that “6% of third-party Amazon sellers are hiring influencers to promote their products, and nearly a third (32%) plan to grow their business through social media, influencer marketing, and other off-Amazon marketing efforts”.

The brands we speak to recognize that video, and specifically streaming, can be a great way to help them connect with their customers and generate sales. But there is also a risk that low-quality livestreams reflect poorly on the brand and poor overlap between the target audience and an influencers’ viewer demographic results in poor sales.

In this article, we’ll discuss 10 things to avoid which may cause a poor livestream experience.

#1 Not focusing on the needs of your audience

As a marketing agency we have a clear idea of what we want our influencers to share about our clients’ products and our influencers do a great job at getting these points across to their viewers. But for an epic livestream, you need to have your audience and its interest at the top of your mind.

We look for influencers who are authentic and present their content in an informative and entertaining way. Keeping the viewers' interest in mind make sure to find ways to align your content with your audience's interests. What needs and questions do they have? What can you show and tell to help them make better decisions? What will make them come back for future livestreams?

More about this in point 6!

#2 No plan

The better your preparation the fewer variables you have to worry about that can derail your livestream. Some things to consider are your streaming location, livestream duration, content and sequence, lighting sources, pre-recorded video for content that is impractical to show live, and possible sources of interruptions.

No amount of planning will fully protect your livestream for every contingency but it can significantly mitigate the risk and consequence of unplanned events.

#3 Not testing equipment beforehand

Murphy teaches us “If anything can go wrong, it will” and our livestreamers add “and it usually happens when you go live”. By testing your equipment beforehand and do a test run of your show in advance you can significantly reduce the risk. At the very least you want to test your sound and video to make sure they work.

If you want to test in front of a live audience you can opt to do a livestream to a closed Facebook group comprising of a few friends or record a Facebook stream and watch it back yourself.

#4 Streaming with low upload speeds

Low livestream upload speeds result in choppy feeds and guarantees low viewer staying power. You aim to have an upload speed of 2x of your combined audio and video quality. If you notice problems with the stream there are a few things you can do.

Firstly, turn off any applications that may use some bandwidth. Secondly, use a cable to connect directly to your router rather than using WiFi. You can also ask other users on the network to stop or limit their activities.

#5 Low-quality video and/or audio

In 2004 I was credited for the visual effects of King Arthur. Unfortunately, I didn't see it before moving to the Middle East so on one exciting evening I invited my friends to our favorite cinema in Damascus to watch the local premier. Some 2 hours later I was deeply disappointed as the first half of the movie was out of focus and the second half was inaudible. Hope kept us in the cinema but expect your livestream audience to be significantly less patient.

We recommend that you make sure to get the basics right. Find a noise-free environment in which you are unlikely to be interrupted by external events. Make sure you are well lit; some streamers choose to stream daytime facing the window to get natural light but many invest in a ring light to have more flexibility in location and not depend on the weather. Beyond that, you may decide to invest in a good microphone and camera to ensure crisp sound and video throughout your stream. There are many popular options for software, cameras, and mics and these will subject of future blog posts.

#6 Choosing products that fit poorly with your own or your viewers' interests

In the 2000s Britney Spears signed a deal for $108MM with Pepsi Cola and was later photographed drinking Coke to the dismay of Pepsi marketing executives.

Like Britney, you might be persuaded to promote products that you are not a real fan of but this risks alienating viewers especially if these products don’t match yours, or their, high-quality standards.

As part of keeping your viewers interest first in mind from point 1 make sure that the products you endorse in your livestream are relevant to your viewers and you can endorse them honestly.

#7 Not promoting your livestream on your social media channels

You wouldn’t organize a party and not invite any guests. So, make sure you invite your followers to your livestream!

Amazon can be strict about which influencer candidates it accepts into the influencer program because it is the number 1 online shopping destination in the US. It is looking for influencers who can generate traffic. Of ‘course just bringing in traffic is not enough as it also wants the livestreams to be engaging and informative but that is harder to judge from the application.

So, make sure to let your followers know when you are streaming. More about this under point 10.

#8 Not engaging with viewers

Staying on point with your content plan can be hard enough without thinking about what your audience is up to but one important reason why livestreaming is so compelling for viewers is the ability to interact with the hosts. In Chinese streams, we see a constant exchange between the host and its audience.

The best livestreamers encourage interaction with their viewers responding to comments and questions. Other forms of engagement include raffles, competitions, live polls, shoutouts, and games.

We’ve seen examples of Amazon Live streams where viewers highlight additional product benefits regarding the featured products significantly increasing the credibility of a host’s endorsement.

#9 Not analyzing the livestream results

One of my old colleagues told me something that still rings true today, as I’m trying to lose weight; if you want to improve something start by measuring it. The retailing industry's migration to online has offered up ample opportunities to measure things precisely. You measure viewer numbers and how they change during the stream. You measure unit sales from products promoted in the stream and total revenue.

Seeing the data ask yourself what specific actions you took (or did not) might have influenced the results, build hypotheses, and test in future livestreams to build an understanding of what works and what doesn’t. In this industry which is all about your performance, a commitment to self-improvement and continuous growth can be one of your greatest assets.

And yes, I have succeeded in losing 16 pounds over the last 2 and a half months.

#10 Not streaming consistently

Growing up I was a huge fan of the TV shows The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Friends and I recall being glued to the TV every Thursday evening watching Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross getting to terms with their lives in New York.

You and I might not be as popular as the charismatic characters from Friends but you can help your viewers find you by deciding on a regular time to stream, telling them, and sticking to it!

What is my next step?

Knowing about common mistakes and how to avoid them is one important step towards improving livestreaming quality. At Beanepic we believe to become an excellent livestream we should aim to learn from livestreamers who have a lot of success. We look forward to sharing what we’ve learned from the best Chinese livestreamers in a near-future post.

If you are looking to grow your livestream earnings through more epic brand partnerships, apply to our influencer program and get paired up with high-quality brands which match your profile.