American literary scholar, author, and research fellow of Washington & Jefferson College’s department of English Jonathan Gottschall still, to this day, is the voice behind one of my all-time favorite quotes:
“We, as a species, gravitate to story. We’re addicted to it. Even when the body goes to sleep, the storytelling mind stays up all night, telling itself more.”
In my years writing and editing, I’ve felt this; as a fiction-dabbler, a content marketer for e-commerce, a marketing lead at a CSP, and elsewhere.
So in terms of experiencing the wonders tucked away within story and how the best stories are told (specifically, here, by companies themselves), let’s add another layer to this:
Video and AI.
Today, AI-powered visual commerce platform StoryStream is way ahead of it.
Working with global brands to help turn real, visual content into engaging experiences online, the StoryStream platform specializes in authentic, user-generated content that engages customers – from discovery to purchase and beyond. StoryStream also excels in social commerce, and it has now has launched its Live Video Shopping solution. (This announcement follows several of its successful pilot projects with brands like Oral-B, Braun, and Zavvi.)
Where customers have seen and engaged with StoryStream thus far, there’s been a 25% lift in conversions and an 18% increase in average order value (AOV). StoryStream stands behind compelling content and e-commerce storytelling authenticity, and it is well-aware of what online shoppers want. In fact, research that StoryStream and the U.K.’s Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) have published shows that 62% of all shoppers really want to see more (and interact with more) live video shopping streams from brands they follow and have frequently purchased from before. After all, trust has been established there.
And video, as we know, can play a huge role in brands’ and retailers’ marketing strategies. When done right, they’re attention-grabbing, informative, and they represent critical developments in the relatability and humanization of e-commerce.
So, StoryStream’s Live Video Shopping solution sets out to capitalize on all of the above. With seamless integration into existing sites, StoryStream’s Live Video Shopping Studio enables online retailers to easily host livestreamed shopping events that allows for real-time customer interaction with brands. They can learn about the hosts and what they have to say about the brand, ask questions, and make direct purchases via the video stream.
A solution like this, per StoryStream’s CEO Alex Vaidya, will revolutionize how people conduct their online shopping journeys.
“We’re thrilled to launch our new Live Video Shopping platform,” Vaidya said. “This will make it much easier for retailers to create supremely interactive experiences that can connect customers and even the biggest-name brands on a more personal, more authentic level – resulting in increased buyer commitment and sales.”
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
