When working with Video Commerce, one of the earliest considerations is who should host your shows. A good host is vital to the success of your streams, so picking the right one is an important task.
Often, the choice is made between an influencer host or an internal employee. Today, we dive into the pros and cons of each and give you the stats to make an informed decision on whom to hire!
Key Differences in Talent for Success with Video Commerce
When deciding whether to go for an influencer host or hire internal talent, the most important considerations are your concept, expertise, and budget.
If your concept leans towards star power, exclusivity, and larger productions, an influencer host may be a good fit. An influencer will bring a large audience, a well-established personal brand, and authority to the screen, helping your concept take off faster. However, they tend to be the more expensive option.
Existing employees will be a good option for anyone looking to have a high frequency of shows or place emphasis on product details and product expertise rather than personal taste. Internal talent tends to be more cost-efficient; however, it’s not always certain you will have someone in your organization ready to step up to the task.
Who Performs Better? The Stats
Let’s have a look at the numbers. How do the differences materialize when all is said and done? While there is still a lack of industry-wide research on the subject, we’ve looked into our own data across different verticals. What we found was:
Conversion Rate
On average, the conversion rate of shows with an influencer host within the beauty and fashion verticals was 11%. In comparison, the conversion rate for employee-hosted shows was 9%. Both are impressive numbers, giving influencers a slight lead.
Viewership
Viewership is really where the biggest difference was observed, with influencer-hosted shows having 50–100% larger viewership on average, depending on the shopping channel’s popularity. Well-established channels saw a smaller difference in reach between influencer and internal talent hosting the shows, as the internal talent, over time, had become micro-influencers themselves.
Watch Time and Customer Loyalty
Lastly, let’s have a look at watch time and customer loyalty. Interestingly enough, we didn’t observe any significant differences in watch time between influencer shows and employee-hosted shows. The main determinant of good watch time is how valuable the content itself is to the viewer, not who hosts the stream.
Customer loyalty was also unimpacted by the choice of host, meaning you can build a loyal following for your show using internal talent. The recognizability of the same few faces week after week will help you build a fanbase of recurring viewers.
Who Should Pick an Influencer to Host Their Live Shopping Shows?
Influencer marketing works—that much is clear—but can an influencer alone carry your concept? The answer is yes! And sometimes, it’s easier to hire outside talent that is already media-trained rather than upskilling internal talent. Go with an influencer host if you:
— Want higher reach. The influencer’s followers allow you to reach new communities and customers who might not already be familiar with your brand. This is especially powerful if you rotate between influencer hosts.
— Work with bigger productions. Often, influencers are used to big productions and won’t be intimidated. They are accustomed to thinking on their feet in both live and pre-recorded settings and are usually charismatic on camera.
— Want to optimize for conversion. As the data shows, influencers have a slight edge when it comes to conversion rates from the shows. If sales per show are your main concern, an influencer will give you the fastest results. While influencers for brands are nothing new, influencers for TikTok Shop and Amazon are evolving career paths.
Who Should Pick Internal Talent to Host Their Live Shopping Shows?
If you have a talented employee who is ready to step up to the challenge and become a live shopping host, chances are you will be able to build a really good, popular sales channel. Hire internal talent if you:
— Want to have a high show frequency. A high show frequency is extremely important to the success of any Video Commerce venture. Internal talent allows you to go live more often, as they will be able to dedicate more of their working time to this project, whereas an influencer’s attention might be more divided.
— Want to be cost-efficient. High show frequency with internal talent means a lower cost per show. You already have the employee on your payroll, and usually, upskilling them doesn’t require extra budget allocation, unlike hiring an influencer.
— Want to put a face to your brand. Internal hosts tend to become the face of the brands they represent, which is a great opportunity to humanize your business. It inspires customer loyalty and trust to see the same people on screen week after week. Before you know it, you’ve got yourself a brand ambassador. That is super valuable in today’s retail landscape, where declining brand loyalty is a trend!
Examples of Successful Bambuser Clients with Different Host Types
We see our clients adopt many different strategies when it comes to hosting. Some use exclusively influencers or exclusively internal talent, but many also opt for a mix.
Stockmann: Influencer Live Shopping with Success
Stockmann has built “Stockmann Live” with two well-known Finnish influencers as their main hosts. They successfully drive engagement, demand, and sales month after month.
Clarins: Digital Clienteling and Masterclasses with Internal Talent
Clarins is an expert at bringing its internal talent into play. On their UK site, they offer a plethora of digital services, including Digital Clienteling, masterclasses, and live shopping events. Everything is planned out and hosted by their expertly trained employees.
Matas: A Video Commerce Sales Channel Using the Best of Both Worlds
If you want a case of successfully merging talented employee-hosts with guest stars, such as influencers or actual celebrities, look to Scandinavian beauty retailer Matas. They found the perfect balance, basing their castings on subject matter, brand, and audience.
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