EVER bought something online after watching a video or livestream?
Nowadays, livestreaming e-commerce (live commerce) has become the norm. It is not just limited to big brands — even micro influencers and local entrepreneurs use livestreaming as a way to promote their brand and get more sales.
The rise of live commerce was partly driven by Alibaba, which introduced Taobao Live in 2016 as a feature integrated into Taobao and Tmall to help merchants engage and interact with shoppers in real-time. It allows consumers to browse product listings, post comments or questions, and shop by a simple click while watching livestreamed sessions.
Over the years, the trend of livestreaming grew and spread to other parts of the world. Southeast Asia has become one of the markets where retailers and consumers have embraced this new medium, against the backdrop of the region's rapidly growing digital economy.
With consumers stuck at home during the lockdown, live commerce continued to see an uptake in 2021, according to market research group Oppotus. By the first quarter of the year, 23 per cent of Malaysians surveyed said that they made purchases from livestream shopping in the past three months.
Interestingly, while the majority of live commerce shoppers were millennials and Gen Z-ers, 13 per cent of live commerce shoppers were actually 45 years old or above. This shows that there is an increasing demand for livestreams and videos, regardless of age.
LIVESTREAMING & VIDEO PRODUCTION
These days, becoming a key opinion leader (KOL) livestreamer or video producer has been considered as a viable career option for many.
KOL livestreamers are popping up and making a living by selling products online. In fact, KOL livestreamers do not necessarily need to have a massive following like influencers and celebrities.
Instead, as long as they can build a loyal customer base and become experts in their fields, they can enjoy a sustainable avenue of income, be it selling children's toys, supplements or beauty products.
Furthermore, video has now become an increasingly preferred format for Malaysians to consume content. Based on Hootsuite's 2021 report, 98.1 per cent of Malaysian Internet users watched videos, making it the top consumption format among all online content activities.
Hence, having video production skills can go a long way in assisting Malaysians build their online and e-commerce presence, especially those who aspire to be successful KOLs or those who run their own businesses.
UPSKILL WITH ALIBABA LIVENOW TRAINING PROGRAMME
To help more Malaysians unlock potential opportunities in the interactive e-commerce world, Alibaba is bringing back their LiveNOW Training Programme (LiveNOW), a corporate social responsibility initiative created exclusively for Malaysia.
First launched in 2020, in partnership with MODEN KOL Academy, the programme incubated more than 200 KOLs across Selangor, Penang and Sarawak.
Jess Lew, country manager of Tmall Taobao World Malaysia, said, "Encouraged by the positive response we saw in 2020, we are excited to bring back our LiveNOW CSR programme this year to open the door to potential opportunities in interactive e-commerce wider for Malaysians, as part of Alibaba's commitment to enabling access to the digital economy for all."
This year, LiveNOW 2022 is back and aims to train up to 300 participants, including aspiring individuals from the B40 community and other underserved communities, such as youth and women.
The programme is designed for those who want to explore a career as a KOL livestreamer or online video producer. It is also relevant for business owners, especially micro entrepreneurs, who are keen on hosting their own videos to deepen consumer engagement.
Watch the recent kick-off webinar of LiveNOW 2022 below for more details:
Featuring speakers from Lazada and Taobao, KOLs, as well as short video production sharing led by UNINESS, LiveNOW 2022 will train participants to kickstart their livestreaming and video production journey.
Notably, a number of KOLs (Jae C, Xiao Gu, Kate Ke En and Kartini Ariffin) will be sharing their personal insights into key e-commerce trends and their livestreaming know-how.
Fully sponsored by Alibaba, the one-day training will be conducted virtually in three languages across three Saturdays: 25 June (English), 2 July (Bahasa Malaysia), 9 July (Mandarin).
In addition, participants who have completed the training will walk away with a certificate of participation.
Attendees who complete the training are also welcome to join the LazTalent Community of Lazada Malaysia. And those with a business can apply for the Hari-Harimau New Seller Kickstarter Package by Lazada Malaysia, helping them bring their businesses online with ease.
SIGN UP TODAY
Ultimately, Alibaba wants to "make it easy to do business anywhere" by lowering the barrier to the digital economy for businesses as well as underserved communities.
For aspiring KOL livestreamers and video producers, do not miss this opportunity to upskill with Alibaba LiveNOW Training Programme 2022. Plus, it's completely free of charge!
Those interested may sign up for LiveNOW 2022 here.