Which to Choose for E-commerce business - WeChat Mini Program live or Channels live?

Livestream marketing is now a very popular marketing approach. According to statistics from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the usage rate of livestreaming has been rising sharply and the number of livestreaming users has been growing since 2020. Meanwhile, user acceptance of new forms of business including online healthcare and remote working has been increasing, and the online trend of livestreaming in daily life and work has been constantly increasing. Livestreaming  capability has gradually become a new infrastructure capability for enterprises in the digital age. Therefore, the rising online demand of users also drives the development of the corporate livestreaming industry.

As a super social network platform, WeChat has been constantly investing in livestreaming. WeChat mini-program livestreaming is a livestreaming module designed for business users and has specific attributes to help merchants to sell their goods. Wechat channel livestreaming, originally a simple livestreaming tool, now supports livestream shopping. Wechat channel livestreaming is quickly improving the quality and quantity of its functions and services. For enterprises with livestream marketing demand, what are the differences between mini-program livestreaming and Wechat channel livestreaming? These two livestreaming methods differ in the following 4 aspects:

I. Opening conditions

Mini-program live streaming is a business tool launched by WeChat. Through the livestreaming component, merchants meeting the access requirements can achieve closed loop  livestreaming interaction and commodity sales in the mini-programs. Activation of mini-program livestreaming requires a merchant qualification, and the type of mini-program accessed must comply with the “Requirements on Access Categories for WeChat Mini-Program Livestreaming Function”.

For enterprise wechat channel livestreaming, the enterprise official account must be first bound with a wechat channel before activation of livestreaming, and there are no requirements on access categories.

Mini-program livestreaming

Wechat Channel livestreaming

II. Functional differences

Mini-program livestreaming components include viewer end, streamer end and backstage management end. Among others, the streamer-end APP provides various capabilities like streaming initiation, pushing and audio & video effect optimization and supports e-commerce functions including sales promotion, lottery draw and coupons.

Wechat channel livestreaming now also supports the sales promotion function, but its relevant supporting functions are insufficient. The wechat channel livestreaming functions will be further enriched and enhanced with WeChat updates.

Creation of mini-program studios at the streamer end

III. Traffic logic

WeChat mini-program livestreaming is by nature social circle private livestreaming, and most of the target users pay attention to brands. They usually receive livestreaming information through channels like mini-program/official account /We-Media/community and then go to the studio. In this sense, network traffic generally depends on brand influence and awareness.

In addition, the mini-program livestreaming is doing the A/B test for public entry, and the entry is located in [Discover Page] – [Mini-programs] – [Livestream Shopping] (Android). Once this function goes live, mini-program livestreaming can better realize public traffic/fan attraction and private fan consolidation, which is a great plus for customer acquisition and conversion for brands.

Wechat Channel livestreaming entry

IV. User retention

Through combination of e-commerce mini-program and livestreaming, mini-program livestreaming provides an immersive closed-loop shopping experience. While watching the livestreaming program, users may simply place an order for goods. The entire process requires no jump-out and thus helps improve the conversion rate. Interactive functions in the studios including lottery draw, coupons, likes and comments not only promote sales conversion, but also enhance user loyalty and brand communication and enhance the user experience.

Although wechat channel livestreaming benefits from public traffic on the WeChat platform, it has the following problems:

The above problems may result in loss of users and low conversion rate and retention rate.

For enterprises intending to do e-commerce livestreaming on the WeChat platform, using mini-program livestreaming and wechat channel livestreaming at the same time is a better solution. In this way, they can provide users with a better shopping experience and improve user conversion and retention while maximizing public and private traffic and boosting brand awareness.

Mini-program livestreaming and wechat channel livestream shopping conducted at the same time

Contact us for e-commerce livestreaming solutions on the WeChat platform