Live Streaming on Amazon, Yes It’s A Thing

Are you ready for the craziest three-word combination you’ve ever heard? Well, here it goes: Amazon Live Streaming.

Yes, that’s right. Amazon, the trillion dollar company, has created their own Amazon version of live streams, including an influencer program and its own app. There is plenty to say, so let’s dive right in.

Amazon Live first launched in 2019, but is now starting to attract user attention. There are livestreams on Amazon.com and on the Amazon app, and the entire ordeal is comparable to QVC. Think about it: QVC is showcasing all kinds of products that the audience can purchase at any time if interested. Amazon is basically curating that kind of see-sell-buy strategy with products solely featured on Amazon, not just any product by any business out there. Is this move going to help or hurt them? Only time will tell, but as of now, it hasn’t produced any show-stopping success. But I guess with an influx of cash by the seconds, Amazon is more than capable of seeing out new ideas without hurting the business.

In addition to deciding to have their own live streaming tab on their website and app, Amazon created its own app called Amazon Live Creator, so that influencers and brands can track their follower growth (yes, you can follow brand pages for product updates and live stream notifications), to track their “live levels,” and to ultimately feel a part of a special group of Amazon sellers.

Before we talk more about what “live levels” are, let’s talk about who can climb them, i.e. the influencers and brands. The Amazon Influencer Program allows live streamers to grow a follower count where the followers are notified of upcoming and current live streams, to earn commission from purchases generated from the livestream in addition to existing earnings from traffic referred to their storefront, and yes, they have their own storefront on Amazon with all of the Amazon products that they are boasting about and recommend. When the influencer goes live, streams will automatically appear on their storefront and on the Amazon Live home page.

The program also means that you’re not just any influencer from any app. It means that you satisfy all of the qualifications to officially become an elite live streamer… on Amazon. Here’s what Amazon has to say about these qualifications:

“Influencers across any category can participate in this program. Currently, you must have a YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account to qualify. We look at the number of followers and other engagement metrics of your social media presence.”

In other words, you must be an official live streamer before being an official live streamer.

However, if you are live streaming as a brand, these metrics aren’t the make or break of whether or not you’re an official Amazon Influencer. This is because you would be livestreaming under the brand’s name, not under your own name in the online world.

Does live streaming as a brand differ from live streaming as an influencer?

The only difference is that a brand can’t earn commission. They still track follower growth and share their products up front and personal with their audience, and they still need to use the Amazon Live Creator app to maintain their official, elite status.

Now that we know who can live stream on Amazon, let’s talk about the Amazon Live Levels that they can climb.

Basically, Amazon Live Levels act as incentives for influencers and brands to make their live streams engaging and effective, thus making money. To increase the “live level,” influencers stream longer and help more shoppers find products. Each “live level” unlocks more benefits in return for driving sales. For brands, this could mean additional placements for their live streams on Amazon in addition to the standard locations on the platform where it is streamed.

Right now, only the following are approved to “Amazon Live” as the kids are calling it these days:

• U.S. Professional Sellers registered in Amazon Brand Registry

• U.S. Vendors with an approved Amazon Store

• Amazon Influencers with an active influencer storefront

Are you ready to associate Amazon with social media platforms? Because we definitely aren’t.