In 2020, under the pandemic’s influence and with live streaming technology maturing, live streaming grew explosively, from traditional entertainment and social streams to schoolchildren taking live lessons at home, and online sellers racing to add live functions on e-commerce platforms. Live streaming carries the internet’s strengths of information spread, interactive experience and wide reach. WeChat, a platform with over one billion active users, saw the huge business opportunity in it, and launched the mini program live streaming feature at the start of the year. XZS Tech walks you through the process and the features.
On February 28, 2020, Tencent’s WeChat officially announced that mini program live streaming had entered public beta, letting mini programs connect live streaming. Mini program live is a merchant operating tool provided officially by WeChat: by invoking the component, developers can quickly deliver quality live content to users through the mini program, complete the purchase transaction loop smoothly inside the mini program, and raise conversion. Enabling it means merchants can market through WeChat’s enormous traffic pool at lower thresholds and greater speed, gaining new owned traffic and the advantages of strong social interaction and high conversion.
The mini program live component includes a viewer side, a streamer side and an admin side. The viewer side provides stream pulling, real-time interaction, subscription reminders and goods purchase; the streamer side provides going live, stream pushing and audio-visual optimisation; the admin side handles live rooms, product shelves and marketing campaign configuration.
The process of enabling mini program live streaming
First, the merchant must own a mini program. Mini program live is a function component, so the merchant first needs a mini program of their own to embed the live component into.
Second, the category requirements: the mini program’s developer must be a domestic non-personal entity, and the mini program must fall under the permitted service categories set out in WeChat’s official list of open service categories. The broad categories include e-commerce platforms; merchant self-operation such as general goods, food, fresh agricultural products, alcohol and salt, publications and media, auto parts, apparel and bags, toys and mother-baby products, appliances and digital devices, cosmetics, jewellery and watches, sports and outdoors, flowers and crafts, home furnishings, office supplies, machinery and electronics, prepaid cards, pet supplies and health supplements; education, covering training institutions, online education and study abroad services; finance, covering securities and futures consultancy, insurance and banking; transport and travel, covering airlines, ride hailing, taxis, trains and car rentals; real estate and property; life services such as beauty, pet care, photography, wedding services and housekeeping; IT and telecoms; dining, covering restaurants, ordering platforms and delivery platforms; tourism, covering routes, hotels, tickets and visas; automotive services; and sports, covering venues, events, training and online fitness. See the official document for the detailed items in each.
Third, the operating requirements: the mini program must have had no serious violations in the past six months, and must have had payment activity in the past 90 days. Both operating conditions and the category conditions must be met simultaneously.
These entry requirements were published and took effect on February 24, 2020. To keep the WeChat ecosystem healthy, Tencent reserves the right to adjust and publish the entry requirements from time to time; watch for updates.
Fourth, the entrance. Log into the WeChat mini program backend, enter Features, then Live, and click Enable; read and agree to the service terms, and the mini program live feature is enabled.
The features of mini program live streaming
First, create a live room. After enabling the feature, enter Features, then Live in the backend to reach the live rooms page, click Create Live Room and follow the steps. If the online mini program has not added the live component, a prompt appears; continue and complete the room configuration. Note that one mini program can create at most 50 live rooms, support at most 50 simultaneous sessions a day, and each room’s broadcast cannot exceed 12 hours.
Second, add goods to the warehouse. Merchants add goods in the backend under Features, Live, Product Warehouse. Goods must already be listed on the mini program before they can be added successfully. After adding, the goods go to WeChat for review, and only approved goods enter the warehouse. Stocked goods can be imported into a live room and shown in its product list, and during a stream merchants can swap, list or delist goods. WeChat’s review takes one to seven days, so enter streaming goods into the warehouse early.
XZS Tech is a Shenzhen-based development company. We build custom mini programs, WeChat and mobile apps, e-commerce systems and corporate websites, covering requirement analysis, design, development and after-sales support, and we hand over the source code at delivery.
If you are planning something along the lines of what this article describes, tell us the scenario and we will come back with an approach and a cost range. Call 0755-82494862, or reach us through the contact page at hk.xiaozhushoukeji.cn/en/contact-en/. The first conversation costs nothing.
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