Source: Radio New Zealand
Kiwis are turning to livestreaming for income and promotion. Screenshot / TikTok
It’s 9am on a Thursday as the rain hammers rooftops and a strong wind shakes down leaves.
Inside, Tasha Langi is busily preparing an order and chatting away with an audience of 64 on her phone screen.
“Do you still work with BBM? We don’t work with them, but we always see them,” she answered a question from one viewer.
“Nice and easy this morning. My baby wanted me to just sit with him last night, so I had to start the bulk orders a little bit later than usual,” she said as she gave the viewers a glimpse into her life.
Tasha is among a growing group of Kiwis who are turning to TikTok livestreams to promote their businesses.
According to TikTok, two million people watch livestreams across Australia and New Zealand, but exactly how many Kiwis are broadcasting their lives live remains unclear.
Tasha and her husband, James run a protein dessert company, Fit Prepp, from Manurewa.
James said they were social media savvy, but livestreaming was a new territory.
James and Tasha Langi, who runs Fitt Prep, has been livestreaming their business routine to engage with the community. James Langi / Supplied
“We’ve only done live streaming for two weeks now and we’re still learning, but we enjoy it. When you’re putting your face and who you are behind (the business) it builds another relationship. It builds something better.”
They started going live after customers suggested it, and it’s already paying off with new orders and memorable interactions.
Tasha said recently, a customer and her father visited them after watching their content.
“She came down with her dad and got our tubs and that was really nice. She said her and her dad had been watching us for months and months. He’s been cheering us on from afar. And then she sent me a heartfelt email because she just felt like we were a part of her family in the way we just brought her into our home and expressed our gratitude.”
Palmerston North-based artist Emilie Geant who livestreams her art making process has a theory why livestreaming is different from other social media promotions.
James and Tasha Langi, who run Fitt Prep, has been livestreaming their business routine to engage with the community. Emilie Geant/Supplied
“The issue with social media is everyone is only showing the shiny part of being an artist. I like that on TikTok that’s a little bit less shiny. People are a bit more real and genuine. I think people need to understand that running an art business, it looks really cool, but it’s actually a lot of work, a lot of admin work.”
She said showing the “less shiny” part of her work broke down the barrier between an artist and the customer.
“It’s not just a painting, it’s a person behind the painting. (In my livestreams) I’m explaining why I’m doing what I’m doing, why I’m making the choice visually. So people get attached more emotionally and I had more followers thanks to the livestreams, and also more sales online.”
Palmerston North based artist Emilie Geant says livestreaming her work process has translated into more orders. Emilie Geant/Supplied
And livestreaming itself has become an important revenue stream for some creators.
Lower Hutt musician Charles Humphreys has been livestreaming since 2022, showcasing his work up to five times a week.
“It’s multi-level rewarding. I will get paid from the TikTok stream. I will get rewarded by people listening to my original music, which is out there. I will get rewarded by the fan base growing. I’m also making great connections with other artists around the world.”
While most days he has an audience in the hundreds, one Tuesday he hosted a crowd of 9000 for 12 minutes.
His livestreams are so popular that they attracted the attention of TikTok, who asked him to be the opening act for this year’s TikTok Live Fest in Las Vegas.
Charles Humphreys’ livestreams are so popular that TikTok asked him to be the opening act for this year’s TikTok Live Fest in Las Vegas. Charles Humphreys / Supplied
Humphreys said some times, he can make close to $10,000 a month, while he made very little on others.
But he prepares for each streaming session equally with a full suit, professional sound equipment, and a studio filled with neon lights.
“I’m not there playing a game. I’m absolutely there 100 percent to perform. One day you got an audience of 100 and you make $6000. And another day you might find that you’re talking to some place in the world where money’s not so good. But you still perform anyway because they deserve it as well.”
Lower Hutt musician Charles Humphreys takes all of his livestreams very seriously. Charles Humphreys / Supplied
Livestreaming has helped him reach audiences from all over the world, all walks of life. “Some of them can’t go anywhere. Some of them just feel like, you know what, I’m never going to make it to a concert hall. I can’t afford $200 to go and see whoever the artist is, but I can afford to give a little bit of time on TikTok to Charles. And he makes me feel like there’s a little bit of hope in the world and there is a place where I can be happy and we can have a laugh.”
And if you are aching to showcase your talent, Humphreys has a piece of advice.
“So if you’re one of those people who feels like they’d like to share something about themselves, just do it. Forget the intimidation, forget the feeling of not being able to or not being capable. Just do it.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
