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The world of video marketing has been growing exponentially in the last few years. With new trends coming into the picture, brands all over the internet are competing with each other to stay updated with these norms and capture the attention of their customers.
A new trend that’s growing in popularity among online consumers is the Live Video Stream.
According to an article by Augustin Esperon, 82% of Facebook users prefer watching a live video stream over reading a normal post. Martech estimates that over 360 million users watch Facebook live videos and 200 million people use Instagram live on a regular basis.
That’s a lot of attention. And you can tap into this growing market of live videos to grow your business.
This article will teach you how to create the perfect live broadcast to increase your brand awareness among viewers.
Live stream video content ideas for your brand
Before you begin your shooting your live video, ask yourself what content will engage your target audience the best. If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some ideas that may help you decide what you want to do.
1. Q&A or Ask me anything videos
Actors, Musicians, Vloggers and all kinds of celebrities can often be seen interacting with their fanbase by live streaming videos. Why? It isn’t just about creating more content on Facebook.
Live video streaming on platforms like Facebook and Instagram Live allows viewers to leave comments and interact directly with the face in front of the camera. This builds a feeling of community and belonging among the fanbase and brings a humane aspect to the celebrity’s brand image.
Sephora did the same by inviting Jen Atkin and Christophe Robin Paris for a 30-minute live broadcast Q&A video where they gave out beauty tips and talked about trends and beauty products. Why not do something similar for your brand?
Use the Live Video Stream platforms to answer the questions of your consumers. Not only is this going to generate a larger volume of traffic than a normal Facebook post, you will also succeed in making your brand more accessible and real to your audience.
2. Launching a new product? LIVE STREAM!
I think we can all agree that Apple is a genius when it comes to marketing. So why not take a leaf out of their book and live stream your product launch? Flaunt your product presentation online and increase awareness both for your brand and for the product itself.
3. How-to videos
Audiences love content that adds value to their lives. Home Depot used live videos to advertise their products by having Martha Stewart demonstrate ideas for Christmas decorations. All the products used in the video were from the Martha Stewart collection, exclusively found at Home Depot.
Find a way to teach your viewers an art or craft that relates to your brand. These DIY videos benefit your consumers by helping them gain a new skill set. If possible, use your products in the live video. It will explain the product to your consumers and advertise the brand, all while adding value to your business.
4. Live interviews
Have a celebrity endorsing your business? Interview them live! People always love hearing more from their favorite celebrities and a live video with one is only going to benefit your brand.
Don’t have a celebrity endorser?Why not interview someone from your product development team? The person who came up with the product idea? Your intern? Someone who works at the cafeteria at your workplace?
Ask them about their day-to-day experiences. These videos are human interest stories and your audience will want to hear more about them. It goes a long way in promoting your brand as fun-loving and humane, drawing your consumers closer into your community.
5. Share news
Go live on Facebook or Instagram, even YouTube and share news that relates to your brand and business. This allows your consumers to be updated with the happenings in the world while also advertising your own brand in a manner useful to the customer.
And let’s face it, it’s easier to make new announcements about your brand through mobile devices than through conferences and press meets.
6. Create exclusive content for those who are watching
Create personalized content, tailored exclusively for those who are watching your live stream. This will make those who watched the live video believe that they have become a part of something special – and they have!
This sort of content will increase viewership drastically, with your audience immediately coming online to watch your live video streams for fear of missing out on your brand’s next big announcement.
Hopefully, you now have some ideas to promote your business through live video streaming. It is now time to get down to business and create the perfect live broadcast to engage your target audience and increase your brand’s awareness. Live broadcasting has proven to be effective when it follows a basic procedure.
How do you make a live video?
This step-by-step guide will walk you through the basics of creating your very own quality live video stream to boost your business in the minds of your customers.
Before your Live Stream
Now that you have an idea about the content you want in your live video, let’s talk about the prep required before you begin your live broadcast.
1. Get the right equipment
A good live video takes some preparation and with the right equipment, can greatly improve the quality of your content. Luckily, the equipment needed is affordable and easy to find.
- You’ll need some good lighting. Don’t just depend on the natural lighting in the room. Try to include an extra light source while shooting the video so that it looks bright and welcoming to viewers.
- Use a good webcam or try to get a tripod for your mobile device. Shaky handheld videos always look unappealing. Nobody wants to see that.
- Make sure you have a good microphone instead of depending on your phone’s in-built one. It’ll ensure that you are clearly audible and that your viewers can hear what you have to say.
- If you’re using a phone with the Facebook app to go live, decide your format before you shoot - Will you go for a horizontal video? Or maybe a vertical one?
2. Let your followers know you’ll be going live soon
Your videos need an audience to make an impact. Inform your followers in advance about your upcoming live streams. Tell them exactly when you’ll be going live so that they can tune in on time to watch your stream.
This way, you get maximum viewership for your video while creating a regular communication channel between you and your customers.
3. Link your Live Stream across social media
Just because you’re going live on Facebook, doesn’t mean that you have to limit your video to one social media website. Put up links to your live stream on other platforms and use your online presence to generate a larger volume of traffic. Every little helps!
During your Live Stream
So you’re all set up and ready to create your live video. But here comes the most important part – The actual Live Stream.As daunting as it can be to go live and have thousands of people watching your every move and listening to your every word, live streaming done right will feel easy and effortless.
Here are some tips that will help you kick up a storm online with your live videos.
1. Relax
Being live streamed is scary. And that’s ok.Always remember, to err is human.It’s ok to make mistakes in your live stream. In fact, it’s advantageous to your video. Making mistakes from time to time and ‘goofing it up’ only humanizes you to your audience, making you more relatable to them.
This improves your audience’s outlook on your content and will make them more receptive to what you have to say and what your business has to offer through the video.
2. Acknowledge your viewers
Once you go live, you’ll be able to see people joining in to watch your stream in real time. Acknowledge as many individuals as you can by name. This shows your audience that they matter to you and they will enjoy the content of your live stream even more.
3. Live broadcast as long as you can
Try to ensure that you have a good run-time for your live video. The longer your live stream, the more people will join.At the same time, ensure your live video’s length doesn’t feel dragged out and lengthy to your viewers. Keep them entertained and engaged!
Make sure you check out Facebook Live’s tips to get the best out of your Live Videos here.
After the Live Stream
1. Leave a comment thanking your viewers
Leaving a thank you comment on your archived video shows your viewers that you’re grateful to them for tuning in to watch your live stream. This not only improves your standing in your customers’ minds, but also generates more activity on the video.
2. Analyze your video
Facebook allows you to view certain statistics of your video that will allow you to gauge your live stream’s effectiveness after you’ve finished broadcasting. Make sure you go through these numbers as they will give you an insight into your audience’s mind and will show you how to get more out of your next live broadcast.
3. Share your video
Share your video on all your social media platforms so that your customers can watch it even days after the video has gone off air. This is a great way to further increase the buzz around your live stream.
4. Be Regular
One live video is good, but it isn’t enough to catch the imagination of your customers. Analyze your previous broadcasts and go live regularly to create a stronger presence for your brand online.
Conclusion:
The easy-to-create nature and high-cost effectiveness of live videos have made them the go-to marketing strategy for any business that wants to reach out to its customers, increase brand awareness and expand their online community.
One great live video could mean the difference between a good business and a successful one. So go online, create great content, engage your audience and take your business to billions of people worldwide.
