Meerkat, Snapchat, Facebook Live and Periscope. It’s quite clear all these social networking platforms have one thing in common – live video streaming. This useful tool has been on the rise and will only continue to grow in popularity.
So what exactly is live video you ask? It’s simply a way to record a video and share it with your audience or social media followers in real time. Unsure about utilising this powerful new way to market your content? Read on.
Live video benefits
If you are wondering why live video is such a big deal when it comes to content marketing, here’s why:
- Intimate connection – Streaming a video live allows you to connect with your audience on a much deeper level than if you were to upload a pre-recorded video. During a live broadcast, you can respond to audience feedback quickly and get an idea of what sort of things click well with them and what does not. It might be helpful to have someone read the comments during a live broadcast so this way you can address issues you consider important. On Facebook Live, you have the option to respond to comments after your broadcast;
- Improved visibility – It’s no surprise that the digital world is a competitive one with multiple brands vying for attention and trying to get their individual posts or pages noticed. By using live video, you are doing your brand a great favour as it gets the opportunity to be on top of the news feed. Both Facebook and Periscope allow users to view the video after the live broadcast;
- Stand out – We are constantly bombarded by ads, most of which are overproduced and don’t convey the main point across effectively. Live videos give brands the chance to showcase their products or services being used genuinely and in real time.
New to live video streaming?
Want to get in on this powerful new way of attracting your audience but don’t know how? No problem. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Mix it up, record both short and long videos to keep your audience guessing
- Show how you create your products or how to use a particular service
- Take them behind the scenes. Show your audience something that they normally wouldn’t get a chance to see
- Host Q&A sessions to increase audience engagement and to show them their opinion matters
While there are numerous benefits of incorporating live videos when marketing your brand, it’s important not to overuse this method and not just record them for the sake of doing so. Take note of the popular trends and what interests your target audience. Make use of this knowledge and show your audience more of what they want.
You might also like: