Going Live? Face Your Fears with These Three Tips
As social media platforms continue to grow and become more interactive, business owners want to get in on the live action, but remain leery of the unknown. Live video streaming capabilities on social platforms offer a way for brands to share authentic moments with their audience and obtain real-time engagement in return.
Here are some quick tips to consider before you press the button to go live:
- Be authentic and in the moment – Remember that going live is an opportunity to showcase what most of your audience members don’t have access to and should be treated different than producing a video for your company. Think through how you want the audience to interact and what their potential interactions could be. Encourage questions and respond to them in real-time.
- Be open-minded – The dialogue with your audience will help you identify what resonates with your followers and where there may be room for improvement or clarification. Who knows, you may learn something that will help your business grow simply by allowing the live interaction to happen.
- Understand your goals – What does social media success look like for your business? Is the goal to increase followers and engagement or something broader like increasing sales, donations or visits to your business? Once you have a clear understanding of what the end-goal is, make sure your live streaming strategy ladders up to it every time.
Whether it’s on Facebook Live, Instagram Stories, Periscope or Snapchat, these tips will help you prepare for your very own live streaming session and ensure you are maintaining the integrity of your brand in a more casual, interactive setting.
Still not convinced live video is the right fit for your business? The Social Shake-Up and PR News recently spoke with Chris Strub, the first person to live stream from all 50 states, on his key insights and where he sees live streaming expanding in 2017. Strub provided insight on his volunteerism tour, where he helped 50 non-profit youth organizations across the U.S. raise awareness of their cause using Facebook Live. Many brands are taking notice, including Humana, who recently hired Strub to help launch a Facebook Live campaign and engage with their online audience.
Interested in going live, but not sure how? Contact us today to learn more about how we can be your strategic partner and elevate your brand to the next level.
