Live Video Marketing

Aug 26, 2023

Live video or live streaming, is a revolutionary digital marketing. Since video became a part of social media, it’s been one of the most essential content formats for anyone trying to build an online presence. In terms of engagement and visibility, nothing beats the power of live video streaming.

It’s easy to understand why. Video is far more entertaining, not to mention, easier to consume than other content types. This makes it the perfect format to engage your target audience and leave an everlasting impression.

While a traditional video is great, we can’t ignore the ever-growing demand for live video! To “live stream a video” means to continuously transmit audio and video from a server to another person’s device. This means that the video you’re engaged with is being uploaded to a platform as you’re watching it, in real time.

Businesses that use live video successfully have experienced astonishing results when it comes to solidifying their brand, and you can easily follow their lead!

With the power of live video, countless new and established businesses have been able to leverage their content in many different ways to further boost engagement, acquire new customers and leads, and maximize their return on investment.

The best news is that even if you have yet to incorporate live video into your digital marketing strategy, it’s not too late! The demand for live video content is ever-growing, and chances are, your target audience would love to see this type of content from you.

In this special report, we’ll cover why live video is such an important part of every successful marketing strategy. We’ll also go over the different ways you can take advantage of the power of live video to quickly boost exposure, maximize sales, and set yourself up for ongoing success.

Getting Started

Live video is accessible to almost everyone. As of late 2022, there were 6.6 billion people with a smartphone. Smartphones provide unprecedented access to the internet and social media. This means that more and more people are accessible through the internet.

When it comes to live video, ABI Research predicted that by 2024, 91 million people will be using live streaming. And if we consider the breakneck development of internet infrastructure, it’ll be even easier for people to consume content anytime, anywhere.

Lastly, live video can help make your events more accessible to people in other cities, people with disabilities, or immunocompromised people who can’t join physical events. Even if your viewers could go to your events in person, they might be more likely to tune into the live video stream since it’s far more convenient.

Here are some other benefits of including live video in your marketing strategy:

It’s far more engaging than other formats:

Live video can be more engaging than any other video format because it lets you form a personal connection with your audience.

You can use body language, facial expressions, and simple gestures to communicate better. It creates a far more genuine interaction and allows your audience to truly get to know you and your brand.

On top of that, live video streams usually include a live chat feature. This lets your viewers communicate with you directly, encourages interaction, and can work to create a sense of community.

Interestingly, Facebook says that people are ten times more likely to post comments on a live video stream than on a regular video.

Live videos have an element of excitement that is hard to find elsewhere:

You can turn a regular announcement into a fun and exciting event for your followers by live-streaming it instead. Think about the different ways you could use live streaming to generate buzz around an upcoming product or to announce the launch of a new tool or service!

This real-time interaction helps make your relationship with your customers even stronger, but it creates a level of anticipation that is difficult to beat.

It’s an affordable (and easy) marketing vehicle:

Before smartphones, producing any kind of video was quite expensive. Nowadays, this equipment is either not necessary or is very affordable.

Speaking of your smartphone, most modern smartphones have amazing cameras that can take professional-looking videos. That means you don’t need to hire professional teams or invest in costly equipment to make a high-quality video.

Furthermore, all the money you save on video production can be redirected to other important tasks that help move the needle, such as paid ads, influencer marketing, or product creation.

Besides saving money, live video is also a great way to save time! Consider how long it takes you to write blog posts, or how much time is involved with creating marketing campaigns. It adds up to hours’ worth of your precious time. Maybe even days.

You can dramatically reduce your time spent with live video since you don’t (and can’t) edit anything and best of all, your audience will likely be far more engaged with your content.

Tips & Strategies

In this section, we’ll walk you through some practical tips for live video streaming so you can set yourself up for long-term success.

Use the Right Platform:

Different platforms will have specific live video functionalities, each with its pros and cons. When deciding which platform to host your live video, you likely want to set your sights on a larger platform that’s reliable, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, or Twitch.

Secondly, you want to host your live video on a platform that your customers frequently use! That way you can reach a larger audience easily.

Check your Equipment Beforehand:

For a basic live video, make sure you go through the following checklist before you start streaming:

Is your camera working?
Is the lighting good?
Can people see what you’re showing them on camera?
Is your audio working?
Is the sound quality clear?
Can people understand what you’re saying?
Are you happy with the background? Is the environment behind you something you’re happy to show your customers?
Is your internet connection stable?

If possible, try to do a test stream beforehand to see if all setup is working. When doing this, use a burner or your private account so that customers don’t end up tuning into your test run.

Have Backup Gear Ready:

If you have doubts about something in the equipment checklist above, make sure you have a Plan B. For example, if you’re not sure about your audio quality, be ready with another mic. The last thing you want to do is end the live video unexpectedly because of technical problems.

Don’t Go Live Unexpectedly (when just starting):

One of the biggest benefits of live video is that it’s a great one-to-many format. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by hopping on "live” at a time when no one is online.

You can ensure that a decent number of viewers tune in by posting about your "live" beforehand. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn-out process! A simple post stating when and which platform you’ll be live on is more than enough.

If you have an existing following, make sure you send your list advanced notice of your upcoming live stream. You can take things a step further by including a link to Google or Apple Calendar so people can add it as a reminder.

Get into the Zone:

This is work for you, but it’s entertainment for your audience! That means your “performance” on the live stream needs to keep your viewers engaged. Of course, how you go about creating an engaging video depends on your style and brand identity. You can take the theatrical route and adopt a “persona” like several streamers in the gaming niche have.

Alternatively, have little games or activities prepared beforehand. You can use these at strategic points of the stream when the engagement starts to drop.

If that’s not your style, don’t forget that simply being genuine and personable is often the best way to boost engagement. Be open to questions and interact with your audience. You can do this by asking questions, answering their questions, asking them to share things in the chat, or even letting them guide the direction of the stream.

Plan Your Content:

Some celebrities or influencers hop on "live” to simply chat with their fans. However, this is not always the best option for businesses. This is because businesses aren’t always as personable or entertaining as celebrities who have cultivated a following based on name alone.

Even for a casual stream, make sure you have a clear theme, objective and call to action ready. This can be something like raising awareness, answering frequently asked questions, or building a community.

During the live stream, refer to this goal periodically. You can even share it with your viewers. If you want to take your planning a step forward, you can use this goal to write a rough script.

For example, you can have a list of topics you want to talk about, or variations of your call to action so that you don’t sound too formulaic. At the same time, you shouldn’t plan your stream down to the second!

Part of the excitement comes from allowing yourself to speak off the cuff, so allow yourself to just relax and get to know your audience. You’ll also be receiving comments from your viewers, and sticking to your script will force you to ignore them.

Integrating Live Video into your Marketing Strategy

Another reason the live video is great is that you can use it as much or as little as you want. While most content marketing activities need a constant stream of content to ramp up engagement, live video gives you more wriggle room because the expectations are different.

But, if you’re looking to implement live video in your long-term marketing strategy, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Audit Your Existing Strategy:

This means taking note of all your content marketing activities. You need to start with an audit to evaluate things like:

What your strategy lacks.
Where you’re excelling and slacking.
The pieces of content that tend to perform best.
What customers want to see from you.

An audit is also a great way to look back on your progress and reflect on how far you’ve come.

Make a Live Video Content Calendar:

Once you’ve taken note of the holes in your existing content marketing, you need to work out how you’re going to fit live video into your overall strategy. Depending on the type of live video you decide to go with, you might have to block out an hour or two for planning and hosting the actual stream.

You also have to align your work schedule with your content calendar. For example, you want to avoid hosting your live stream on days when you upload long-form content. This is because your customers may only have enough time for one, not both.

And like any other piece of content, make sure you choose a time when your customers are likely to engage with you. So, if you’re targeting office workers, hosting your live video at 11 a.m. on a weekday is probably a bad idea.

Plan Your Live Videos:

As we mentioned previously, you shouldn’t plan your live videos down to the second, but you should have a general plan in place beforehand. This includes the goal, equipment set-up, and filming location.

When deciding the content of your stream, choose something that complements the rest of your content marketing strategy.

Ideally, your live videos will help you “plug the holes” you found in your audit. This means that you should be thinking about the content of your live videos for the long term, not just video to video.

An easy way to think of video topics in the long term is to create a “series”. Hosting a series means you don’t have to worry about coming up with a new outline or theme every week. Instead, you can focus on the specifics of the content, which are generally easier to do.

And remember, prep work can be minimal if you consciously decide to go about it that way. The moment you start thinking about video sets, audio, and multiple camera angles, the time you have to invest increases exponentially.

Optimize:

Lastly, like any other content marketing activity, you need to optimize.

Here’s a list of things worth considering:

Are you hosting your stream at the right time?
Are you hosting your stream on the right day?
Are you hosting your stream on the right platform?
Does your posting schedule make you more efficient?
Do users tune into every single live video?
Are viewers staying for the entire live video?
Is your content engaging your viewers?
Are you advertising your stream at the right time?
Are you advertising your stream on the right channel?

Live Video Ideas

How you use live videos will depend on your content marketing strategy. But, if you’re stuck and need some help, we’ve compiled a list of live video ideas to get you started.

We’ve also included some extra tips on how to “upgrade” certain ideas. If you find something you like, you can use these tips to level up the quality of your live video over time. Remember, take what works for you and leave what doesn’t!

Here’s our ultimate compilation of fun ideas to incorporate live video into your marketing strategy:

Stream an In-Person Event Live:

If you’re hosting an in-person event like a pop-up or busking, just stick your phone on a tripod and live stream it.

Customers who can’t attend in person can watch from afar, and generate online engagement at the same time.

Furthermore, you can re-upload this live video as a regular video after the event is done. So, from one event, you get at least two pieces of long-form content!

How to Level Up:

If you’re expecting more people to tune into the stream than attend in person, you’ll want to make sure that they have a good experience too.

A cost-efficient option is to invest in a microphone. For example, a lapel microphone clips onto your shirt and lets viewers hear what you’re saying clearly.

Host a Game Night:

You can take giveaways to another level by adding a game night element to them. For example, you could host a trivia night with questions related to your niche and have your customers type their answers in the chat.

Have someone else mark down the user that says the right answer first. At the end of the live video, you can announce the winner(s) and prize(s). This is a great way to build stronger relationships with your most important customers because they associate your brand with a positive experience.

And this holds even if they just watched the live video and didn’t win/buy anything! You just have to make sure that you create a positive atmosphere.

Tip: Try to choose games that your followers will know and enjoy! For example, older teens seem to love Kahoot quizzes, but people who didn’t grow up doing them might not understand the appeal.

Similarly, bingo night might be a big draw for older audiences but may be unfamiliar to younger people.

Make Big Announcements:

As we said earlier, live videos have an element of excitement to them because they’re happening in real-time. If you want to up the ante for a specific announcement or product launch, consider hosting a live video!

It’s easy for regular posts to get “lost” in a user’s feed. On the other hand, live videos usually show up in their section on top of the feed, so they have higher visibility.

Once you end the live video, you can then repost it as a regular video so that everyone who didn’t see it still gets the announcement.

Tip: Live videos and big announcements go hand-in-hand because they both create a sense of urgency. This makes them feel more scarce, novel, and important than other products or posts.

To build up hype, add a “countdown” element to your live video! You can do this within the live video itself, or host a series of live videos as a countdown to the product launch.

You can also apply the same concept to special sales like Black Friday and Boxing Day!

Make Educational Content Interactive:

Live video lends itself well to educational content because it lets you interact with your audience in real-time.

If you work in a niche that requires a little bit of know-how, consider hosting a live tutorial so that customers can follow along in real time.

Tip: You can ask your followers what you should teach them in your next live video. In doing so, you can be certain that your content is engaging and useful.

And if you can host live videos regularly, you can brand them as a recurring series. This creates lots of opportunities for repurposing and evergreen content.

Expert and Influencer Interviews:

If you collaborate with subject matter experts and influencers in your niche, bringing them in for a podcast-style discussion can help draw their audience to your business. This also creates value for your existing followers.

Tip: Try to block out some time for a Q&A with your audience. These sections of the live video usually make great evergreen content once they’re repackaged into other formats!

If you’re interviewing someone with a relevant following (ie. an influencer in your niche), consider inviting them as a guest to your "live". This means that your live video will show up on their followers’ feeds.

Influencer Takeovers:

Speaking of influencers, another way to draw another person’s audience to your brand is by hosting an influencer takeover. There are lots of ways to go about this, but you basically “give” your influencer control over your account for a set amount of time (usually 24 hours at most).

When hosting an influencer takeover, make sure to choose someone who accurately represents your brand and your values. You’ll also want to choose someone who will “click” with your audience. Or even better, choose someone that your audience looks up to.

The association between your brand and an aspirational influencer will help customers realize how your product can help them accomplish their goals.

Tip: Takeovers can be combined with plenty of other live video ideas! You can have your influencer host your game night, or have a live video “relay” countdown with a few influencers.

Have fun and think of ways to engage both your audience and the influencer’s audience, so that it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Make Product Demonstrations Interactive:

A common pain point of shopping online is knowing whether a product works or is a scam. Product demonstrations are great because they let you show how your product works, rather than just talking about it on a website or social media post. They also help customers decide if your product can solve their needs or wants.

Some businesses upload pre-made “general” product demonstrations on their channels. Others ask customers to book an appointment beforehand so the sales agent can give them a personalized experience.

While both methods have their pros and cons, you can get the best of both worlds by doing your product demonstrations on a live video. Hosting your product demonstrations live lets you create an interactive and semi-personalized experience. Once the live ends, you can then reuse it as a regular video.

Tip: If you have enough products, you can turn live product demonstrations into recurring series. Or, consider combining it with other live video ideas like clinics or big announcements.

Host a Live Auction:

Selling on live video took off in 2020 when everyone was stuck at home. There’s an element of FOMO (AKA fear of missing out) that leads people to watch even if they weren’t thinking of purchasing anything.

Live shopping can also be a form of passive entertainment, as people may be looking for something to pass the time.

To host a live auction, you can use a live shopping app, or you can use a platform like Facebook and mark the winning bid with a thumbs-up reaction.

During the live stream, take note of the users who won the bid, and message them afterwards to confirm the details and process the payment.

Tip: When selling live, you have a limited time to make each product seem appealing. Try to prepare beforehand. Make packaging easy to open, set up a good light or maybe even a second camera for close-up shots, and be ready to give product demonstrations on the fly.

Live Stream your Production Process:

A sneak peek into your production process can be very interesting to your audience, as they don’t usually get to see what goes on behind the scenes.

Seeing the amount of time and effort that goes into creating your products can give them a better understanding and appreciation for your business. In turn, this can make customers more willing to pay for higher-end products or services.

Final Words

That brings us to the end of this report and don’t forget these 3 important things:

Be Prepared:

Check your equipment and setup before starting your live presentation. Preparing beforehand will save you from pesky technical issues that disrupt the quality of your live video. And if you want to make sure that people tune in, advertise your live video using a story or a regular post.

Interaction is Key:

One of the greatest aspects of live video is the ability to interact with your audience! Don’t let this opportunity go to waste and make sure you keep an eye on the comments. You might find some great questions worth addressing, important concerns, or positive feedback you can use in your sales funnel.

Have Fun, Experiment, and Optimize!

Live videos are a flexible format that you can play around with. So, take advantage of the opportunity to deliver an unforgettable experience for your audience. Don’t be afraid to try new things, or to go off-script.

Even though it’s important to have a clear idea as to the focus and objective of every live video, as you gain more experience producing them, and become more comfortable in front of the camera you’ll be able to interact with your audience in a deeper and more meaningful way.

At the end of the day, the most important thing to keep in mind that will set you up for long-term success is to focus on being genuine, and transparent, and to always keep your audience in mind.

Focus on what is important to them, what they’re most interested in, and how you can demonstrate your commitment and ability to help them achieve their goals.