3 Creative Ways to Use Live Video for Business
In the last couple of years, new ways of streaming live video have been popping up and Periscope, Instagram Live Video and Facebook Live video are just some of them.
Social media is an ever-changing platform and it’s important to stay updated to stay relevant, get good marketing results and create valuable connections. Live video is a perfect example to a trend that has grown popularity over the years and if you aren’t already using it, begin today!
Digital video advertising spending grew 46 per cent to $7.7bn in the US last year, according to eMarketer, the research group, which forecasts the market will hit $13.4bn in 2018.
Video and live video is a prominently used feature that helps bring life to your business and works as an excellent marketing tool- if used right that it. Live videos can help build trust, make new connections and ultimately give you new customers.
3 Creative Ways to Use Live Video for Business
The possibilities with live video are endless. Broadcast an event of yours, arrange a Q&A (questions and answers), informs your audience about upcoming releases, give sneak-peaks, hold a webinar and much more!
The thing to remember however is that live video is all about having personal and genuine conversations with your audience.
You can set up a live event in advance. Select a date for an upcoming Q&A session and allow your audience to ask you questions about your business. Alternatively, you can spontaneously discuss brand new developments or news at the very moment a change has been made to your business (such as new website changes, new product or service announcement, introducing a new employee, etc.). Remember: It doesn’t have to be a million dollar video set-up. Use your smartphone or a webcam to get the job done.
1. Conversations with your audience
Having conversations with your audience through live video can be done in many different ways. At the moment, having conversations with your audience through live video is one of the best and most genuine ways to chat with them, listen to their opinions and their thoughts on social media. On Live video, you respond to their questions instantly and they get to know who they are talking to. It is not like when you answer one of their comments on social media because then, they can’t see you, can’t hear your voice and can’t see your reaction when you read and answer it.
Live video affects your audience in a more deep and connecting way which can help build your relation with them on a completely new level.
Broadcasting a live video and letting your audience know that you are answering all their questions is a great way to build this relationship. It’s hard for you as a brand to thank all your customers one by one but thanking them on Live video is pretty darn close. And as personal as it can get with today’s technology.
By arranging Live video sessions, you can actually save time as well.
Instead of answering people’s emails one by one, you can answer them personally- Live. If they are concerned about something or have any complaints, Live video can actually be a better place than through email to express your sincerest apologies while trying to help them. The great thing is that you are doing it while other people are watching, meaning that they get positive about the way you are handling customer complaints (if you are doing it correctly.).
2. Releases and special announcements
Live video is an extraordinary place to broadcast new releases by your company.
Broadcasting a live event or a new release helps build your reputation and credibility as a company. By giving your followers the absolutely latest info, it sends out signals that you are a brand that cares for your customers.
Make Live video the go-to place when you are having releases and special announcements. This helps make your customers well-informed while at the same time it allows your customers to get to know you a little better and a bit more personal.
Live video can also create buzz because if you are releasing something extraordinary, people will share it to their friends and tell them to watch- meaning a broader reach for your company.
3. Behind the scenes glimpses
Behind the scenes glimpses on Live video is one of the most effective ways to create a form of “hype”.
For example, Calvin Harris shared short videos and Live video snippets of his new song that is going to be released which helped create insane buzz among his fans and followers.
You can achieve this too, even if it’s in a smaller scale.
Generating hype and buzz are really effective tools when doing marketing. Buzz can often give you a bigger spread, for example in newspapers, articles, reviews and word-to mouth. If you share behind the scenes glimpses on Live video, you can with the help of the buzz you are generating get tremendous results once you release the product (if that is what you are giving behind the scenes insights of).
Sharing behind the scenes glimpses helps you because connecting with your audience always adds to your reputation as a company that cares about its customers, just like sharing releases and special announcements do.
You can also share behind the scenes shots of your business. This helps humanize your brand and makes it so much more than just a logo and a brand for the people seeing it from the outside. Share video of your co-workers, the manufacturing process and everything in between and you can be sure to get more humble and appreciating customers.
Conclusion
Live video is a brilliant tool for your brand. It can help increase brand awareness, create genuine connections and save you time. With the help of Live video, you can also create huge buzz if done correctly which will help get your brand “out there” and increase your sales.
To run successful Live videos, you of course need to have a following from the beginning because otherwise, you’ll struggle with just a few people watching your Live videos. Firstly, focus on building your follower base and then start your Live video campaign!
