Do Live Video Like A Pro
Do you need to create more content but don’t have a big budget or a lot of time? Or, maybe you need to refocus your efforts on staying visible and maintaining a connection? No matter the circumstances, live video is the way to go.
Why Go Live?
Implementing a live video strategy in this day and age is truly a vital practice for your business. Whether it’s a webinar, presentation, or a live podcast, video is a strong, viable channel. There are over 244.4 million video consumers in the US alone, and it’s been reported that over 91% of users want to see more video content published.
Using a video tool like StreamYard, you can simultaneously go live across multiple platforms – Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, LinkedIn, X, etc. And once published, your video will live and breathe there, gaining more engagement and views over time.
A Live Video Case Study
A great example of this is with our estate planning attorney-client, who is a wealth of knowledge and has an arsenal of free tools to educate and arm her audience with confidence to make smart, knowledgeable decisions about their future now, even amid a crisis like the pandemic. So, we devised a way for her to share the information using Facebook Live so she would stay top of mind.
We trained her, provided tools and tactics, and helped her promote the event using Patch, the Facebook Event tool, social media, and email marketing communications. These can all be free marketing vehicles and instant visibility.
But that’s not all. After the live event, we would download the video, do a few edits, and upload it to the client’s Facebook Business page, YouTube, and website for greater reach. We then posted links to the video on the Patch, repurposed highlights for social media as a blog, and emailed to her databases, all to drive more eyes back to Kirsten and her content. This strategy has been a complete omnichannel approach to help more people, and it worked.
The opportunities with video to transition and grow your audience online are tremendous, even though video has been around for a while. People are just realizing their full potential, and while many are getting more comfortable being on camera, there are just as many out there saying, yeah, that’s where I need to be, but no way, Jose! We get it. Keep reading because we’re about to share some tips and tricks for live video that will make you a pro, even if your middle name is camera-shy.
Put Together a Game Plan
While many people can jump on live videos and wing it, don’t do it. As a brand, you don’t want any mistakes to happen; you want a polished and positive image. That’s not saying you have to be perfect; no one is, but you want to have a plan.
A plan will help you know what you’re doing and boost your confidence so you’re not flustered. Here’s a checklist to get you started:
- Outline your message and goals for the video: Write down your ideas to clarify your messaging. Ask questions like, what is the goal of this video? What am I going to say, and when? Outline your talking points and any questions you might want to ask your audience to keep them engaged. And think about your call-to-action or parting message – like asking a question or telling them to tune in next time. Don’t overthink your messaging, but stay true to your brand and business.
- Choose the right platform: We recommend StreamYard because it’s easy to use, and, as mentioned above, you can stream across multiple social media platforms simultaneously. And while there are many other platforms, it’s crucial to think about your audience and other marketing capabilities for post-show promotional use.
- Production and Quality: A significant advantage of live video is that it can be shot on a laptop or cell phone. Many different types of equipment and software out there turn iPhones into full-on production sets. Whatever you decide to use, make sure that your face is well-lit – using a ring light or a few desk lamps with bright white lighting work to fill the light around your face. It’s also important to ensure that you’ve tested your sound and audio, that your filming area is neat and orderly, and that you have a good backdrop.
- Confirm Who’s Running the Show: Are you part of a team or department that will be putting on the video? Or are you a one-person show? If you’re running a video with only one or two people, be sure to do a rehearsal run, test all your equipment, and hop on the day of the live video early. If you need additional help, we recommend having someone monitor for questions, help queue up any assets, and operate equipment as needed.
- Schedule and Promote: With many platforms, you can schedule your video beforehand. This built-in form of marketing notifies followers of your upcoming live. But don’t forget to utilize social media and email marketing to help promote in advance.
- Go Live: We always recommend rehearsing. You can never be too prepared, but on the day of the event, start about an hour or so before. This gives you the time to double-check everything and prepare yourself, too. Take deep breaths, review your talking points, and just be yourself!
- Post-Show Promotions: Once the camera is switched off, why stop there? Our strategy is to develop a full post-show campaign. We start by pulling the audio and turning it into a podcast. We also repurpose it into a blog, email, and social media promotions to highlight facts or nuggets of information from the broadcast. We also edit the video as needed and cut it into shorts and reels for more post-show reach.
That’s a Wrap
Live video is still largely overlooked. It creates meaningful connections with your audience and prospects and unique benefits that can boost your business. We get the fear of live video, but if you push that aside, you have a powerful tool that puts your customers first, and they become a part of your brand. Now, what are you waiting for? It’s time to go live!
Are you ready to get started on a campaign like this? With Q2Mark’s proven processes, we make your live video projects a breeze, and results quickly follow. Click here to schedule a free consultation, and let’s discuss your needs.