How to Ride the Livestreaming Wave to Marketing Success Our cultural fixation with video means learning some new skills to take advantage of a powerful new marketing channel.
By John Boitnott Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Live video marketing has become a must-do trend in the digital marketing community. Thanks to Snapchat, Facebook Live and other competing social media that connect users to brands in real-time, there's been a surge in content creation that boosts social presence and builds brand loyalty while live streaming.
It's a no-brainer because from what I've seen these companies seem to give more exposure to live streams. They want live video to be seen as effective. I believe they want to use it to ensure deeper involvement from brands who may pay more for their streams to be seen down the line. It's all part of being profitable and making shareholders happy right?
One of the most valuable byproducts of livestreaming is that it bridges the gap between clients and brands and allows for a much more intimate interaction. In essence, it's a video marketing strategy that brings us back to a time when we could physically and emotionally interact with other people who represented the brand we were crazy about.
In this day and age, however, thanks to our incredible technological landscape, it can be easy to feel out of touch with others, and more so with the brands we love. As the retail business declines and online shopping grows, marketers are embracing and adapting to new digital marketing strategies -- like livestreaming -- to keep their products and services competitive, while also ensuring they remain ever-present in the lives of consumers.
When to reach your audience.
At this point, we all know the benefits of this tool. The question is, when is the ideal time to use live video? On the flip side, when should we avoid using it? The reality is that it's a new marketing strategy that's rapidly developing so the rules will continue to change. With that said, there are a number of things that are already fairly well established.
For instance, knowing when your target market has free time to watch is vital to putting on a successful livestream. After all, you want to make sure that your audience is available to have the opportunity to generate as many viewers as possible.
Sundays and Mondays are said to be your best bet most often for offering a live video stream. Those days have been statistically proven to have a greater number of people browsing the web and shopping online.
However, it all depends on how your audience uses the web, often as part of their demographic. If they're mainly working adults, you should try to do your livestreams after the workday ends during a weekday. If they're college students, you might get away with offering something on what might be a lazy Saturday afternoon full of leisure time.
In all cases, avoid early mornings. Why? Most people aren't available to interact at those times. Whatever the audience, it's vital that you do your own research and know your target market well so that you can produce videos at the best times for them.
As livestreaming continues to evolve, certain content appears to be more popular than others. Here are some of the various types of live videos that seem to be working exceedingly well in connecting with audiences.
Related: 12 Live Streaming Video Tips to Build Your Brand and Business
Q&As with your audience.
Probably one of the most fruitful types of livestreams you can do is one where you answer any questions people might have. It's a valuable way to interact with your audience and get as much input from them as possible on what they think about the brand, new product or service you offer.
Product introductions and special announcements.
The introduction of a new product can be a boring affair for people unable to attend the sometimes glamorous events accompanying them. Now everyone can participate in a live event during which a brand releases information about a new product.
This trend has caught on like wildfire with car companies. For example, Nissan streamed its launching of the 2016 Maxima at New York's auto show. Meanwhile, General Motors became the first car manufacturer to livestream a product introduction on Facebook when they revealed the new Chevy Volt EV at the Consumer Electronics Show.
Related: 5 Steps to Make Livestreaming Part of Your Content Strategy
Interviews and influencer outreach.
Interviewing industry elites and popular influencers can also have a positive effect on your conversion rate if you're promoting your company. People trust other influencers and experts when making decisions about a product they might want to buy. By associating yourselves with such high profile people you are also enhancing your own reputation.
Live events.
A live event should be authentic and people should be excited to participate. That's why it's important to let your audience know ahead of time when the event will take place so that viewers can schedule it on their calendars. Live events include such things as presentations, performances, talks, conferences, media briefings, tours, concerts and demos.
As part of #Droneweek, GE used drones equipped with Periscope to provide guided tours through remote facilities. It was very well-received. Spotify and U2 have livestreamed concerts, and Dunkin Donuts did so too for a summer music event shown on several platforms.
Related: How Your Business Can Use Livestreaming to Attract More Customers
Behind-the-scenes glimpses and backstage passes.
There's no better way to get your brand evangelists excited than with behind-the-scenes glimpses into what your company is doing. This is an effective way to bridge the gap with your clients and make them feel like they're almost a part of the organization.
High profile livestreaming events like this include the ones offered by the creators of the Madden video games series. Also, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and other popular singing artists use the medium to give an inside look and backstage access to their shows across the country.
Regardless of how you intend to make use of livestreaming, the important thing is to ensure you know when your audience is available to participate in your live stream sessions. Know your target audience. If you understand their needs, creating the best livestream marketing strategy for your brand shouldn't be too much of a stretch.
