We can anticipate a huge continued growth in interactive activations between brands and their audiences in the year 2021. The usage of social media live streams – which are available on sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even LinkedIn – is a terrific approach to apply this concept.
Getting to know how to use social media effectively using live streams for your business can aid in the development of a solid following for your internet marketing efforts. Interactivity, feedback, and downloads increase the likelihood that your audience will follow you and return to your website. You can also allow people to leave recommendations and comments on your pages, allowing them to contribute to your community while you advertise your brand.
The key to getting the most out of this interactive media for your target audience is to remember to keep them engaged. This does not imply that you should simply just use promotional strategies to increase visitors to your website. In fact, it may be more harmful to your organisation than engaging in practises that would drive visitors away. Instead, you should aim to engage your audience in actual conversation. Ask questions, provide answers, and understand what people want to know about your industry and products.
At the Bristol Marketing Agency we find that a successful approach always starts with answering a few key questions, such as which social media sites do you currently use? Which have proven to be beneficial in the past for your company? Which social media networks do your target customers use? All of these are important issues to consider before picking where to stream from. After you’ve narrowed down your options, study about the advantages and disadvantages of live video streaming on each platform to determine which is best for your company. Let’s take a look at your options:
Facebook – You can choose to broadcast from your page, a group, or an event, and add features like a description, check into a place, or tag friends while setting up your Facebook Live. When you start, your followers will be notified, and if you’re a registered charity or nonprofit, you can raise money for a cause during your live broadcast, which may be a very effective way to raise funds.
Facebook Lives have several advantages, including the ability to save them as videos for your followers to watch later and the ability to repurpose them into adverts. However, you should be aware that, unlike other platforms, Facebook does not enable you to invite guests to your broadcast for a multi-person stream.
Instagram – Instagram has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly among Generation Z and millennials. Instagram Live is similar to Facebook Live in that it is owned by Facebook, but there are a few important distinctions.
To begin, unlike Facebook, you must go live on Instagram using the mobile app rather than the desktop. Any of your followers who are online will receive a notification when you go live, and your live video will be placed at the top of their Instagram Stories page. Instagram Lives are only available for 24 hours after they’ve been recorded on a user’s page, so if you want to reuse or preserve the footage, you’ll need to save it to your phone right away. You can also add it to your profile as a highlight.
Youtube – To go live on YouTube, you must first verify your account using a phone number and make sure there are no restrictions on your account. You must also have at least 1000 subscribers on your channel to livestream from a mobile device. Then, after enabling livestreaming on your account (which may take up to 24 hours to take effect), you’re ready to go! The video will be saved to your channel after the live stream stops, and you can update the description or title as needed.
LinkedIn – Unfortunately, live capabilities on LinkedIn are not available to every user or page, and you must apply and be accepted as a broadcaster before you can use them. LinkedIn only accepts a small number of broadcasters, and they’re searching for people or companies who can promise to deliver “consistently fascinating and interactive content.”
If you are accepted, you must conduct LinkedIn Lives utilising third-party streaming solutions, which may or may not be free depending on which one you choose.
TikTok – To livestream on TikTok, you simply need to have a minimum of 1000 followers. If your organisation has one, you may immediately start adding a title to your video and live streaming to your followers! TikTok Lives, unfortunately, are not stored or archived; they are simply a live broadcast that disappears after the live stream stops. As a result, while this method may help you reach a larger audience, it isn’t the best for long-term success.
