Until recently, the term ‘corporate social media’ was defined as a refined and sophisticated profile of a brand and cautiously generated posts. The fundamental goal of corporate social media was to build influence, promote brand recognition, and ultimately sell the products or services. Although the concept of corporate social networks has not changed, the procedure has certainly been transformed. With technological advances, social media has become more powerful with trends like live video streaming. Live streaming means the streaming of continuous video in real time via social networking websites or a dedicated streaming platform. With the advent of Facebook Live, Instagram Live Stories, Snapchat, etc. many people are now familiar with live streaming.
Let’s take a look at the different aspects of live streaming step by step.
Live streaming and business – Leveraging live video streaming for business merits it in multiple ways. Live streaming allows sellers to interact with buyers virtually and also in real time with minimal cost. The natural, unedited feel of the content helps connect with viewers by giving them a personal experience. Videos broadcast on social media make the business viral as its reach is much wider than other media. When a video goes live on social media, it continues to trend as viewers keep commenting, liking and sharing it if they want to. Consistent internet bandwidth, a good camera, and enough talent are all you need to create live video. Therefore, the cost involved in it is very minimal. Once the live stream is done, you can use it to make a content marketing catalog. Video content can be extremely useful for promotional purposes such as testimonials, websites, social media marketing, etc. Live videos are a great help for those entrepreneurs who are looking for huge market exposure around the world.
Best practices for live streaming – First, you need to focus on preparing for your live video stream. Scribble a basic format of your video or show; either scripted or improvised. Point out the methods of execution and possible problems. Finally, make a complete production plan taking into account adjacent aspects of infrastructure, labor, finances, etc. Second, never compromise on video quality. Based on your budget, find the best possible equipment to hold a session. The technology and resources used in the production and post-production of your video decide the future of your live streaming videos; so never overlook it.
Once you are done with the production, look for your promotion. You should treat live videos like live programs. Opt for promotional efforts like emails, social or digital commercials, teaser videos, etc. Build excitement about your next live video so you can already start gathering an audience. Create a solid strategy to drive your marketing initiatives based on the results you expect. Keep coming up with innovative ideas and concepts that are likely to appeal to viewers.
Before you go ahead to get your video live; Think carefully about the desired platform. As discussed, you can stream the video live on any platform of your choice; however, you should also consider the specifics of your requirements. For example, the purpose of your video, the target audience, a different perspective to attract potential customers, the method and scope of interactivity, and compatibility with the platform. Once you understand what exactly your video needs to reach the world; you can quickly choose the best platform. There are many streaming apps that allow you to stream your video live on multiple social media platforms at once.
Tricks for a bootstrap streaming strategy: You can hold closed sessions such as customer Q&A, expert Q&A to rotate your video to a great extent. When customers interact with each other regarding content; experiences are exchanged and feedback is provided. Influencers and industry experts can also get involved in the process to clarify viewers’ doubts. Product launches or product demos are likely to get massive publicity if they are done in a live streaming video format. They create quite a show of enthusiasm and engagement about whatever it is you’re launching or showing to buyers. Events, campaigns or contests when supported on social media get great responses. It is known that a strategy made considering the pros and cons of the live video you are doing is the most feasible and successful.
To summarize this topic, the suggestion is to focus on the items of interest to your target audience. The fun needs to be packed in an innovative way that combines the desired message or information within your video. Each of your live streaming videos will certainly be a learning experience for you! Keep creating, keep streaming!