Engaging IG Live Content to Try

 Everyone and their mother are creating IG Live content during this huge shift to digital communication. Does that mean that the strategy is too crowded to make some meaningful connections with your followers? Not necessarily. Full IG content can be easily planned and executed even with limited resources – all you need is good lighting and a good idea.

Because videos, in general, get 21.2% more engagement than single-image posts and 18.6% more engagement than carousel posts, adding any type of video strategy would be a good experiment for increasing follower reach and interactions. But IG Live has special benefits that standard videos don’t get – like ‘front of the line’ positioning in the Instagram stories newsfeed, or push notifications that a live video has started.

We have a previous post that goes through tips for going live on Instagram. We have the setup process ready, our goals set and we know how to promote our conversation. Now it’s time to get in front of the camera and open our mouths! If you’re excited about planning IG Live content but don’t know what to say, don’t worry. IG Live videos should feel natural and unscripted. But it helps to have a general plan for the conversation!

Here is an extensive list of IG Live content you can experiment with. Who knows what video content your audience will appreciate the most!

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez build her social brand on impromptu conversations with her supporters through IG Live. 

Explain Breaking News and Updates in Real-Time

Be able to share news, opinions on relevant current events quickly and efficiently. If you work in an industry where quick questions, answers, and updates are appreciated, IG Live is a great way to get a quick turnover on that information.

For example, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has always been active on IG Live. Recently started hopping on IG Live to answer questions on the COVID-19 relief program and other related topics. After a few sessions, her followers started depending on these IG Live conversations. They became a source for new information on how to maximize well-being during COVID. Now, the AOC Instagram account is a leader of progressive political information.

However, there are things to remember before hopping on IG Live with any thought that pops into your head on current events. While IG Live is more casual than other communication formats, it’s still important to have a plan and a carefully formed opinion. This is especially important when talking about controversial issues. While IG Lives are only temporary, the internet is forever!

Download our checklist of 30+ ways to promote content here.

Host Crossovers with Partner Companies

Whether you are a brand, event, or individual trying to increase your reach, inviting a trusted partner to join the conversation can help you reach new heights with your content.

IG Live crossovers are a great way to extend your reach to new audiences that may not yet follow your content. By choosing a partner that has some audience overlap, you increase your chances of gaining some new fans. If they like your partner’s content, there is a pretty good chance they will like yours as well.

For example, Canadian rapper Tory Lanez and Drake (briefly) broke the record of the world’s largest IG Live event with a musician crossover. Tory Lanez hosts IG Live events and invites artists to join in. Before Drake entered, he had 140,000 viewers. After Drake joined, viewership jumped to over 300,000 viewers.

While these are most likely unattainable numbers for the vast majority of us, the general idea still stands. By inviting our partners into an IG Live conversation, we will increase the reach of our message.

Credit: Olive + June IG Live

Show Product Teasers and Product Demo Videos

In other communication formats, there is limited space to explain the value of your new products. For social posts, you have 1-2 sentences. With email, you probably only have a small paragraph before your audience checks out. With IG live, you can drill down into the nitty-gritty of the product value without over-staying your welcome on the social channel.

If you have some new lines or updates coming out, IG Live is a great place to drum up excitement and give long-form explanations on your new update. And by adding it to your IG TV account, the value can last longer than the duration of the IG Live. On top of that, Facebook Shops and Instagram Shops makes it possible to for customers to purchase the product right off of the Instagram Live conversation. So if you put on a good show, the conversions could be immediate.

Instagram Live is a great place for showing true reactions to products from your ambassadors and partner influencers. If they are truly impressed with the product, that can be the best stamp of approval you can offer your audience before they commit themselves. You can take community questions on the details of the new release, have influencers on their IG Live sessions explain why they like and use the new product, and tape users testing out the new features.

Showcase Nonprofit Support

Nonprofits have a very unique chance to bring prospective donors to the frontline of their cause through Instagram Live. Whether it’s shots and interviews of volunteers or stories from people who have been beneficiaries of the cause, the raw conversation offers much more of an emotional pull compared to scripted language.

Try filming your events and the fun side of the volunteer experience to stimulate more interest in volunteering. Show how your impact has benefitted communities to inspire individuals to get involved.

By showing more of the behind-the-scenes of the organization, you can maximize the human side of your nonprofit. Your audience can see first-hand how their support can positively impact the cause!

US Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe’s Instagram Live interview with Jonathan Anderson had almost 240,000 views.

Conduct Interviews with Industry Thought Leaders 

Interviews are one of the most common IG Live content styles, and for good reason. By inviting someone else into your IG Live, you are speaking to 2 audiences at once: your fans, and the interviewee’s fans. When you promote on both platforms, you can maximize your reach, and get in front of new faces. It also means double the promotion, so more people will be aware of the interview before it happens.

Wondering how to set up an interview that will grab your audience’s attention and drive them to your IG Live? Focus on your audience personas. Try to find someone that is a thought-leader in your specific industry. Whether they are a local legend or a micro-influencer, landing an IG Live interview is fairly simple because it is a low-effort ask. It can be anywhere from a couple of minutes to an hour, and you’re usually just asking your interviewees to speak from the heart.

Highlight Brand Values-Based Content

Sometimes a company’s major issue when creating a presence on social media is that they seem so corporate that followers forget there are humans behind those carefully-curated graphics. IG Live videos are a great option for companies trying to remind their viewers of the people behind the curtain. A focus on internal team culture can humanize the company and promote a more clear and direct promotion of brand values.

Even if you are apprehensive about straying too far away from brand guidelines, a great place to start and test reactions is recording quick looks at the good your company does internally, from volunteer days to the sustainable practices prioritized by your team. This content is controlled, positive, and can be helpful for companies that have loose guidelines and strict guidelines.

Credit: Wendy Mac hosted draw-alongs for childresn stuck in side during the global pandemic. 

Show Niche Tutorials and Industry-Specific Content

If you are an expert in niche content, industry-specific IG Live content is a great way to further establish your company as an industry leader. By starting a conversation on your niche specialization, you will position your company as a great resource for industry-specific information.

If you are regularly at industry conferences and events, share portions of sold-out talks or interviews that allow recording. Or if they don’t allow recording, host your take on the information talked about post-event. This offers specific value to your audience on the issues and topics they care about.

Host Viewing Parties for Exclusive Events

This is an interesting practice that has been sprouting up for TV Show and musician accounts. For new episodes, trailers, season premieres, or anything that has a set time it will be airing, associated IG accounts can hold viewing parties. Notable people involved in the production may be hosting or involved in the viewing party, so you can hear their exclusive take and insider info into the making of the show.

This not only incentivizes people to watch the IG Live but also to watch the show or event. A viewer only gets the full experience and benefits if they watch both videos. That’s a 2-for-1 viewer engagement special for you!

If you are airing a show, concert, or any other live/broadcast event, a viewing party may be a great way to drum up both planned and spontaneous viewership. .

Host Crowdsourced Q + As

Crowd question and answer sessions can feel unattainable because they rely on audience engagement to come to fruition. But, there are ways to still host a Q + A session without depending on audience questions in real-time.

While promoting the event, you can ask your followers to send in their questions before the conversation so you can plan on what you need to prepare. This is also a great way to not have to rely on engagement if there is a lower-than-expected turnout.

You can recruit some friends or coworkers plug in some starter questions to get the ball rolling with your audience. Many people don’t like to be the first to engage – so having those initial warm-up questions can loosen up your audience and make them feel more comfortable in asking their questions.

You can plan your questions while accepting impromptu questions from the audience throughout the conversation. No one will call you out for asking yourself your questions, as long as they are relevant and not self-serving! It can also help some people form their questions along the way.

IG Live isn’t rocket science. If you go into it with planning, creativity, and persistence, you can eventually catch the eye of your followers. Whether you’re speaking to a couple people or crowds of people, starting the conversation is the hardest part. If you need help working IG Live into your social strategy, reach out to our team!