8 Ways to Put Live Video Streaming to Work for Your Brand
We’ve learned that live video streaming is a big, valuable marketing tool, and it’s only getting bigger and more valuable. But how can you actually use it to your advantage?
I’m glad you asked.
Ways you can add live streaming to your content marketing toolbox
#1 Share events
Attending a conference or a industry event? Be the “eyes and ears on the ground” for customers or colleagues who can’t make it there. Walk around and show viewers the scene and stop to talk to people along the way. Let viewers help guide the stream by asking them what they want to see next.
#2 Conduct interviews
Ask clients, employees, or partners questions about, well, almost anything! The goal isn’t overt brand promotion here so much as putting human faces on your brand in order to forge deeper connections. It doesn’t matter if you make it silly (“What’s your favorite movie?”) or serious (“Describe what kind of positive impact you want to make in the world”); just be sure to keep it snappy and engaging.
#3 Go behind-the-scenes
Pay attention to that man behind the curtain! Live stream your production process, give a tour of your office, or tag along on a typical moment-in-the-life of your staff. It may seem trivial at first, but people love having a view of the inner workings of the company machine. And the more they know about you, the more they’re likely to feel good about continuing to invest in your products and services.
#4 Make big announcements
Or small announcements, for that matter! People enjoy being the first to know, and that’s part of the inherent beauty of live streaming: making viewers feel like they have insider knowledge that others don’t.
#5 Give sneak peeks
Oh, go on, be a tease. Previewing your upcoming product release or service launch only serves to build anticipation and drum up excitement around your brand, and that’s never a bad thing. For inspiration, watch Mercedes-Benz’s live stream of their sneak peek of the new AMG S 63 Cabriolet.
#6 Offer exclusive deals
Whether you’re just starting to build a video audience or already have one, offering promotions unique to your live stream are a good way to not only attract new customers but to treat current ones. Plus, in the same vein as above, there’s that element of exclusivity: after all, anyone can sign up for a marketing email list and passively wait for a deal to appear in their inbox, but it takes a special client to actively engage with you up-front. Reward them!
#7 Open up Q&A sessions
Question & Answer sessions can be instrumental in gathering client feedback, discussing issues in your industry, or brainstorming ideas for the future. While the risk is that you may have to field a tricky comment or opinion, the benefit is that your customers get to feel valued, taken care of, and heard — and you get to show your brand off as a thought leader.
#8 Provide support and training
From overcoming tech obstacles to hands-on tutorials to tips and tricks, live streaming offers unique opportunities to connect with everyone from clients to your own employees. From a personal consultant to huge corporation, the possibilities here are virtually limitless.
The content marketing bottom line
One drawback to live streaming is that it’s not as easy to target your audience as it is on other channels. Live, Facebook’s streaming service, is the exception here, being that it’s already plugged into the Facebook data machine. On other live streaming apps, targeting can be narrowed a bit by using the right hashtags, but at this point in the game you’re largely shooting in the dark.
On the other hand, one benefit of being an early adopter is that there are no rules — you get to make them as you go. And since the cost of live streaming is a tiny fraction of that of traditional display ads, you can feel free to experiment without risk of bleeding your annual marketing budget dry by Q2.
Video is king — and live streaming is its crown jewel. With good, engaging content you can make live streaming work for your brand.
Good luck out there!
