Clearly, videos are everywhere now. This whole COVID-19 thing turned the need for videos into an even greater need for videos.
Marketers in every niche are using live videos, specifically, to engage with their audience and increase brand awareness.
You’ve probably seen some–some were probably great, and you’ve probably seen some that were really…not great.
I bet you could tell which videos were well thought out and which ones were put together at the last minute.
If you’re considering hosting a live video event (psss, you should), you don’t want your video to look like it was just thrown together!
Here’s how to avoid that.
Publicity
It’s very easy to plan and host a live video. It can be done in just a few minutes, and sometimes an impromptu live video can be fun.
However, with a little planning, you’ll most likely have a much better audience turnout. Your planning must include publicity.
So, let everyone know you’ll be going live. Tell your Facebook groups. Tell your fans and followers. Announce it to your email list. Post a blog announcement. You can even run digital ads if there’s the potential to grow your list or increase your sales.
Essentially, you wouldn’t throw a party without sending invitations to your friends, so don’t do a live video without telling them either!
Engage with Your Audience
One reason people love live videos is that it allows them to engage with the host. Your audience wants to get to know you better. They want to converse with the other participants. They probably have questions they’d love to ask you, too!
Be sure to engage with them, and don’t make the mistake of ignoring them. Ignoring your audience makes them feel unimportant.
Instead, acknowledge their presence, answer their questions, and make them feel appreciated. Don’t worry about letting it take you out of your flow. If you lose your place momentarily, it’s ok. Embrace the human aspect of it. People don’t expect you to put on a TED Talk. Make your viewers feel respected and as if they’re a part of the event rather than you speaking AT them.
Be sure to check the comments, too. If you’re going to leave your video up for viewing later, encourage people to continue the conversation in the comments.
Rinse. Repeat.
Whether you host your live video on Instagram, Facebook, Periscope, LinkedIn, or some other platform, don’t be afraid to play around with each of them for a bit. Then, eventually, find the one that works best for your audience and for you, and concentrate on doing live videos very well on that platform.
Note: Don’t Stress About Perfection.
While you’ll want to be cautious about what’s in the background of your video, make sure you have enough light, and keep the camera steady, your audience doesn’t expect you to speak like a seasoned news anchor or look like a supermodel. Again, embrace the H2H factor and embrace the humanness of the interaction with your audience.