Tips for Using Live Video for Business Marketing

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You’ve likely seen plenty of your friends using live video on various social media platforms. Have you thought about using the tool as an entrepreneur to market your business? Rather than a “boomerang” video or a clip glitzed out with floppy dog ears, you can instead use the power of live video to generate interest in your company. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of this tool.

 

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Prepare an Outline

If you’ve never used live video as a marketing tool, it’s best you create an outline. When you do, it will be clear to your audience what your focus and message are. Remember, this is live, not pre-recorded, which means you won’t be able to cut anything. Any pauses, long stretches of silence, or talking in circles aren’t likely to endear you to your viewers. After all, if you can’t conduct a live video, how skilled can you be at conducting business?

Specific questions to answer for your outline include:

• When will you broadcast the video?
• Who will be in it?
• Why are you using a live video rather than another marketing tool?
• What is the focus matter for your video?

 

Determine Your Objective

As you’re creating your outline, think about what you hope to accomplish with your videos. It’s not enough that you want to merely market or advertise your business. Do you want to educate viewers? Perhaps there’s a news story or development in your industry you’d like to talk about and tie in with your products or services. Maybe your goal is to include a call to action to have viewers engage with a new app you’ve developed. Or perhaps you want them to check out your newly redesigned website. Whatever your aim, weave it into your outline to ensure every step of that outline serves your final goal.

 

Show Your Personality

There’s no denying that high-definition images, post production, and excellent lighting are all great to have for marketing and advertising. That said, live video offers a unique opportunity for your current customers and potential customers to see you in a new light. These days, people like raw, open honesty and personality, which is exactly what you can bring to the table through live video. Let viewers see your personality, one that’s equal parts professional and personal. This is a great way to create and build a connection as you talk about your products or services.

 

Review Your Live Video Options

Just as Mark Crumpacker’s Twitter feed is filled with tweets about marketing strategies, the internet is filled with live video streaming strategies and options. For instance, some live video platforms let you stream right from your business social media page on your smartphone. Viewers can post comments or reactions to add a layer of engagement to your material.

With other livestreaming platforms, you can share your live video on a specific platform and share it through social media sites, all without your audience members having to switch sites. Finally, there are also platforms that can handle as many as four livestreamers, which is great if you ever want to have guests who aren’t in your geographic area.

Have fun exploring different live video options. Feel free to use more than one, as long as the one you choose fits your audience and your overall marketing goals. Switching every now and then can go a long way in broadening your business reach and your audience.

 

Don’t Forget About Small Details

Once you’ve decided on the best platform for your live video and have an outline, you aren’t ready to stream just yet. Check out your phone’s options for video quality, as well as the quality of video on the streaming platform you choose. You don’t want to have a great outline and look and sound professional only to have the experience marred by bad video quality. Also, long buffer times, video loading failure, and general malfunctions can also rub viewers and potential customers the wrong way. You may not be able to prevent every mishap, but do the best you can to keep avoidable disaster at bay.

Also, ensure you have the right light balance while you record. Too little light and viewers can’t see you, but too much light can wash out your features and practically blind your audience. Other minor details to tend to include having a proper internet connection and recording in a quiet environment.

 

Practice, Practice, Practice

Just because you’re hosting a live video doesn’t mean you can’t practice what you’re going to say. Dry runs help you realize where you need to improve and where you excel. This is essential knowledge for offering the best live content possible. Over time, and as you share more live videos, you likely won’t have to practice as much. However, it’s still good to do so when you’re just getting started.

There are more new and exciting marketing and advertising tools than ever. See how you like live video for reaching your target consumer and growing your audience.

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