Video for marketing has long been a strategy for businesses big and small – it’s a way to connect a little more personally with your clients and show them exactly what you are all about. You can bring your business to life and these days it’s easy – if you are worried about a high tech look and sound there’s simple steps you can take to improve the quality of your video even through a simple smart phone. So if you haven’t tried picking up the phone and pressing record, give it a whirl – you have to get your feet wet sometime.
If you are feeling really adventurous and want to try something new that’s picking up major steam and especially in the world of marketing – try live broadcasting. Live video is bringing a new twist to the phenom of video marketing online. There are 2 main platforms to use for live broadcasting – Facebook and Periscope. They both allow for instant communication with fans and they both allow to you broadcast as long as you want. There are some key differences, like Periscope will air your “scope” for 24 hours and on Facebook it stays on your business page timeline. Facebook will alert your existing fans when you go live, while Periscope puts your broadcast out there to anyone in the world that might want to tune in (so you get more trolls – but good news, you can block them). But whatever you choose, here’s why live broadcasting is working to engage your potential customers:
- It’s Fresh – Just like in days of old when we would gather around the TV for a live event, viewers will do the same thing when they see a live video. The psychology of not missing anything is real – reveal your latest product or service, show some behind the scenes of your production or what you do out there on the road. If you aren’t sure where to start just begin by introducing yourself and telling people what you are all about. Give them your 30-second elevator pitch – tell them your favorite kind of pizza and drink – anything! People want to know the human side of business and live video isn’t so formal – so you have a lot of room to explore, make mistakes and just be fun. Go for it.
- It Gets You to the Top – Let’s talk Facebook Live for example – you know how you have been annoyed that you work hard to get all these fans to like your business page, and then it seems like no one sees your posts, even though they are engaging as they can possibly be? Well, when you broadcast live on Facebook every single one of your followers gets a notification that you are live! It’s a great way around paying for advertising on social media if you are on a tight budget. So go for it, save a few pennies, and connect with your audience like you’ve never connected with them before.
- Instant Feedback – When you are going live make sure you ask questions – get your viewers involved, ask them what they think about this, or that. There is no easier or fun way to get instant feedback on your business. Take advantage of that! If you aren’t sure what to ask, try something simple like this… “Today I’m going to talk about how to tackle stress while you are working. If you have ever felt stressed at work then comment on this video ‘YES!'” Make it easy for them to interact if they don’t have some burning question in mind.
If you haven’t tried live video yet then jump in feet first! Just go for it – you have nothing to lose! If you do it on Periscope it will only be up for 1 day and if you go the Facebook route and you hate it then just delete and try again tomorrow. You’ll get comfortable in no time – practice makes perfect!