The world of digital marketing has exploded in the last decade. One of the biggest changes on the scene has been the addition of livestreaming to many social media and video platforms. This technology enables businesses of all sizes to broadcast live with little more than a smartphone, sometimes for free or pennies on the dollar compared to conventional advertising. If you’ve been thinking about using the medium to promote your business, try these six tips to get the most out of livestreaming.
Set Goals
Marketing professional Eyal Gutentag recommends figuring out what they’d like to accomplish before even planning a livestream. For instance, if you want more people to patronize a business like a bakery or a cafe, your broadcast should show off the food and mention the convenient location and parking. If you want more social media followers, your livestream should tease events or reveals to come along with a few reminders to subscribe to your page. Knowing your particular purpose will help steer your format and focus your thoughts when it comes time to go live.
Promote the Livestream
While a spontaneous livestream is part of the charm of the medium, planning and promoting a livestream for a future date will help you bring in more viewers and create a buzz around your business. Use your social media channels to notify your followers and create an ad around it to tease a future livestream to get more viewers and additional followers for your social media account.
Greet Viewers By Name
Whenever you host a livestream, be sure to acknowledge some of the viewers by name or give short replies and greetings to those who are commenting on your video. This lets the audience know you’re tuned in to what they care about and that you appreciate their presence.
Host an Instructional Session
Sometimes people just want to be entertained, but most of the time hosting an instructional session that gives some information about a product or service will draw in viewers looking for substantive programming. Providing knowledge and insight about a subject is a great way to gain perspective customers’ trust as well.
Show Behind the Curtain
Another innovative format is pulling back the curtain to let the public see how your business is done. If you are an artisan, show viewers how you conduct your craft or get your ideas. Introduce key employees to make viewers feel like they’re getting personalized services. The possibilities are endless and completely dependent on what you and your business are all about.
Give Something Away
Any growth marketing leader will tell you that you have to give something to get something. Hosting a live drawing or giveaway is a tried-and-true technique for engaging viewers and promoting your business. You can raffle off items with your company’s brand or simply give away one of your products or services for free to a lucky participant. You can make it a standalone promotional event or have it as the exciting conclusion to an in-store contest.
Livestream events are an innovative way to reach potential customers. Knowing how to effectively use the medium will help you maximize the benefits.
