How to Use Live Streaming to Grow Your Digital Brand

Use Live Streaming to Grow Your Digital Brand

Live streaming can look like just another chore for your brand, but it can actually be a really great option to grow your digital brand. Adding live videos can connect you with more viewers and grow your connection to your current audience. 

How to Use Live Streaming to Grow Your Digital Brand

Live streaming is more than just a video; it’s a way to build your brand and build your connection with your audience.

Why Live Stream on Social Media?

YouTube may feel like it has the market cornered when it comes to video marketing and analytic data, but Facebook and Instagram make up for that in their mobility.

Mobile apps allow your brand to go with your audience whenever and wherever you want. Without the need for a full-size professional camera, you have much more flexibility in your videos. All you need is a smartphone and an internet connection, and you’re connected to your audience.

Here are some great statistics on live streaming on social media:

  • 80% of audiences would rather watch a live stream video than read a blog
  • 78% of audiences are already watching live stream videos on Facebook Live
  • Live video has an increase of 113% in ad growth every year
  • 40% of consumers say that having a video will make them more likely to make a purchase
  • After watching a video of an event, 67% of viewers are more likely to buy a ticket to go to another one

These numbers are all saying the same thing: brands can effectively use live streaming to increase and engage their target audience.

SEE ALSO: How to Pick the Best Live Video App for Your Brand

Add Q&As

Adding a Q&A section to your live stream can build up a conversation with your audience and create a personal relationship with them.

Live Streaming Q&As

Q&As can also be beneficial if you are selling a product. Use your live streaming as a way to improve your customer’s experience with your product. Walk them through your warehouse to create a dynamic experience where they can see where you come from and give you more specific questions.

You could take this time to show your customers new product samples or color choices and ask them what they think. This is a fun way to create market research while interacting with your audience.

Another idea is to open up your products and show them off during your Q&A. People like to see what they’re getting before they buy it, plus it gives you the opportunity to explain your physical products and answer your customer’s questions or concerns in real time.

This works for other businesses as well. If you’re a realtor, you could live stream a walk through your listings while answering questions about the property. If you own a clothing store, you could have employees assemble and try on outfits while customers ask questions about stretch and material.

Additionally, if you’re an online business, you could do a live stream instead of a pre-recorded webinar. There are endless possibilities here that could give your business an edge.

Give Live Event Coverage

Live events are a great way to trigger FOMO (fear of missing out). Use your live events to announce special events like sales or a new product to get more viewers.

If your brand does events like conferences, presentations, tours, or demos, these are a great opportunity to live stream. By sharing your events with your audience, you make them feel included and engaged with your brand, even if they can’t physically be at your event.

If your brand doesn’t host events on their own, you can still live stream events that your brand has been involved in. An example of this is GE’s live videos of how their brand’s technology was involved with the 2016 Summer Olympics

 The videos may not be live anymore, but here is an example of how they spun the Olympics to show how important their brand was to the event.

Prepare for Live Streaming

Mobile streaming isn’t about making a professional-looking video. People don’t expect a high production value from a live stream, although they would appreciate it if your videos were.

When you live stream, you want to focus more on having a conversation with your audience. That being said, it’s important to make a plan. Develop a list of what you want to talk about with your audience so that if things go off topic, you still have something to refer back to so that you don’t just ramble on.

If you’re just getting started, then make a list of stories about your company, like how it got started, to get people talking.

Preparing ahead of time for your live stream will make sure that you stay on topic and have a casual, yet professional, feel. This will allow your audience to gain confidence in your brand because you’ll come off as real while still sounding like you know what you’re doing.

Linus Tech Tips is a great example of this. They have a WAN show which is regularly streamed, and they talk about everything related to tech and PC.

Linus Tech Tips always prepares a list of subjects they want to talk about during their streams to make sure that their conversation doesn’t get all over the place and so that they can deliver the most value to their viewers. Additionally, post-broadcast viewers can navigate through their video easier when they come to watch the recordings.

SEE ALSO: How to Get Over Your Fear of Live Streaming

Invite Other Influencers

Inviting other influencers from your industry can be a great opportunity to attract new viewers and get a second opinion on the material you want to cover in your live stream.

Instagram has made adding influencers to your live stream easy. With their new feature, it is possible to stream with others remotely, like you’re making a video while your audience is watching.

Live video helps you share in an authentic way, but sometimes it can be intimidating when you’re on your own. It’s easy to add a guest while you’re broadcasting. Simply tap the new icon on the bottom right and tap “Add” to invite anyone who’s currently watching. Once they join, you’ll see the screen split into two and your friend pop up right below you. Your viewers can still like and comment as they follow along.

Instagram Press

To use this feature yourself just go to your Instagram Live panel. Tap on the two smiley faces logo next to the comment column and invite your guest to join your broadcast on Instagram Live. Start talking with your influencer and when you’re done just tap the little ‘x’ button on the top right corner of your guest’s screen.

SEE ALSO: How To Use Influencers To Build Your Digital Brand

Interact with Your Chat

Your live stream is your chance to show your audience who you are. Be yourself in front of the camera.

It’s also important to remember that you are a living representative of your brand. Your brand is more than just your color scheme and your typeface. When you get in front of the camera, it develops into how your audience relates to you.

When you go live, you need to think of what you show and what you’re representing. Think about where you’re broadcasting from and how it relates to your core marketing mission.

As an example, if you’re a brand that is known for your visuals, then you need to think about whether or not going backstage with your audience will help or hurt your audience’s perception of you. It’s important to be authentic, but you need to make sure it doesn’t negatively affect your audience.

Coach and Teach

Live streaming isn’t just for large corporations and manufacturers. It’s also for small one-person businesses. Live streaming is a great way to educate and inspire your audience regardless of your size.

This is especially true if your brand is related to services. For example, if you’re a personal coach you can use live streaming to offer free samples of your work to help others, as well as encouraging your audience to sign up for paid services. Give them a good taste of what you can do, but leave them hungry for more.

Teachers also like to use live stream to drill their students and offer extra lessons. Tutors can use live stream to connect with one or more students to help prepare them for exams and assignments.

Even if your brand isn’t a service, it can still offer something to others. You started your brand because you felt like you were an expert in your field, now you can share what sets you apart in a comfortable setting.

Final Thoughts

Adding live streaming to your digital brand is a great way to reach out and connect with your current audience and even develop a new audience. Internet users love videos and are more likely to watch them than they are to read a blog. Use this to your advantage and give your brand a personal face.

Have you used live streaming to grow your digital brand? How so…

Written by
Juntae DeLane

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