Companies are constantly looking for ways to adopt new, evolving technologies into their marketing. Video has become a popular option, and many brands have incorporated it, whether through short clips on social media or an introductory video on their website. Another method to consider is doing a live broadcast. It’s an easy way to increase engagement with your brand, but there are potential drawbacks to consider. Here are the benefits of doing live streaming.
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How It’s Done
The first thing to consider when deciding to do a live stream is the platform you should choose. Fortunately, many social media platforms offer the technology for use. It’s easy to set up a stream for use on Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. For those that want to use a dedicated video site, streams are available on YouTube and Vimeo. Apps are also available for mobile devices. For those companies that decide to broadcast webinars instead of doing video directly, sources such as GoToWebinar can be used. You may want to review the specifications of each source to determine what works best for your needs.
Why Do Live Streaming?
For companies, video is becoming an integral part of reaching potential customers. Recent surveys show that 95% of people watched an explainer video to get information about a product or service. In addition, 81% of people decided to buy a product solely by watching a brand’s video.
The opportunity to create engagement is one of streaming’s biggest benefits. On average, users prefer to watch a live video 10 times more than something that is pre-recorded. Doing a live broadcast allows companies to interact directly with viewers in real-time. This can be reacting to likes, or answering questions that are sent in a comment. This can also expand an audience, as a broadcast can be shared and allow new viewers to tune in.
Another benefit is the convenience it offers viewers. When you do a live broadcast, people can watch from anywhere at any time. Depending on the service you use, visitors can also watch on any device, making mobile viewing an option. There can be issues with this, as it can be hard to schedule a recording given how busy business owners can be. In fact, some companies handle this by doing multiple live streams.
The Efficiency of Live Streaming
Producing a live broadcast doesn’t require large video equipment or a big production budget. The best streams online are done using a smartphone or a webcam, and usually only need one person doing the recording. In addition, there’s no need to do retakes on a video once it’s completed. This makes live streaming a cost-effective way to reach an audience. It also makes it easier to go live compared to recording earlier. Once you have a couple of streams done, you may want to create a separate production space in your business, where you can easily record.
Repurposing Your Content
Once you finished doing a live stream, it doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to promote the subject matter you spoke on. You can repackage a transcript that can be used as a blog entry on a website, or take short clips from it to post on social media. This helps increase the audience for the message you created. There are newer ways to repurpose a live stream that have arrived recently. One of these methods is to take the audio of the stream to use as a podcast. You can also edit it for use on a video site. Whichever route you choose, you want to make sure you have a way to record your stream so it can be repackaged.
Potential Issues
Live streaming can be a flawless process. However, there are things you should consider before shooting that can prevent issues later on. First, make sure you do a check to ensure any technical problems are taken care of. This can reduce the chances of lagging video or sound warping. Also, you may want to do a test run before you go live. On the chance that there is low engagement, preparing your content before going live gives you a better sense of timing in case you need to shorten the presentation for this reason.
Doing a live stream is a great way to bring attention to your business, as well as promote your services to audiences. While there are things to consider before recording, knowing what you are presenting before you start makes it an easy, cost-effective way to expand your marketing plan.