Wondering how to Make Live Video Success? We all know video is the future, but to prove it, according to Facebook, users spend 3 times more time watching live video than static content:
Even if you’re just starting out, we recommend getting into live video because engagement is consistently high right now.
And what better way to build relationships with people at scale than live video? You can connect with your audience in a real conversation right then and there. People enjoy it.
Check out these statistics on video:
- 53% of consumers interact with a brand after watching a video on social media
- 93% of companies say they gained a new customer because of a social media video
- 63% of marketers say video provides the best ROI on social media marketing compared to other types of content
- 72% of people prefer video over text when they learn about a product or service.
So how do you make sure your live video is a guaranteed success? Here are some simple tips to get you started with live video right now. There’s no point in being shy; the best way to improve is to just immerse yourself in the process, so let’s do it right now.
Make it a habit.
As with any ongoing content creation, you need to make it a habit. It usually takes about three weeks of repetition (doing it every day) for something to become firmly embedded in your brain. If you can force yourself to do it for that long, it will take root. And the more you do it, the better you’ll get at it, and the more you’ll enjoy it.
Being hard programmed is very important, because if you’re not, and something goes wrong, you’re out of luck. You need insurance for those days when, for whatever reason, you just don’t have the motivation. We’ve all had those days! Overcoming those moments teaches you that you can do it, so make it hard programmed!
Know what you’re going to say before you go live
Just because you’re going live doesn’t mean you can’t plan what you’re going to say. You don’t have to write everything from a script-you want it to feel authentic and real live-but having an outline of the main points you want to cover is important.
Knowing what you want to talk about is very important because it ensures that you don’t get confused or, worse, leave your listeners idle.
If you know your topic well, a rough outline will suffice. Keep it with you in case you need a hint, but try not to read from it. Again, you want it to be sincere and lively. A few “wits” and “irs” and mistakes will add to that feeling, so don’t worry if it’s not perfect. That’s the whole point!
Promote your video live on all available channels
Let’s say you go live on Instagram. That doesn’t mean it’s only for your Instagram followers. Make a reminder that you’re going live in your email newsletter or promote it to your Facebook audience.
These are your people, they already know you, so they’re much more likely to tune in and participate in the video. You can send a link or even include a teaser video.
We do this all the time. We promote our live videos to our email list and people join in. You want your loyal audience to cheer you on, especially when you’re just getting started.
Here’s the email we sent out promoting the podcast episode:
Don’t forget to engage with your audience.
That’s what you’re here for, right? If you’re making a live video and not interacting with your audience, you might as well make a regular video.
It may be difficult for you at first. You’ll be a little nervous thinking about what you have to say. But it’s so important to interact with your audience. I do a weekly live video with Neil Patel. In the beginning, Neil and I were introverts, but now that we’re going live, we’re used to it.
In fact, your audience can help you if you’ve lost your way. Ask them questions or get their opinion on a topic. Last time we got four ideas just from the audience, which would have been impossible if we weren’t live.
Go live on all platforms at once
Why limit yourself to just YouTube or Facebook? Why not Instagram and LinkedIn? If you’re going live anyway, make sure you’re going live on all platforms.
If you have to buy multiple phones, it’s worth it. You can potentially triple or quadruple your engagement and reach people you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. You’ll find that some people want to join the live stream via LinkedIn or Instagram rather than Facebook or YouTube. So let them choose the platform of their choice. You can broadcast live on all platforms at once.
I can recommend Wirecast, a video streaming software. It allows you to stream simulcast on multiple channels: LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc. You can also record a stream at the same time and publish it later.
That’s exactly what we do at Marketing School. If you’re already streaming live, it makes sense to make the most of all your distribution channels.
Call to Action (CTA)
When you go live, don’t be afraid to end it with a call to action. Make it relevant to what you’re saying, whether it’s subscribing to your channel, signing up for your email list, or even making a purchase.
An example of someone who does this well is Ty Lopez, who sells on his live videos. You don’t have to do it on every episode, but it’s a great way to generate more sales. Grant Cardone does that, too.
Once Ty is done with the content, he’ll say, “Check this out” or “You can buy here. Sign up.” There’s nothing wrong with selling and pushing, absolutely nothing. Your audience is engaged and buying what you’re saying, so it’s the perfect time to close the deal.
Be consistent.
You have to make sure you are consistent. I’ve mentioned Grant Cardone before. He goes live every day. If you’re going to do it once a week, do it every week. If you’re going to do it daily, do it every day.
That way your audience will know what to expect and won’t be disappointed if they don’t see you.
We try to hit the mark once a week. It really helps in terms of engagement and helps grow your channel, especially if you’re on YouTube.
Key takeaways.
You don’t have to prepare too much, so don’t let that stop you from going live.
Just remember that in order for your live videos to be successful:
- Fix it in your brain that you will go live on a consistent schedule.
- Make the most of all available channels
- Use your existing loyal audience
- Engage with your audience and don’t be afraid to finish your CTA.
- If you follow all of these tips, you will succeed.
You will find that the first few times you go live you will get rusty, but as you do it more and more, you will get better and better at it. You’ll get used to it, and you’ll get really good at it. The more you do it, the more you like it, and the more involved you will get.
