LIVE streaming video highlights your value while offering the fast-track to reach and interact, directly. It’s not a direction I imagined taking. But…
Learning a thing or two lately brings up something new for you to think about to build your community and business in an authentic way. I know it sounds scary and unthinkable, but the more I do think about it, and find out, too, the more intriguing the prospect sounds.
I’m talking about LIVE STREAMING video and if just those two words make you want to click elsewhere, you may want to hold up a second.
Why? Because growing your business matters to you, am I right?
Well, it definitely matters to me, and in trying to accelerate the NEW How to Bling Your Blog eCourse, both promotional and educational content of all kinds seems in order for right now! I’m enthusiastic about what I want to offer, share, and help you with via this learning journey. Plus, the reception so far from both participants and team members is exciting and respectable.
A strong business blog and content hub via your blog is an important growth component for businesses trying to create a digital footprint. A footprint leading feet to your business door, that is!
However, getting the good word out is a little tricky with my tiny (but lovely) community, so that brings me to the topic at hand. Yep, Live Streaming video no less!
Fortunately, I have access to the queen of video and driving force behind LIGHTS, CAMERA, LIVE, Stephanie Liu! And this time, she’s behind an entire all-star lineup in conjunction with Agorapulse’s “Leap Into LIVE Streaming Bootcamp.”
So I lept. And I can’t wait to share so many great things I’m learning from this star-studded lineup of talented video creators. Dare I? Dare you? Let’s find out.
Why Oh Why Go LIVE?
It sounds insane, I know. Still, I want to share some terrific tips and ideas to change your mind like I’m changing mine. Also, this gives you a well-rounded look at a few things before you take the plunge.
When I say, “take the plunge,” it connotes a dive down but I hope to make this more about the idea of rising, instead. Rising to the challenge is just the first tiny step. But, it’s a step in the right direction.
Brian Fanzo presents a “Push the Damn Button” session saying, “LIVE video shrinks the trust timeline” by allowing you to show you care with transparency and vulnerability.
There’s no better way to connect to people, grow your community, and build your business.
As with video production, you can start at as simple a level as using a cell phone to go LIVE. But starting with a simple production doesn’t mean haphazardly spewing content because your credibility and reputation are on the line.
Brian says you need to tell your story and put yourself out there. But, “you don’t have to say how great you are,” he reminds, “just let people see it.”
One suggestion he offers to do this is to discuss what you publish elsewhere, adding to or explaining further the most significant points. Also, don’t be afraid to explore or try new things along the way to induce further discussion or interaction. LIVE, Brian points out, is “participatory content,” so think about creating “digital empathy” in what you produce and share.
LIVE Not Jive
Going LIVE randomly isn’t what you’re after if you’re after business results.
The idea of having a purpose for your LIVE Streaming video backed by a strategic plan is a concept everyone shares, no matter the specifics of their session topic in the bootcamp challenge.
According to Stephanie Liu, you want to deliver a video experience loaded with actionable tips. Therefore, your content plan needs to reflect the impact you want to deliver. And that doesn’t happen by accident.
Beyond a content plan, coming up with a Launch Plan is also essential if you’re planning a regular LIVE show.
Before you go LIVE, have a plan in place. Begin by doing research, asking questions, and conducting polls for micro-commitments from your audience. Put a content system in place based on an audience-first approach highlighting the topics and questions most asked around what you do. Be sure to incorporate audience responses, research, and feedback, or findings for what resonates as you go.
If you have a smaller (limited data) audience, like me, or you need further ideas for shows, include the answers to questions people should be asking. Share things you are learning. Concentrate on delivering value.
Stephanie shares more details before you start LIVE Streaming video, in suggesting these next steps. First, Create an Announcement and in it include the following information, succinctly described:
- Name: Title of Show
- About What? (people want to know this plus this helps attract your target 🎯 audience)
- Who For: identify who needs this
- Why Tune In? (expands on the last item)
- When and How often you’ll go LIVE: set a schedule for consistency and to build an audience excited to attend!
- Note what happens if they miss the LIVE: remember, your show keeps on giving after you record it LIVE!
Get Out Your Megaphone
Next, create a series of teasers, promotional clips, and sneak peeks. Use posts, visual clips, and social media placements for extra visibility and to build interest.
Alert your list with an invitation, share it in any appropriate groups on Facebook or elsewhere, and announce it on your FB page.
Invite everyone to invite their friends and to share, too!
Craft a campaign, for example by scheduling FB Events, to start a buzz. Be sure to customize the event messaging for the page’s audience.
Finally, schedule your broadcast with care. This entails a few things.
Amanda Webb of spiderworking.com sums it up with a promote, schedule, and measure framework working around these four essential concepts:
- Personality
- Brand
- Audience
- Content
Somehow it feels weird to suggest you have a personality for your LIVE presentations, but truly, you want your brand to indeed have character. Further, your brand personality allows you to establish a recognizable tone for your business. It allows a glimpse into your company culture and business values and helps make you more memorable.
Notably, Amanda reminds you to create your Live Streaming content for every stage of the buyer journey. Align this content to your digital marketing strategy at the awareness, consideration, and buying stages with a goal to move people from attraction to action.
To move people from attraction to action is the perfect LIVE STREAMING goal, overall. Moreover, social selling begins with conversations and the interactive component to a LIVE show opens the door for direct engagement.
Two-way interaction gives explosive fuel to your work in my experience, allowing you to be a go-to source for reliable information. This keeps you top of mind for client needs, putting you closer for that step to action.
Get to Know Your Audience
Amanda Webb says getting to know your audience (while they get to know you) helps for building a buzz for your show! Be sure to gather ideas for the next topics through audience questions. Further, as you promote to new audiences, continue to answer questions and interact after the initial LIVE production.
The key here, of course, is to create videos that are valuable and useful both as a Live stream and as an evergreen content piece too. One thing I LOVE about the idea of producing videos in real-time is that it promises to save me a lot of time in reshooting things again and again and again to “get it right.” It then becomes a bit more a performing art, right? And that means a chance to gain better presentation and speaking skills!
The challenges to doing this (and well) are many, but the beneficial possibilities are endless and post-production opportunities are also appealing. Amanda stresses that if you zero-in on audience interests, bring energy and brand personality to your videos, and continually promote, schedule, and measure, you’ll find the winning formula.
Remember, people make the video magic but it starts with a thoughtful strategy for an audience-driven focus to deliver actionable tips and value-packed content with each broadcast.
Think you can do it? Think I can do it?
Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Pssst. Don’t forget to subscribe to my slowly blossoming YouTube Channel to catch the latest hot videos both LIVE and NOT!!
What a super smart way to gain exposure Sue-Ann. I went bonkers doing live broadcasts for years. Now my intent is to optimize old blog posts and to network generously. But doing a few live streams here and there definitely had its place in my blogging campaign, too. Excellent reminder here.
Ryan
Ryan:
I’m warming up to LIVE video slowly but surely. More fun is the idea of developing other video content for a nice digital marketing mix.
In the end, everything I can add to my creative arsenal is a good thing, right? I’m trying to take your advice and not let fear stop me!
Hope you and Kelli are all good and enjoying the states again…
Thank you,
Sue-Ann