What is live-streaming?
Live-streaming is basically sharing real time, unedited videos through social media, most commonly Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. It is an easy and effective way for businesses or any social media users to connect with their audience.
Imagine turning on an Instagram live stream and being able to talk to hundreds of people from across the world while sitting in one place.
What are the benefits of live-streaming?
It goes without saying, live-broadcasting replaces physical distance with virtual interaction e.g. viewers can leave comments under the video for the streamer to see and respond to them in real time. This allows a lively connection to form almost effortlessly between the streamer and the viewer.
It also encourages in-the-moment actions such as making a purchase or going to your business’ website. It is real time, people do not want to miss out.
Given that live-streaming happens in real time, it is mostly authentic. Oftentimes, seeing a real person gives a better sense of reliability than a few seconds pre-recorded videos.
And guess what? It is affordable. In fact, live-broadcasting via top social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Facebook is completely free.
The role of live-streaming in marketing
This form of marketing is no longer unfamiliar to marketers nowadays. It will give your brand credibility, a new space for creativity, and most importantly, a personality.
As a marketer, you are either utilising it or seeing your competitor utilising it regularly.
So how exactly is live-streaming used business marketing?
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Turn on your live stream
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Present your products
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Test them out e.g. If it is a shirt, try it on
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Show your audience how much you love it (or just your opinions)
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Answer some viewer questions
Make sure to plan your content in advance!
