6 Things Brands Need to Get Started with Live Streaming Video
For brands to get started with live streaming, there are some key elements to consider in order to ensure great content that truly allows reinvestment in the relationships they work so hard to build. These are your must-have items in order to effectively start live streaming on behalf of your brand.
✅ Strategic Plan
The most important aspect of live streaming for brands is to have a plan that contributes to the overall digital marketing strategy. Live streaming cannot stand on its own, nor can it be the only channel your brand plays in. Having clear goals and benchmarks is something that needs to be established ahead of time and before you go live.
✅ Editorial Calendar
A calendar is critical because not only does it forces you to create content, it makes you more creative in finding more opportunities for live action instead of just when something is happening. Secondly, it sets expectations for your audience for when to see content from you. Content planning is a major positioning move to build you up as a reliable resource. Schedule accordingly and become reliable to your audience.
✅ Brand Personality
Also known as a brand voice, your personality is critical for an engaging live stream. Do you want to create funny via comical anecdotes? Provide support to your fans? Whatever you define as the goal for these streams will dictate the personality most fitting to represent your brand. This can be done either through collaborative partners (see below), or through “passing the mic” amongst staff and showing off what’s going on inside the brand. (P.S. Trusting your personalities live is a major step but a highly respected move. When you show confidence in the people who are your voice, you instill confidence in the brand as a whole from your audience.)
✅ Collaborative Partners
It is no secret that cross-promotion is one of the best ways to organically grow as a brand and the awareness you have among an audience. it can also help you to not have to recreate the wheel. For example, when a big brand like Applebee’s was interested to building their live streaming channels, they turned to me to get the lay of the land and leverage an opportunity to reach an already engaged audience. Other brands can utilize the same strategy by working with influencers who are talking about their brand, encouraging loyalty through authenticity.
✅ Call-to-action (CTA)
It may seem like a no-brainer, but so many people forget to include this in their live streams. What do you want the audience to do while and after you have their captive attention? Where do you want them to go? You must create a designated place to send the audience in order for them to take action. If it’s a newsletter you want them to sign up for, send them directly to a form page. If it’s to get them to follow you on twitter, be sure to make it as easy as possible. Whatever that strategy may be, make it simple and direct as they’ve already watched your content and are ready to act..
✅ Repurposing Strategy
You never want your content to die after one viewing. What about the people who could not attend in the moment? Live streaming creates an environment that, in its natural state, wants content to live once. Brands must change that. Deciding if content will be saved and re-shared across all social channels is an extremely important decision. I recommend that brands save each stream, edit them down to teaser-style clips and share everywhere. These streams are also great on website landing pages to create a familiar environment for live stream viewers.
Now that you’re ready to get started, drop a comment below (Yes! I will write you back!) with your outstanding questions about brand live streaming. Let’s connect and get your brand live and reinvesting in your relationships!
