March 13, 2017
Live-streaming video is set to become this year’s big thing in social, and some brands are already embracing it to great success. Follow our top tips and you could be joining them:
Make the video your audience want
Like any piece of content, your live video needs to appeal to your target audience. Think about how your video’s going to benefit them – it would be a cookery demo, a workout routine, an interview with a respected expert or exclusive backstage access to an event.
Planning is everything
Yes, live video is all about the moment and should be spontaneous, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan. Make sure you know how your phone or tablet works – do you know how to smoothly zoom in and out, and what happens to the picture when you change orientation? Think about the place you’ll be broadcasting – is there a lot of background noise? If so, your phone microphone might not work at its best – you should consider an external microphone or a different, quieter area.
As well as location logistics, planning the actual content is key – you don’t need a script, but you should know the types of shots you want to capture and the topics you want to discuss – if you’ve got time consider roughly storyboarding the video and creating prompt cards for speakers. If you’re short of time or want to take advantage of timely opportunities, at the very least, make sure you’ve discussed the video with everyone involved so no one’s left feeling like they missed out on a great opportunity or gets any nasty surprises.
Don’t get caught up with high end production
Live videos don’t have to cost a lot of money to produce – no one expects cinema quality film. All you really need is a good idea, the right location and a smartphone with a decent camera.
Make sure people know it’s happening!
A live video is nothing without an audience watching it – make sure you talk about the video beforehand, creating intrigue and excitement about what’s going to be broadcast (and make sure everyone knows when you’ll be going live!). Don’t forget to cross promote the video on other social channels either!
Ask questions and interact
The beauty of live video is the fact your viewers can interact with you, and you should encourage it as much as possible – ask them what to talk about next, find out what they think about discussion topics or products, and ask them to submit questions for a guest speaker.
Learn from your mistakes
Your first live video probably isn’t going to go without some hitches, so learn from them. The location turned out to be noisier than you thought, or people didn’t get involved as much as you thought they would? Work out how to improve that next time.
Now, remember our tips, and go forth and go live!
