Close up of camera to shoot live video

Use Live Video to Enhance Your Marketing Strategy

Consumers’ increased viewing of content on mobile devices has had a big impact on how organizations are approaching live video. Across the board they’re continuing to increasingly adopt live streaming video as part of their overall marketing strategy. Experts predict that by 2019, visual content and live video marketing will make up nearly 80% of all consumer internet traffic. Content marketing is one of your most valuable tools for growing your organization. So how can live video strengthen the content you share with potential customers or members?

Engage Audiences with Live Video

As video continuously increases its role in social engagement, marketers are creating campaigns designed to capture greater numbers of viewers and users by:

  • Raising awareness.
  • Providing useful information to current fans.
  • Driving traffic to websites.
  • Increasing an organization’s bottom line.

The power of live video is yours for the taking. Here are just three ways your organization can use it for better engagement.

Take Fans on a Virtual Adventure

Live video offers the opportunity to create a “wow factor” that leaves a lasting impression about your organization. Take the opportunity to showcase some live behind-the-scenes footage.  Or take viewers on a live tour, showcasing a special location and topics that relate to your industry.

Host a Live Video Q&A

Use a platform like Periscope Producer to engage current and potential cutomers through live Q&A sessions. Before you start, know what key messages you want to hit, but avoid a completely scripted session. The Q&A should be hosted by someone who is familiar and comfortable with the format and able to fill conversation gaps, keep up with abrupt changes in topics, and handle unexpected questions or comments. Periscope lets audience members post comments in real time and have them show up on the live stream, so you may want to have someone monitoring the questions and jotting down the ones they think are the most interesting and relevant.

Join Forces with Influencers

Partner with relevant influencers to increase your campaign’s reach. For example, take viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour that lets them see up close and personal – albeit virtually – what your organization is up to and where it’s headed. Don’t just show an event, either; make viewers a part of it. Keep your live video from becoming boring by weaving together a story and avoid static “talking heads.” If you’re live streaming from an association meeting, fundraising event, or membership drive, ask your virtual viewers what they’d like to see and who they’d like to talk to. Interview current members about what they love about the association and the benefits they receive from being a member.

Why You Should Get on Board

Periscope, Facebook Live, Instagram Stories, Snapchat, and YouTube Live are all innovative platforms that can up your organization’s marketing and public relations strategies. They offer an authentic, exciting way to engage an audience through storytelling or direct questions and answers. Suddenly, they’re no longer just watching, they’re participating. Live video streaming is also a fairly simple technological process. You can easily capture an event in real time and share it across one or more channels.

Best of all, in most cases you have a video that can be used to promote your organization online and in more traditional media. As you live stream, don’t forget to mention your website where viewers can learn more or join. Leveraging live video to make connections, host events, and engage with influencers is an excellent way to promote your organization, engage stakeholders, and gain new members.

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