How Live Video Connects Your Clients to Their Customers Like Nothing Else

Probably you’re already using video to market your clients’ businesses. After all, 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool and 92% of marketers value video as an “important part” of their marketing strategy.

The reason for this is that video is very effective.

• Videos are 53% more likely to land your clients on the first page of search results than other types of marketing.
• 93% of businesses gain new customers as a result of branded video content.
• People spend an average of 6 hours and 48 minutes per week watching online videos.
• 82% of Internet traffic comes from video.

But you know what’s even better than video? Live video.

Livestreaming takes engagement and pushes it into avid interaction.

Live Video Is Particularly Mesmerizing

If pre-recorded video is remarkably effective, live video adds rocket fuel to the mix. Studies show that people watch live videos three times longer than they watch pre-recorded video. Live video is real-time streaming of any number of things including interviews, conversations, and events that could be anything from a charity gala to a product launch.

Livestreaming Creates a Personal Connection

Probably the most important trend in marketing today is personal connection. People want to know who they are buying from and they expect companies to listen to their wants and needs.

Live stream surpasses every other channel for stashing a human connection. In any video, customers can see the people behind the company. But with livestream, the person demonstrating that product can take questions from the audience and answer them in real time. Live video streams enable chat boxes next to the video where viewers can send comments and questions.

Live Video Is Not Only More Effective, but Cheaper Too!

Not so very long ago, if a company wanted a video, they would hire a production company and set aside a good chunk of change for production costs. Video was expected to be perfect with just the right segues, editing, lighting and resolution.

Gone is the necessity of spending an arm and a leg every time you want to reach your customers through video. When live video is a little rough around the edges and appears taken on the fly, it only adds to the sense of authenticity, of connecting with a real person just like when you Facetime your friends. As a business, you can even reach people using the same social media platforms where they post for friends which in itself lends an air of familiarity.

Live Video Opens a World of Possibilities

Because producing business videos used to always be so expensive and so demanding of resources, there was a sense that they needed to be carefully constructed to sell product. And yes, there is still a place for those upscale videos.

But with livestreaming, you can bond with your customers by inviting them to the weekly pizza party to get a look behind the scenes and get to know the people behind the brand.

You can interview an industry icon on the floor of a trade show.

You can get people to a product demo, because since it’s live, they may be motivated to tune into your live stream. After all, it may not be available later, and if it is, later they won’t have an opportunity to send questions to the presenter.

You can easily make your audience a participant in anything you like.

It means that there’s a vast array of content waiting to be created, from interviews to Q&A’s, to product demos and tutorials.

In simple terms, when it comes to marketing or demonstrating a product via live stream, the only limitations are your imagination.

So Why Isn’t All Our Video Live?

Though we can livestream on the fly and don’t need to set up the perfect background, it takes some time to livestream because it’s well, live. You can’t be available 24/7 making live video. That’s why for particularly good or relevant content (probably not the office pizza party), you may want to record it for later viewing. And other times, you really may want that glitzy, production-perfect video.

If you plan to live stream on a regular basis, realize it’s a commitment like blogging. You need to set aside the time.

Promote Your Livestream

Now if you plan to livestream, you need to let people know about it in advance. Google gives some good tips on promoting a livestream event. Here are some of them. For more detail, see the Google article.

 Before the live video event

• Create a channel trailer or teaser video.
• Share your streaming link at a couple days in advance.
• Connect your social media accounts to your channel for easy sharing.
• Send links to blogs and encourage them to share the livestream.
• Create a Live Section to display upcoming and live events on your channel.
• Splash info about your event all over your website and the platform where you intend to stream it.

During the event

• Google suggests creating highlight clips to share while you are still live.
• Send notifications to subscribers.

After the Event

• Let people know where they can see a replay of your live video.
• If your livestream was of a long event, you may want to offer highlight clips.

Are You Ready for Marketing 2023 Style?

If you need help planning your marketing strategies including live video as we soon head into the new year, please contact Umbrella or call us at (866) 760-2638 for a free consultation. We would be happy to discuss how we can help your clients in various areas of marketing.