The opportunity for live video is clear. If you’re a B2B or B2C marketer looking to build a stronger connection with your prospects, customers or even internal stakeholders, live video is the essential tool with which to do so. Why? Live video feels inclusive, so brands can drop the corporate veil and connect with audiences on an authentic, human level. This likeability, can be leveraged for commercial success.
Any company can create live video, and well, if you’re wondering which types, read our latest blog, 12 Ways to Use Live Video for Marketing, Sales, and in the Workplace. No matter how many ideas you have, you may still be hitting a wall. Many marketers and enterprise video users complain that they’re not confident in the production value they can provide, but with better cameras even on our smart phones, that feels a bit like a cop-out, doesn’t it? Live video can be scary because there isn’t the ability to “take it back.” The fear of making a mistake in real-time is hindering the ability for your company to reach it’s full potential. Audiences aren’t there to watch you fail, they’re tuning in because they’re interested in what you have to say! With these simple tips, you can give them what they want.
Don’t Over-Rehearse Your Content
People are more relatable when they’re not reading a script or having their comments edited. While you want to be prepared before producing a quality live video, you should use that preparation as your content platform, not a line-by-line guide. Let your personality and unexpected moments shine through.
Other ways to be more personable and shine in front of the camera?
Make friends with your audience: Put on a friendly face! Inauthentically eager or perky might be too much, so pretend you’re talking to your best friend. In doing this, you might find that the corners of your mouth naturally tilt up and you listen a little more intently. Yes, just like that. Perfect.
Slow down and pause: This one can be hard. Try not to talk too fast and become comfortable pausing. Common “verbal bridges” like ahs and ums don’t serve any purpose other than allowing you to think. Instead, be comfortable with silence. They’ll wait. I understand this can be a difficult habit to break, so I suggest practicing before you go on-air and asking friends to hold you accountable. Practice makes perfect, try speaker training or join a local Toastmasters group to improve your speaking skills. But in the meantime, keep filming!
Project confidence and passion: Live video is an authority-builder for your business. Essential qualities for being on camera? Knowing and liking what you do. It’s as simple as that. Live video personalities should be subject matter experts and love diving into their work. Don’t let insecurity take away your authority. Leave the imposter syndrome behind. Yes, someone may ask a question you don’t know. It’s okay to say, “That’s a great question and I’m going to find someone who knows the answer for you, and circle back.” Coming back to a Q&A session at a later date might be a great follow-up video to shoot live, or you could send out an email with this on-demand content.
Think these tips are just for live video? Think again. With video communications becoming a more integral part of our day-to-day lives, it’s an essential professional acumen to deliver ideas in front of a camera-- even if it’s just on a laptop. Thankfully, technology is improving and making live streaming more reliable and accessible. We can all be natural in front of the camera without the added stress of worrying about inconsistent technology!
Capitalize on Urgency and Optimize it for Mobile
Live streaming creates a sense of urgency and immediacy that’s hard to replicate with on-demand video. All live video feels like breaking news. People want to be part of an event while it’s happening and place greater value on an event when there’s only one chance to view it live. Now, thanks to always-connected mobile devices and low-bandwidth video, viewers can access live events from wherever they are.
Grab attention within the first ten seconds. My least favorite part of a live event like a webinar is when the host delays starting to let more attendees “come in”. When live video producers on social media do this, they’re wasting time and opportunity. Start with energy and deliver your mission statement for the video. Why is your audience there? What are they going to learn? As you continue to shoot, you can re-state certain items as more attendees join the video cast. Take your cues from the live TV newscaster. It’s okay to say, “If you’re just joining us…” and then quickly summarize what is taking place.
Solicit Audience Interaction and Get Social
Live video is gaining momentum because digital natives want to interact! They’re more engaged during live streaming events than any other, making use of chat rolls and social media. Add a hashtag to your livestream and have team members on hand to pick out the best questions to answer or comments to mention. This shows your audience that your brand is listening, not just broadcasting. Try pausing throughout the live-stream to answer questions. Test the effectiveness of when it’s best to give these breaks for interaction, for both internal and external live streams, so you can optimize content for the most engagement.
Live streaming brings value to brands because it gives you an opportunity to interact with audiences in real-time, forging more personal relationships, and growing audience engagement. Doesn’t it seem silly to be held back by the unknown? Chances are, Marketer, your worst fears are not going to come true. Acknowledge both internal and external audiences by allowing them to feel a sense of excitement going live with you. Be in on it together. Live video is inherently about community, you can start building yours today.
Additional Resources
How To: Making Live Streaming Easy and Repeatable
Get More Value from Live Streaming Video