Three Reasons Your Business Should Leverage Livecast (And Three Tips For Getting Started)

We have entered an era of media overload. At every turn, consumers are met with the newest influencer, advertisement or article, and there are only so many things you can do to stand out from the crowd.

Livecasting has been on the rise for years, and now it is more important than ever for businesses to leverage it in their marketing plans. But why? Let’s dive into what livecasting can really do for you and your business.

Build Trust And Community

When the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world, people’s values began to shift. One of the biggest shifts was in how much people value the ability to speak and communicate face-to-face.

This is what livecasting can offer your consumers: the chance to see and connect with the real people behind a business. Not only does this foster the kind of trust between business and consumer that is essential to any brand, but it creates a feeling of social support for everyone who joins your livecast.

Livecasting provides the opportunity for real-time engagement, and whether it is simply through attendance or comments, it's more likely attendees will feel like they are a part of a community, and creating a community can make your brand more recognizable and successful.

Broaden Your Audience

Prior to the pandemic, most events hosted by businesses were exclusive to those with the resources to attend. With the growth of platforms like Zoom and Facebook Live, though, this no longer has to be the case.

Online, anyone who is interested can join your livecast, and it stands to reason that viewers are more likely to share brand videos they’ve watched or participated in with friends and family. This is the kind of reach an in-person event simply doesn’t allow for. 

Plus, you can pull the reports on not just who came to your livecast but on how long they stayed. This data allows you to see which of your livecasts were the most and least successful and use that information to improve with every future livecast.

Increase Your Bottom Line

This is really what it boils down to: Livecasting is economically advantageous to your business. There is no venue to rent, pamphlets to print or refreshments to buy. The cost of a livecast is significantly lower than the cost of any in-person event because, aside from perhaps camera equipment, what is there to pay for?

But here are the real economic benefits: According to one survey, 87% of video marketers report that video gives them a positive ROI. According to that same survey, consumers are watching almost double the amount of online content compared to 2018. Those numbers sound pretty good. 

But why make it livecast? Why not just pre-record a video? Because live videos hold viewers’ attention for 10 to 20 times longer (paywall) than any pre-recorded content, and the more time your viewer invests at the moment, the more they’re willing to invest in your company in the future. And once the livecast is over, you have a recorded video ready to optimize for use on your social media or website.

So, how can you leverage livecasting to ensure that you make the most of these benefits?

Use Your Brand

Livecasting isn’t about making an advertisement for your company — it’s about connecting with your viewers and showing them who you are. The best way to do this is to keep your brand’s values and mission statement at the forefront of your mind when planning your livecast. 

If the point of your livecast is to promote or launch a product, it shouldn’t feel like just another ad or TV commercial. Show the faces behind the product. Show your viewers why you are excited about it and what it can do for them. Make your livecast feel as human and authentic as possible.

Encourage Engagement

Getting your audience involved helps them feel like they are part of a community, so get creative with it. Put out polls, host a Q&A, incorporate games. Audience members can participate through comments, likes, reactions and shares, and you want to do whatever possible to ensure that they do. To keep that feeling of inclusivity and community going, invite them to engage after the livecast is over through things like newsletter signups, giveaways or feedback surveys.

Leverage Promotion

No matter how genius your livecast is, it won’t matter if no one is interested enough to attend. You need to know what audience you are trying to appeal to and you need to promote to them in an eye-catching way.

Come up with a catchy title and description for social media. Make a flashy graphic or release teasers. Make sure your consumers know about your livecast and get them excited!

Conclusion

The benefits to your business are always important to consider when embarking on a new marketing strategy. Knowing how to optimize those benefits is just as important.

But here is one last thing to consider. Don’t think of livecasting as just one more chore to add to your list. A study revealed that 80% of online consumers would rather watch a live video from a brand than read their blog.

Livecasting isn’t an addition to your plan. It’s a substitute for some of the work you’re currently doing, and it’s a substitute that will benefit you in the long run.



Source: forbes.com
Image Credit: ​Photo by Ivan Samkov

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