GO LIVE AND LOVE IT!

If you are interested in using live video for your business but are terrified of being in front of the crowd, you’re not alone-putting yourself out there can be scary when you aren’t sure about how viewers will perceive you.

Maybe you might feel unsure about how to use live video to engage with your followers?

It’s OK, let’s walk through it.

Why video?

Although you might feel more comfortable posting text status updates or photos, video is one of the best ways to strike a chord with online audiences – and it’s not going anywhere any time soon.

Consider the following stats about online videos:

-78 percent of people watch online videos every week.

-Viewers remember 95 percent of what they watch in a video versus 10 percent of what they read in text.

-More than a third of all internet users are on YouTube.

-Every day more than 100 million hours of video content is watched on Facebook.

-83 percent of businesses that have used video say that it’s been worth the investment.

If you aren’t using video-and in particular, utilising live video on social media-you might be missing out on critical opportunities to connect with your current followers and to draw in people who would otherwise scroll past your content.

What’s the benefit of going live?

Live video is raw, unrehearsed, authentic and relevant.

You aren’t editing out all the bad parts or creating a highlight reel; you are showing things as they really are. This means that you can be candid and casual on camera-still be professional, of course, but don’t stress about looking perfect or having some predetermined script that you have to follow.

Additionally, followers can interact with you in real time on live video, so you can answer questions, address concerns and point things out as they happen.

This makes live video an excellent vehicle for online workshops, webinars and other educational presentations.

However, your live videos don’t have to be all about business-they can be fun too! Go live and share an entertaining story, start a discussion or give people updates on what you’re doing. People love watching those kinds of live videos too!

FACT:?Like other kinds of content, live videos are best when they are used consistently.

You could create a weekly video series or host a quick live every day at the same time so that you followers know when they can tune in and see you.

Alternatively, you could use live video less frequently but leave it running for longer periods of time. If your live video is engaging and interesting, your audience won’t mind watching for twenty or thirty minutes at a time.

Video is also very appealing to mobile users since it’s so easy to access.

The amount of people viewing video on mobile rises by 100 percent every single year-in other words, mobile video is a fast-moving train that shows no signs of slowing down, and you’ll want to make sure you’re milking the trend for all that it’s worth!

Facebook and Instagram already make it very easy to go live from your phone, so you don’t have to do any complicated tech-y tricks to get started.

Lastly, surveys have found that video helps build trust. There is something about putting a face to your brand and regularly connecting with your followers with video that sparks people to action, generates leads and converts leads to sales. Videos also have the potential to go viral if they are made well, which can exponentially increase your following and help you rise above the noise in people’s newsfeeds.

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Who should use live videos?

Anyone can use live videos! It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, how big or small your following is on social media or what your brand is like.

Although some businesses might be better suited to producing visual content any business can access the power of live videos.

You don’t have to have an elaborate camera setup, either – filming your lives in ‘selfie mode’ in a well-lit room is good enough even for some of the top content producers on the web.

Which platform should I use for my lives?

The short answer to this question is ‘it depends’. Where do your followers spend time? Do you have a stronger presence on Facebook than Instagram, or vice versa?

Figuring out where your lives will make the most impact will help guide your strategy. You could even consider doing a live video on one platform and then posting it to the other platform once it’s finished-repurposing good content saves you time and can help improve your reach and influence.

Going live is a great tool for growing your presence on a platform where you aren’t as well-known, too. Even if you don’t get much by way of engagement at first, if your videos are shareable, informative and entertaining you will probably see some extra growth.

I’ve done some lives, but they didn’t go well-now what?

If you’ve tried live video and weren’t happy with the results, try to figure out where things went wrong. Was your content dull? Did people tune out soon after tuning in? Did you come across as disorganised, unsure, uninformed or irritating?

After you’ve analysed your performance, think about improvements you can make and experiment with small changes.

For example, if you held your last live video early in the day, try holding it in the evening and see if more people tune in. Don’t forget to promote your live a little while before you start-you may have people who want to watch but are busy and need to set aside time to see you.

You can also ask those close to you for feedback on your videos. Honest opinions are helpful for crafting your message, perfecting your strategy and helping your overall business. Don’t be afraid to ask for a bit of guidance!

Another great way to improve your lives is to watch what other people are doing online. In our highly-connected world it’s easy to see what others are having success with and to replicate parts of their strategy. With so many businesses and individuals using live video you’ll have plenty of successful examples to emulate even if you are in a unique niche.

2018’s Biggest Video Trends

Although video in and of itself is extremely popular, there are tactics and skills you can use to make your videos-live or non-live-even more effective.

1. Storytelling?is one of the main things that viewers are looking for. In an article you can easily present lists of facts in a bullet point format and still retain readers because it’s simple and easy to digest.

When it comes to video, though, people want a meaningful experience-not just a jumble of facts presented on a screen. As an example, a touching success story from someone who has used your product is way more effective than a video stating the benefits of your product. For non-live videos, using animations and images will also liven things up and help bring your story to life

2. Content quality?is king when it comes to video. As mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter if you use your smartphone to film-if the content is good, people will watch it, and if the content is really good, people will share it

If you have high-quality filming equipment that you want to use, that is great too. Just don’t let a lack of professional tools keep you from getting started

3. Event live streams?are drawing in scores of viewers. Can’t make it to Paris for Fashion Week? Can’t make it to Europe for the next big football game? Live streaming brings these events to you, even if you are thousands of miles away. Try live streaming your next special event to reach the people who can’t be with you in person

4. Live videos in general are becoming more popular on personal as well as business profiles. For a long-time live videos were seen as being reserved for particular situations, like video game play, hair and makeup tutorials and travel videos.

But that has proven to be incorrect as other players enter the market from various industries. Additionally, people of all ages are watching and producing live-streamed content-so there’s no reason why you can’t join in!

In 2019 live video will undoubtedly march on as one of the most popular features on social media. So go live, and love it

About Adam

His third book Influencer is available now.

Adam Houlahan is an International Keynote Speaker specialising in Social Media for business, and CEO of the highly successful boutique agency, Web Traffic That Works. He lives in Australia’s iconic tourist destination the Gold Coast Queensland and is considered to be one of Australia’s leading experts in harnessing the power of LinkedIn for business. People globally have sought his skill and insights to leverage the power of LinkedIn for their business.

He is the author of three Amazon best-selling books Social Media Secret Sauce, The LinkedIn Playbook, Influencer and co-authored a fourth international best-seller Better Business, Better Life, Better World.

He believes real and meaningful change comes through the world’s entrepreneurs. His purpose is to provide their businesses with powerful tools to grow and accelerate their global footprint. And that together we can make an important impact!