Video marketing has become one of the hottest trends these days. Brands outdo each other in creative ideas for using videos. Some of them are so interesting that they go viral, receiving the name of viral – a mythical guarantee of campaign success, which everyone strives for consciously or less. Live streaming is nothing more than broadcasting video in real time. The appearance of new applications and such an opportunity in already popular social channels is another opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves from the competition and gain greater reach.
Live streaming – what is it?
Video marketing has become one of the hottest trends these days. Brands outdo each other in creative ideas for using videos. Some of them are so interesting that they go viral, receiving the name of viral – a mythical guarantee of campaign success, which everyone strives for consciously or less.
Live streaming is nothing more than broadcasting video in real time. The appearance of new applications and such an opportunity in already popular social channels is another opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves from the competition and gain greater reach.
What streaming source can I choose?
- Periscope
Periscope is an application from Twitter that allows you to stream live events. The operation is more or less that the user can start broadcasting their event to followers at any time. In addition, if the author provides such a possibility, you can return to the video thanks to the “replay” function.
- Meerkat
Meerkat is an application similar to Periscope at first glance, but it differs in a few details. One of them is the ability to interact with your audience using built-in chat and real-time commenting. In addition, the retransmission button allows you to upload the currently watched video to your Twitter account.
- Facebook Live Video
In the past, live streaming on Facebook was the domain of only verified fan pages of public figures. Currently, the ability to live stream is available to all users of the app on Android or iOS. Celebrities, brands and companies like this opportunity, because it engages fans more than standard entries. An additional advantage is the current favoritism of video by Facebook.
- YouTube
The video giant on the web also offers the possibility of live streaming. All you need to do is have your own YouTube channel to start live streaming at any time. Thanks to the live chat function, you can keep in touch with your viewers, and the ability to share a link to the broadcast has a positive effect on increasing the reach of the stream. The recording is automatically saved and appears in your Video Manager after a maximum of 12 hours. Live streaming on YouTube is also possible in 360 video format.
- Google Hangouts
With the Hangouts app from Google, you can go live while logged in to your Google+ account. Live streaming can be broadcast as public or private and made available on your website. In this case, the meeting is also recorded automatically and published on our YouTube channel.
How to use live streaming in marketing?
Live streaming is becoming more and more popular. It usually arouses a lot of interest among viewers, thanks to which live broadcasts are finding more and more applications. For what purposes, among other things, can live streaming be used?
- Event reports
There are always people who, for some reason, cannot make it to the event we organize. This is where the ability to live stream the whole of it or selected fragments comes to the rescue. All you need to do is choose the right streaming channel and share the link to the broadcast on social media. The subject of the event can be anything – from an industry conference to a concert.
- Webinars
Webinars are an opportunity to interact with your audience in real time. A webinar can take the form of a training course, during which viewers can participate in a discussion in an available chat.
- Personal branding
Live streaming is also helpful in building a personal brand. Internet stars and others use this method to maintain a permanent relationship with their fans. By sharing live fragments of their lives, they arouse even more interest around them.
Promotional campaigns
With the help of live broadcasting and a creative idea, you can create a promotional campaign for your brand. It is also an opportunity to show your products in real time and respond to consumer inquiries.
There are many more opportunities that live streaming brings in marketing. They can be freely adapted to the brand profile and the goal you want to achieve through live broadcasts. However, it is worth starting to use live streaming in your marketing activities today, because it will soon be the order of the day.