Livestreaming has made a jaw-dropping splash on the social media circuit. With apps like Periscope, Snapchat, and Facebook Live, just about anyone can live-stream from anywhere. This is quite an incredible technology for brands.
Livestreaming is different from traditional video in that it is broadcast in real time. It’s also interactive, making it undeniably sticky. Yoav Vilner puts it best:
Traditional content has flooded the internet and is starting to feel stale … Brands are coming to terms with this reality, fostering tools that engage their audiences in an activity.Traditional #content has flooded the internet & is starting to feel stale says @YoavVilner Click To Tweet
Each livestream app has unique features so the way you tap the marketing power is different for each. Let’s explore how Periscope, Facebook Live, and Snapchat can dramatically increase the quality of your content marketing.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Interactive Content: The Good, Bad, and Wicked Cool
Hitting the scene last year through an acquisition made by Twitter, Periscope enjoyed instant popularity and many experts claim it put livestream apps on the map. The charming hearts that viewers can tap and the ability to comment live during the broadcast are engaging. Periscope offers marketers and brands a host of ways to level up their content.
The Red Bull brand is known for its innovative, top-notch content marketing strategies. It makes sense that Red Bull hopped right on board with Periscope and is taking full advantage of its offerings — operating numerous accounts that serve different areas of the world.
This is a great example of personalizing content to your target audience. Each broadcaster is specific to a geographic region, speaking the same language and offering the cultural vibe that resonates with viewers.
Red Bull does not push its products during the broadcasts, but instead plays to its active brand of #GivesYouWings. Red Bull is well known for its involvement in active sports and events such as motocross, wakeboarding, and air racing.
Red Bull elevates its wings with Periscope, frequently taking viewers on an exciting journey at live, heart-racing events. Commentators pop on frequently and chat with viewers about adrenaline-junky activities.
When Periscope first launched, the live-recorded videos could only be viewed for up to 24 hours. Recently, however, Periscope added a feature that gives the broadcaster the ability to keep the video in its Periscope newsfeed forever.
TIPS: To save your Periscope videos forever in your newsfeed, type “#save” in your broadcast title to activate this feature.To save your #Periscope videos in your newsfeed, type #save in your broadcast title via @lisaillman Click To Tweet
You can copy the replay link and paste it into a blog post. This is a great way to bring blog readers to your Periscope account.
In my blog posts, I include a call to action directing readers to the video for a deeper dive into a post. It adds video to my content and connects on social media platforms.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: On a Roll: Duck Brand Sticks With Customers
Facebook now has its own livestream capabilities, which enable brands to reach an incredible number of viewers given the social media platform’s 1.5 billion-plus accounts. It’s hard for any brand to ignore this livestream app.
Many marketers such as entrepreneur and motivational speaker Grant Cardone use Facebook Live to launch products, provide book reviews, and share their stories. Recently, Grant went live on Facebook to provide a behind-the-scenes look at his company offices in Florida. One of his top salespeople, Jarrod, appeared in the broadcast to talk about Grant and his mentoring, which helped make Jarrod a millionaire in four years. A nice visual touch was that Jarrod wore his Grant Cardone-logo shirt during the livestream.
During the behind-the-scenes broadcast, Grant also talked about his e-book, How To Become A Millionaire Now, and gave some tips to entrepreneurs who want to live a prosperous life. Grant has taken to livestreaming like a duck to water.
TIPS: Grant goes live regularly and knows well that putting a face with his content accelerates trust in ways traditional social media can’t. His wife and business partner Elena Cardone frequently accompanies him. Together, they give viewers an authentic “family” — something they couldn’t do as easily without live video.
Another example of a brand embracing Facebook Live is Martha Stewart. On Mother’s Day, Martha went live and whipped up a brunch while chatting with Sarah Carey, one of the hosts of Martha’s Everyday Food show on PBS.
During her cooking broadcast she walked viewers through ingredients of the recipe and provided cooking tips — something she already does in her traditionally broadcast shows. But livestreaming the cooking segment enabled her to answer viewers’ questions in real time. You can see all of the emoticons generated by Martha’s viewers who tapped on their screen.
TIP: Ensure that you take advantage of what makes livestreaming different from traditional video — interact with the audience that’s engaging with you. Answer their questions, thank them by name for a comment, pose a question for them to answer — the possibilities are almost endless.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:
Musician, educator, and entrepreneur Fabian Brown is a Snapchat enthusiast. He has several businesses and 10 children. Through his Snapchat account, he offers his audience tips and tricks on how to juggle both.
Fabian’s sense of humor comes through his branding and live videos, with a one-liner “10 kids? No problem.” All of Fabian’s segments start with this branding and he also uses Snapchat photos to brand that message.
Fabian uses Snapchat’s enhancing features to make his content creative and unique. He gives his audience a day-in-the-life feel by taking them with him on his daily routine. As he goes about his day, he provides specific instructions on how to thrive, not just survive the balancing act of business and family.
TIP: Especially clever is how Fabian strings together the short 10-second Snapchat live videos. This is a storytelling technique common among Snapchat fans. For example, he takes a 10-second clip at one of his concerts followed by a 10-second clip of him driving his kids to McDonald’s, then a 10-second video of him at his New Jersey office, and ends with a 10-second video of him with his family sitting down to dinner at home.
Each 10-second clip complements the other. Combined, they provide a visual step-by-step guide to the juggling act of parenting and running a business. When viewers see him at a concert, he explains what he does without directly offering his services. Viewers know right away that Fabian can be booked as a musician for special events, yet he never sells. He tells a story.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:
Conclusion
They say, if you want to find out the next big thing, follow the influencers. Entrepreneurs like Gary Vaynerchuk are using Snapchat to super-charge their content marketing and Fortune 100 companies like GE are unleashing their ingenuity through broadcasts on Periscope.
Businesses are igniting explosive results by bringing their authentic brands to real-time video. Livestreaming is proving to be a powerful platform for all marketers to consider.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 5 Gospels to Follow on Social Media That are Strategic, Systematic, and Smart
Looking for more ways to maximize the impact of your livestreaming content? Get practical insights, advice, and answers in our 2018 Guide to Essential Content Marketing Tactics.
Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
Comments