With the country dealing with unprecedented social distancing guidelines, the need to make use of technology to stay connected is more pressing than ever before—especially for brands. One of the newest (and most successful) ways to do this is by going live on Instagram or Facebook.
Instagram and Facebook Live videos capture users’ attention and allow you to interact with your followers in real-time. Even if you aren’t comfortable in front of a camera or aren’t sure how you can make a live video work with your business, we have some ideas to help you succeed.
Host a Virtual How-To or Workshop
This is a great way to provide value to your audience and teach them something new—even better if it’s something that involves your products or services. Hair salons could teach techniques for at-home bang trims for while social distancing guidelines are still in place, or bakeries could teach a baking how-to for families to try out at home. Regardless of your industry, a bit of outside-the-box thinking can help you come up with fantastic ideas.
Do a Live Q&A
A live Q&A session is one of the easiest ways to get started with live videos because your audience provides you with the content via their questions. Users can comment on the video with their questions so you can answer them in real-time, and then you can keep it up on your page for your new followers to enjoy even after the broadcast.
Showcase a Roundup of Your Favorite Things
This is a strategy that’s popular for influencers, but it can be utilized for many types of businesses as well. Videos of favorite kitchen tools, purse cleanouts, or supermarket hauls tend to be extremely popular, so consider approaching a live video for your business with these elements in mind to create something similar and relevant for your audience.
Go Live With a Friend or Other Brand
Instagram and Facebook both have features that allow you to invite other users to go live alongside you, so you can easily collaborate on your video with another local business or someone relevant to your brand. If you’re working with a community center or nonprofit during this time, going live and having them join in on the stream is a fun way to tell users how you’re giving back to your area amidst the pandemic. This has the added bonus of notifying both your followers and the followers of the other account about the stream, so you may get a boost in views, too!
Showcase a Deep Dive Into One of Your Products
If you have physical products, a live video can be a great tool to show them off to your audience so they can see all the intricate details. This is easier for people who aren’t as comfortable in front of the camera as they can explain something they already know a lot about, and it provides value to your audience so they can see all the thoughtfulness and hard work your business puts into what you make.
