Does the thought of creating live video freak you out?
Every morning when you fire up Facebook with your morning coffee, what do you see? That’s right, live video, and a lot of it. You may or may not know this, but Facebook has pushed live video posts to the very top of your newsfeed. This means you see live streams often on purpose. And? It’s not a bad thing. As a consumer, live videos from brands and businesses give us an inside look {a sample if you will} of what a business stands for. As a business owner, we have an opportunity to up the know/like/trust factor of our followers and potential clients. Live video lets us connect with our audience like nothing else!
I’m sure you feel the pressure to go live for your business, but have you done it?
I know you’ve seen the Live Video icon on your own Facebook page. Maybe you’ve even hovered over it once or twice only to break into a sweat and close down the browser window as fast as possible. The fear of going live and “doing it right” can be overwhelming, right? We are our own worst critics! Live video is new to nearly all of us and it is scary at first. But lean in, this is deep…
You’re going to have to get over it.
No, really. In order to stay visible on social media {where are followers and competitors alike mingle together} we have to do what the algorithms say. And, right now, they say to go live, and often. Did you know going live can increase your reach by 30-50%! That’s huge! So, I know those stats may not calm your live streaming stage-fright, but I’m going to help you. I promise! I have tips and tricks to going live, but we’re going to start with a simple five-step process for going live with confidence. Ready?
Lights… camera… let’s go live!
1. Map it out…
Prior to going live, make an outline of points to cover. Keep it simple and to the point. You may want to title your live video “five points to xyz” so you can stay laser-focused and get the job done! If you have a plan, you’re much more likely to present with confidence and appeal to others. Now, if you’re really digging in, map out your lives for a whole month. That’s right! Kick that confidence up a notch by planning out blog topics ahead of time and outlining accordingly. You may consider a weekly schedule so your viewers are soon accustomed to how to catch you {e.g., Manual Mode Monday; Tutorial Tuesday; Winning Wednesday…etc.}
2. Train your posse…
Educate your clients, friends and family about live video. Tell them what they are going to expect from you when you go live and how to interact for the best experience. During the video, you can instruct viewers to like, comment, and share. All of this will help you boost reach and engagement, thus gaining followers every time a new viewer sees your video!
3. Be consistent…
Consistency goes back to mapping it out, above. If your clients know when to catch you and what to expect from your live video broadcasts, they are more likely to tune in. I don’t know about you, but I’m watching live video more and more these days and actual television less. There’s something about the reality of it all and connecting with those who share interests similar to mine.
4. Get engaged…
Live video isn’t just a time for you to get up and give an oral presentation like you did in 10th grade Lit class. No, no, my friend. Live video provides an awesome opportunity to engage with your followers in real time! When they type comments, read and respond! Open up the floor for questions. Give viewers the ability to know, like, and trust you by conversing openly and regularly via live video. When your followers have gained that know/like/trust factor, yours will soon be the live video they look for instead of just one more clogging up their feeds.
5. Have a purpose, and re-purpose…
Finally, it doesn’t do you {or your followers} any good to flip on live video, show your dog’s new tricks, and sign back off. You must plan with purpose {and then re-purpose}. As you map out your live videos for the month, consider the value of each. How can your video topic fit in with the rest of your business? Does it work with your scheduled blog post, graphics, courses, events, trainings, etc? Make sure it’s relevant and then… consider how else you can use your video. Facebook live videos can live outside the platform! Consider using them in other forms of distribution {like email, blogs, trainings, etc.}.
And one last thing…
Remember that you are the boss of your live feed. You are the authority figure in your business and you can absolutely do this! Don’t overcomplicate things; just breathe deep, and go live!
