Welcome to Day 6 of our series, “30 Days of Guerrilla Marketing.” Today, we explore the power of live-streaming as a dynamic tool to connect your audience with your brand in real-time.
Live streams provide an interactive and immersive experience, allowing you to engage with your audience, showcase your expertise, and build meaningful connections. In this article, we’ll delve into strategies for leveraging live streams to captivate your audience, promote your brand, and foster a sense of community.
Before you renounce livestreaming outright as unnecessary, glance over the following statistics that highlight the impact this marketing technique can have for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Livestreaming Increases Audience Engagement
- Livestream videos generate 10 times more comments than regular videos. (Facebook)
- 80% of consumers prefer watching live videos from a brand rather than reading a blog post. (Livestream)
Livestreaming Boosts Brand Awareness and Reach
- Live videos are watched three times longer than pre-recorded videos. (Social Media Today)
- Social media posts with video content have 48% more views. (HubSpot)
- Livestreaming can reach up to 10 times the audience of an in-person event. (WordStream)
Livestreaming Builds Trust and Authenticity
- 87% of audiences prefer to watch online content if it includes behind-the-scenes access. (Livestream)
- 82% of consumers feel more positive about a brand after watching a livestream. (Livestream)
- Livestreaming humanizes brands and helps establish a personal connection with the audience.
Now that you know how valuable livestreaming can be to both your bottom-line and brand building endeavors, let’s get started.
The Platform You Choose Matters
Select a live-streaming platform that aligns with your target audience and business goals.
Popular options include Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, or Twitch.
Consider the platform’s features, user base, and engagement levels to make an informed decision.
To help you get started, here’s a list based on demographics, highlighting which livestreaming platform may be suitable for different types of audiences:
- Facebook Live
- Best for: A diverse range of demographics, including a wide age range and various interests.
- Ideal for reaching a broad audience, especially if your target demographic spans across different age groups and interests.
- Instagram Live
- Best for: Younger demographics, particularly younger millennials and Gen Z.
- Ideal for engaging with a visually focused and mobile-savvy audience, such as fashion enthusiasts, lifestyle influencers, or creative professionals.
- YouTube Live
- Best for: All demographics, but especially popular among younger and tech-savvy individuals.
- Ideal for longer-form content, tutorials, product reviews, and live events, making it suitable for various niches and industries.
- Twitch
- Best for: Gaming enthusiasts, e-sports enthusiasts, and related communities.
- Ideal for connecting with a highly engaged and passionate audience interested in gaming, live-streaming gameplay, and interactive experiences.
Plan Exclusive Content For The Livestream Audience
Craft a content plan that provides value, educates, entertains, or solves problems for your audience.
Consider different formats such as interviews, behind-the-scenes tours, product demonstrations, Q&A sessions, or live events.
Ensure your content aligns with your brand’s message and resonates with your audience’s interests.
Don’t just turn on your camera and share the same stuff that’s all over your social media accounts and YouTube videos. Livestreams must be special, exclusive, and they have to feel important and valuable. Make your audience glad they showed up!
Promote Your Live Stream If You Want An Audience
Build anticipation and generate excitement for your live stream by promoting it across your digital channels.
Utilize social media posts, email newsletters, blog announcements, and website banners to create buzz and encourage your audience to mark their calendars for the event.
Make sure you tease your exclusive content, audience-only discount or bonus. Let everyone know that you’re offering something valuable and important during your livestream that only those who attend can get.
Interact with Your Audience (Yes, Really)
Engage with your audience during the live stream to make it a truly interactive experience.
Encourage viewers to leave comments, ask questions, and participate in polls or contests.
Respond to their questions and comments, acknowledge their presence, and make them feel valued. Incorporate their input into the stream to create a sense of community and connection.
Collaborate with Influencers or Industry Experts
Consider inviting influencers or industry experts to join your live stream as guests or co-hosts.
Their presence can attract a larger audience and lend credibility to your brand.
Collaborating with relevant personalities can enhance the quality of the content and provide unique perspectives that resonate with your audience.
Repurpose and Share the Recording
Once the live stream concludes, repurpose the recording to extend its reach. Edit and optimize the video for different platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, or your website.
Share snippets or highlights on social media, along with engaging captions or quotes, to drive further engagement and attract new viewers.
Use The Metrics From Your Livestream To Improve
Track key metrics such as viewership, engagement levels, audience retention, and conversions. Analyze the data to gain insights into what resonated with your audience, and adjust your future live streams accordingly.
Encourage feedback from your viewers and learn from their comments to continuously improve the experience.
3 Real-Life Examples of Small Businesses That Have Grown with Livestreaming
- Colourpop Cosmetics, a makeup brand, used livestreaming on Instagram and YouTube to demonstrate new product launches and interact with their audience. This strategy helped them gain a dedicated following and significantly increased their brand awareness, leading to substantial growth and sales.
- Steamforged Games, a small tabletop gaming company, utilized livestreaming platforms like Twitch to showcase game demos, interact with fans, and host tournaments. Their engaging livestreams allowed them to connect directly with their target audience, build a passionate community, and ultimately grow their customer base.
- Justin’s, a natural food company, utilized livestreaming on Facebook Live to host cooking demos, share recipes, and engage with their audience. By showcasing their products and providing valuable content, they were able to increase brand visibility, establish themselves as industry experts, and ultimately grow their customer base and sales.
These examples highlight how livestreaming can be a powerful tool for solopreneurs, startups, and small businesses to connect with their audience, build trust, and drive business growth.
By leveraging the interactive and authentic nature of livestreams, entrepreneurs can establish a personal connection with their customers, showcase their expertise, and differentiate themselves from competitors.
Live-streaming is a powerful tool to connect your audience to your brand in an authentic and interactive way.
By carefully planning engaging content, interacting with your viewers, collaborating with influencers, and repurposing the recorded stream, you can foster meaningful connections, showcase your expertise, and create a vibrant community around your brand.
Stay tuned for more insightful guerrilla marketing tactics in our “30 Days of Guerrilla Marketing” series!
