There is a lot of buzz around live video streaming and for good cause. People love to consume video.
The question is this; is live video streaming the best marketing option for your business, audience and customers?
Before you pursue live video streaming as a strategy discover whether or not your audience is the right audience to consume it and if it makes sense for you to pursue it?
Discover in today’s podcast and article why live video streaming may be a waste of your time and resources and a few tips you can use to make it profitable if you choose to pursue it.
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Live Video Streaming: Is it a Waste of Your Time for Business?
Reports are coming out that say live video streaming is one of the hottest trends in digital marketing.
In fact, Social Media Examiner just came out with their Social Media Marketing Industry Report for 2016 and they say that nearly 50% of marketers are either interested in, or are going to be pursuing, live video streaming through 2016.
Before you fall into the trap of doing something just because someone’s labeling is as hot, and I’m not saying it’s not, you have to know why you should be doing it and if your particular audience wants it.
You shouldn’t do something because somebody said it’s hot or popular and you shouldn’t do something just because someone creates the feeling that you are going to miss out on something that may or may not greatly benefit you.
In my opinion, in order to discern if live video streaming, or any other kind of marketing, is going to work there are a few things you should evaluate.
If you can’t meet these two criteria I would consider focusing on other things.
#1 – Does it fit with your business model and is it realistic to do on a continual basis?
#2 – Do your prospects and customers consume live media?
If you’re like me, most of my audience is made of off-line businesses in service industries, in a variety of fields. Business owners and entrepreneurs are extremely busy getting things done that put their businesses in a position to succeed.
All of them know and realize that they need to be engaging in online marketing, networking and developing relationships.
They need up-to-date content marketing strategies.
They need to know who their audience is and how to be relevant to their audience.
They want to learn how to talk the language of their audience and attract those who are able, willing and ready to buy.
Just because something is hot does it mean we should do it.
Live video streaming is no exception.
I don’t understand why so many businesses are pursuing a tactic and then coming back to me later and saying “Don, it doesn’t work. It fell flat on its face.”
It’s because the audience wasn’t in the live video space.
That’s not where they are hanging out as they search for answers to their problems or ideas that will meet their needs. (Click here and learn how to identify what your audience is looking for)
Live Video Streaming is Just Like Watching TV
If you think about it like this; there is a shrinking group of people that like to watch live TV but there are some who will always watch live because they desire to feel like they are getting it first..
For example, when The Big Bang Theory comes on at 8:00 pm on Thursday night, they will be there to watch it.
(Okay, you got me… I’m helpless and it’s my favorite show of all time, lol…)
However, there is another group of people that are more into convenience and they would rather record it on their DVR, or go to Hulu or Netflix, and watch it when they feel ready to do so.
That’s what we’re talking about here.
How many people would prefer to consume your video content on their terms and when they’re ready for it?
Not when you’re ready to deliver it.
Lack of Planning is One of the Biggest Reasons Live Video Fails for Small Business
One of the biggest reasons why any strategy fails is because it wasn’t planned out, implemented or executed well.
If live video streaming is a viable marketing strategy to pursue, you ought to treat it like a live TV program so that your audience knows when they can watch it.
What time and day every single week are you going to be doing the live video streaming?
Unfortunately, many businesses are not disciplined enough to keep a schedule and deliver at a set time every day.
They do a live video stream whenever they feel like doing it.
I see it on Facebook all of the time. At any given moment my Facebook wall is filled with people doing live video. Sometimes, I look their Facebook page to see if they made an announcement about the upcoming live video and the overwhelming majority if time there is no information.
The other problem is that I’m probably not even going to see the live video. I’m not on Facebook all day. I’m working and doing other things than looking for someone’s live video to watch and what if Facebook or one of the other platforms isn’t telling everyone that I’m live?
Live Video Streaming Has Benefits Beyond Going “Live”
I don’t mean to be overly critical. My purpose is to share with you that there is an ever ending list of “hot” marketing strategies you can employ and your business needs and the needs of your audience must determine if something is worth putting time, energy and resources into.
Of course there are benefits to live video streaming, especially if you don’t care about a large number of live viewers and you have a long-term goal in mind.
One benefit is that many live recording platforms allow you to record or download the video.
You can then upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, or wherever you like.
Your audience can now consume your video content whenever they like.
It becomes no different than any other type of content. You need to optimize it for a search engine and you have to market and promote it across the web.
How to Make Live Video Streaming Successful
Whatever marketing strategies you employ, you have to make it as easy as possible and as relevant to your audience’s problems or needs as you can.
You have to have a message that is all about your audience and that has nothing to do with you.
Learn in this article How to Discover Passion, Influence People and Increase Sales.
As business owners, it is so easy to get caught up in our own businesses that what makes sense to us does not always make sense to the consumer.
Make it easy for your audience by giving them a set time, on a set day, and tell them what the topics for each live video will be.
Invite them to subscribe to your email so that you can send them an email with details about the upcoming lived video and/or remind them that the live video stream is about the start in 10 minutes.
Creating a live video is a lot more work than just shooting a video and uploading it to YouTube whenever you want.
In live video, there’s no going back if you make a mistake.
If you’re not experienced enough in doing video I wouldn’t recommend doing live video yet.
If you’re uncomfortable or nervous, the audience is going to both see and feel it. You don’t want them to feel bad for you or have a negative experience.
What you want is for them to feel your energy, excitement, exuberance and most importantly your passion.
The purpose of your live video is to share something and then ask your audience to do something. If they don’t stick around they aren’t going to do anything.
Live video streaming is not the easiest thing in the world to do for the majority of people who are not trained in verbal or visual communication.
Try podcasting first instead of video.
At the very beginning of every blog article, I have an audio podcast. In fact, I create the podcast first and then I transcribe the audio to create my blog article.
All you hear is my voice.
You can’t see my body language or facial expressions.
You wouldn’t know if I’m sweating or if I have a look of fear in my eyes.
You also wouldn’t know visually if I’m excited apart from my voice.
I love creating videos and I have at least a hundred videos on my Youtube channel and I’ll be doing more in the very near future.
However, creating videos is not for everyone and we have to quit pretending that it is.
If you are not comfortable with visual and verbal communication I would you recommend that you don’t do live video streaming yet.
I recommend that you get comfortable with creating videos that you can upload to YouTube and Facebook. Get used to being on camera. That is a different type of experience than what you might be used to and before you put yourself out there and put yourself in a bad position.
You may even want to consider getting a coach that can help you?
Conclusion
There is so more to live video than meets the eye.
Just because an “expert” says it is hot doesn’t mean it is going be hot for you or for your audience.
If your audience is not consuming live video, don’t mess with it. Go do something else.
If you decide to try live video streaming and your audience grows with it then that’s awesome!
I’m not saying you shouldn’t do live video.
What I’m saying is make sure your audience is the right audience to consume it, have a plan, communicate that plan to your audience, and execute it.
Above all, make sure you have a message that you can communicate to them that solves one problem, meets one need, or fulfills one desire; for one person.
Want to learn more how to create an inspiring, relevant and compelling message?
FYI – if you do any video at all… don’t forget to smile!!!!!
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