LIVE STREAMING: HOW TO USE IT TO YOUR COMPLETE BENEFIT 

If you are someone who follows a lot of influencers, one thing you would have noticed is that amid lockdown this trend of live streaming really started blowing up. Now, be it Instagram live yoga sessions or Facebook live cooking classes, live streaming started pacing up like never before. 

This was because we couldn’t connect with each other on a physical level, so we started creating a virtual space that is quick to respond and easy to access. 

The power of live streaming is although real. The connection that you build with your audience online is nothing like you posting three reels in a day. That connection is personal and deep. When you answer their questions and take their name, they feel connected to you. They feel like a part of the community, and that human feeling is the first step to building a strong relationship. 

Starting from big brands like Vogue, Elle, Louis Vuitton, Prada to small homegrown brands, everyone live streams, to connect and amplify their brand. Not only brands but also influencers come live to connect once in a while. And we think this should b your call to start live streaming too.

Here is why you should start with your own live stream. 

1. People start relating to you and connect with you. 
2. People are updated with what you are up to and are looking forward to more. 
3.  You can create an easy buzz around launching your new collection or posting a new video. 
4. You gain more followers and engagement. 
5. You understand your audience and what they are expecting from you. 
6. You can get easy feedback from people and improve accordingly. 

Now that you know the importance of live streaming, here are some secrets to effective live streaming on the following platforms. 

FACEBOOK: 

Reportedly, Facebook produces 6 times more engagement than a normal video stream. Some tricks we would like to add for an effective stream are as follows- 

1. Go live for a minimum of 15 minutes to reach the approximate audience you have. 
2. Interact and talk, it does not have to be intellectual all the time. Start with “how’s it going”. 
3. Pick up questions that are easy and short for you to answers. 
4. Take names of the people, that makes them feel connected to you. 
5. Schedule a stream. Possibly let people know beforehand so they are available when you go live. 

INSTAGRAM:

Instagram is wide. It has a lot of features you can use to strategize your stream. They are as follows:

1. You can add a title to your live stream so people know what you are going to talk about. You can attract people here. 
2. You can also save your LIVE and put a glimpse of it in your story or put an entire stream in your IGTV. People who weren’t available at that time can also access your stream now. 
3. Add people to your live streams. This helps to build a great engagement and more people join in because they want to come live with you. 
4. Take some tutorials. If you know how to play guitar, take a basic half-hour guitar session for your viewers, but obviously, inform them priorly. 

YOUTUBE:

75% of marketing professionals believe YouTube live is the most effective way of boosting revenue and creating awareness. Here are some technicalities and tricks for you to boost your next YouTube stream. 

1. Schedule your stream, notify them in advance. 
2. Keep your answers ready and take questions related to your brand/account in order to educate people more about the same. 
3. You can also repurpose your live stream. Download the video, you can create short clips and use them on different platforms or even for the same YouTube channel. Get the best clips and repurpose your content effectively. 
4. You also get Super Chat on YouTube which helps you monetize your stream, you can use that feature to your best benefit. 

Although we have given you considerably wise tricks for specific platforms, here are some general tips you need to know in order to avoid any major blunders. 

1. Make sure you have a spare device. It’s a good idea to keep checking from the spare device if everything is going fine and if your primary device gives up, switch it up with the spare one, always.
2. Keep cables, speakers, and earphones handy so you do not have to run for a technical emergency in the middle of the stream. 
3. Use your Wi-Fi always. But keep your cellular data or hotspot for backup if your Wi-Fi crashes. 
4. Keep your phone or any other preferred device stable with a tripod or anything else. 
5. Disconnect unnecessary devices around you for better clarity and smooth streaming. 
6. Use different angles and experiment with your audience. Have fun, make mistakes and have fun. 

Concluding with our tips and tricks for you, we would just like to say don’t be nervous. Go out there, make mistakes and stumble. 

Taylor Swift in her live concert once made mistakes while playing in the wrong key. She admitted her mistake and quotes, “at least now we know it’s life”, that is the attitude you need to keep. Mistakes are very common, so until you are improving and learning from them, go ahead and make the. Happy Streaming!