Taylor Swift has started a live video. Watch it before it ends
Live streaming—one the fastest growing markets today—is worth over $30 million. By 2021, the video streaming market is expected to cross $70 million.
Back in the days, television, radio, and newspaper were the only mainstream platforms to reach out to the larger audience. Live streaming is the new cool!
So to speak, a live-streaming session is an evolved extension of the conventional Live TV programs and in-person meetings.
A live stream involves the spontaneity of a face-to-face meeting, but it allows audience controls which are not noticeably present in physical scenarios.
Moreover, live TV offers one-way communication. Live-streaming sessions, on the other hand, engage the audiences and grant them the power to directly interact with the presenters.
Let’s delve deeper and explore some grounds for the popularity of live-streaming sessions and understand why you should do it too.
The psychological motivators
Why do we feel the urge to turn to live-streaming sessions when we could access the recordings anytime we want?
It’s because of the anything-could-happen factor!
Live-streaming sessions keep you on the edge of your seat — whether it’s a football match, a news bulletin, or even a promotional video of a famous brand.
Of course, you could always check out videos later on, but the thrill and excitement to get up-to-date information in real-time to make live sessions extremely compelling to attend.
Another reason why people get attracted to live sessions is the Fear-of-missing-out effect (FOMO). It is the same psychological driving factor that makes us visit our social media accounts now and then.
So yeah, you could very well use live streams to propagate FOMO in people and get them attracted to your business on the fly.
Trust and Authenticity
A pre-recorded video comes with heavy editing, and the audience get to see a clean version. One that is free from bloopers and glitches.
Strange as it may sound, the very vulnerabilities of a live stream garner a better emotional response than a pre-recorded session which is highly scripted.
When people see presenters getting occasional stutters, they feel relatable to them. And when you naturally host a session and add a touch of spontaneity, you win their trust a little bit more.
Speaking of trust, a picture behind the scenes is another way to strike a chord with the audience. Products and services depict the face of the company, and people miss out on what goes behind the closed curtains.
So, a glimpse behind the scenes or a meet-and-greet session with the team will go a long way.
Direct engagement and humanness
Imagine the jubilation one would feel if invited to the keynote of one’s favorite brand and allotted a front-row seat! Sounds dreamy, right?
This is pretty much how people feel when they join a live-streaming session.
The joy to see the session up close and interact with the presenters instantly makes live streams the most engaging form of all the content types.
So, you ask a question and see them reading it out loud, you tell a joke and see them burst into laughter. The humanness of a live-stream session makes it a powerful tool to win people’s hearts.
Instant gratification — the desire to get emotional fulfillment without any delay — is another compelling element of a live stream. People comment out their queries, and they get them addressed in a matter of seconds — all the more reason to stick by live streams.
A chance to reach large audiences
Do you know one app people can’t live without?
It’s Facebook!
According to statistics, Facebook has over 2.6 billion active monthly users today—making it one of the must-have apps for mobile phones.
On the other hand, digital marketers consider Instagram as the most reliable platform to market their content. And it is a fair call considering the statistics.
According to a survey conducted by Hubspot in 2019, Instagram came out as the social-media-marketing platform with second-highest Return on Investment (ROI), trailing behind Facebook only.
Considering the popularity of these social media platforms, just imagine the public outreach you will receive if you count on them to do live streams!
Not to mention, digital platforms pay a great deal of importance to the live streams. For example, YouTube tops the search results with live streams, while Facebook sends notifications about ongoing live-streaming sessions.
Some ideas for holding a live-streaming session
Now that we have looked at the importance of live streams, let’s explore some of the ways you could hold a live-streaming session.
But before we get on with it, let’s just be warned that people have zero tolerance for malfunctions and substandard content. So, one of the important live streaming tips is to use quality equipment and test it beforehand.
Q/A session: There is no better way to get their curiosities quenched about your brand. Hold a live-streaming session and address the audience’s questions most effectively.
Virtual tours: Apart from introducing the audience to your teams, conduct a virtual tour of your organization, and show the hidden facets of your organization.
Live Events: Get the audience involved if you are celebrating a golden jubilee. People feel connected if you take them as a part of your family and appreciate their presence in your company’s events and product launches.
Interviews and awareness sessions: Conduct online interviews of important figures and let the audience know what they have to say. Additionally, you could organize an awareness session and share the tips and valuable insight with the online community.
Key Takeaway
The cost-effectiveness of a live-streaming session is a big factor that should encourage you to arrange one for your organization. All you need is a good-quality HD camera, an internet connection, and a microphone.
A live-streaming session can be the most effective one in your arsenal of digital marketing tools. So, if you are seeking to make a wider impact and to convert your existing customers into permanent ones, always adhere to live streams.
Get in touch with us in the comment section and share your thought regarding live-streaming sessions.
