Social media is not just an effective way to add content for SEO and high SERPs. It’s an easy way for businesses of any size to reach a large target audience. Today, nearly 4 billion people around the world have a social media account. While this is a huge pool of potential prospects, it’s also difficult to stand out from the crowd.
Livestreaming on YouTube and social media is a powerful way to generate revenue and attract a following. Through visually stimulating video content, you’re able to deliver valuable information that’s engaging and memorable. By cutting through the noise on social media platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook, livestreaming for business owners helps drive traffic, build a loyal following, and boost sales.
Benefits of Livestreaming for Business Owners
Livestreaming is the ability to create and publish video content in real time for an internet audience. Through messages and chat features, viewers can interact with the video host, as well as other users. Once a livestream session is complete, its recording can often be published later for people who either couldn’t attend or want to watch again to revisit information. Livestreaming is highly beneficial to businesses of any size, for four main reasons:
1. It’s Super Easy
Business owners interested in livestreaming can essentially get started right away. All you need is a social media account with livestream capabilities and some minimal equipment. You could even use a smartphone, as long as it produces high-quality video. After all, companies that deliver poor-quality video content lose up to 25% of their revenue. To put your best foot forward, check out a few online tutorials for tips and tricks before you begin, so you’ll appear confident to your audience.
2. You Can Build Deep Relationships with Audience Members
Livestreaming allows your audience to put a face to your brand. Through your videos, they get to know you and your business, and you’re able to build a deeper relationship with them. During your stream, you can view questions and comments people are asking on your social media feed. Addressing them on screen helps build a rapport with your followers.
Live video enables you to establish brand identity and develop trust among your audience. More than 80% of Americans will buy from a brand they trust, regardless of current trends or offers. When you consistently publish quality content in a way that’s engaging and authoritative, viewers will keep tuning in to learn more. This is how you build a loyal following that converts to customers.
3. Entice Your Viewers to Act
Livestreaming for business owners provides multiple opportunities to incorporate a call-to-action (CTA). You can implement a clickable overlay directly into your video. Or you could post a link in your video description. Either way, CTAs should help you meet the goals of your video. Do you want more subscribers? Are you aiming for newsletter sign-ups? Whatever it is, an engaging video can entice people to act. Your CTAs are effective tools to grow your audience and increase conversion rates.
4. You Can Repurpose Content
Once you’ve created a livestream video, you can use it again for even more reach and impact. Annotate your video so it’s easy to find one- to two-minute segments that can be posted as quick, digestible clips for your audience. Upload custom graphics and turn these bite-sized clips into even more shareable content that can be distributed on social media platforms.
How to Go Live and Get Customers in 7 Simple Steps
Livestreaming is an effective and beneficial approach for business owners looking to grow their revenue. But for many, it’s uncharted territory and confusing to know where to begin. Luckily, learning how to livestream is easy. In this step-by-step livestreaming tutorial, you’ll learn how to master livestreaming for business owners for optimal success.
Step 1: Create a Studio
Before you can begin to record your video, you first need a space where your filming can take place. Ideally, this is a dedicated place where your equipment is always set up and ready for use. Not only does using the same space give continuity to your videos, but having to constantly set up and tear down your microphone, lights, and camera can be a deterrent to sitting down to film. If your gear is ready at all times, you’re much more inclined to adhere to your recording schedule and publish consistent content.
Step 2: Secure the Right Equipment
For your livestreaming videos to be successful, you need a powerful livestreaming platform where you can showcase your videos, custom graphics, and overlays while streaming to multiple platforms simultaneously. You could accomplish this by spending $7,000 on expensive livestreaming gear. Or, you could use what I consider the best livestream software, Restream Studio for livestreaming.
Restream enables you to share screens, add graphics, download MP3s, and multicast on several platforms. It’s everything you need to create a well-structured show.
Step 3: Develop a Name and Value Statement
Now that you have a space and the equipment needed to create high-quality videos, it’s time to think about the actual content of your material. To begin, you’ll want to come up with a memorable title and tag line. A catchy title and tag line can be what determines whether you gain a viewer or lose them to the next YouTube video on their search list.
A value statement is declared at the beginning of each video to tell people why they should continue watching. Think of it in terms of this formula:
“Today, I’m going to show you x, so that you can achieve y, and finally experience z.”
When people know what they’re going to gain from your video, and it aligns with their needs, they’ll stick around to watch it in its entirety.
Step 4: Create Assets and Artwork
Enhance your content with effects and graphics that add value and entertain your viewers. Digital overlays can help engage your audience while solidifying your brand identity and recognition. I use branded digital overlays to highlight important takeaways from my videos. These make content more memorable while constantly promoting my brand.
Restream offers pre-designed overlays you can simply add to your content, or you can upload your own. You’re welcome to check out some free graphics on my website.
Step 5: Stick to a Weekly Schedule
Consistency is key to building a loyal livestream audience. Create a livestream calendar and plan to go live at the same time, and on the same days, every week. Not sure you can commit to such a schedule? Build your agenda around your livestream calendar. Consistent videos help lay the foundation to help people follow your channel. As your audience learns your schedule, they’ll begin tuning in so as not to miss the valuable information you share.
Maintaining a routine also allows you to schedule livestreams in advance. When you do this on social media platforms, people are notified and can plan to tune in. This broadens your reach and raises awareness about your brand. Sticking to a regular schedule gives your audience stability, shows that you’re reliable and professional, and helps you market your content.
Step 6: Send a Calendar Link to Guests
Another benefit to scheduling your livestream posts is that you’re able to plan guest appearances in advance. To schedule guests to join your videos, send a calendar link that simplifies the booking process. Avoid time consuming back-and-forth communication by inviting guests with an easy link for a set date and time. You can offer a few time slots for the duration of your show, but narrowing options helps to simplify the booking process and keep things efficient for you and your guests.
Step 7: Develop a System for Run of Show (ROS)
Viewers want to tune into a livestream video that delivers valuable information, but they don’t want to wade through a lot of fluff. An ROS is a systematic way of running a live show efficiently. It helps to propel the show forward and keeps you from losing viewers along the way. Your ROS serves as a checklist to help ensure you’ve thought through every element for an impactful and compelling program.
An ROS might look something like this:
- Show title: Includes name, tagline, and value statement.
- Thumbnail and tags: The image that people will click on to watch the video.
- Hook: A teaser from the meat of the content that explains what people will learn from the video.
- Bumper: Branded element that is in every video you produce.
- Intro to content: Lead into the material you’ll be discussing.
- Audience engagement: Refer to chat features and include audience member input into the show.
- Set-up: Explain what content is coming up.
- Bullet points: Discuss content.
- Conclusion: Wrap-up content and include any CTAs.
Following a guideline such as this ensures you don’t overlook any information or graphics you want to include. It also helps you create consistent videos with continuity for brand identity.
Try Restream Studio for Free
Livestreaming is a highly effective way to generate revenue and gain more customers. With consistent content and the right studio, business owners can see impactful results.
Ready to give livestreaming a shot? Enjoy a free trial of Restream Studio today.
