Real engagements, real reactions, REAL-TIME! Thinking about when you should use this marketing strategy? The answer is NOW! [Thursdays: FYO!]
Online video conferences.
Social media.
Internet.
These are some of the things people use to communicate with one another even when they’re miles apart.
As a business owner or marketer, did you know you can also use these tools to expand your business’ reach online?
YOU CAN!
One way is through…
Live streaming!
This refers to online streaming media that is simultaneously recorded and broadcasted REAL-TIME. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have this feature.
What makes live streaming beneficial to businesses?
It helps build trust toward your brand.
In live streaming, creating a polished video can be tricky. Things might go wrong along the way (technical difficulties, background noise, a sudden blackout, video-bombers, etc) and your camera will capture all those instances.
What’s worse? You can’t edit out that part because it’s happening real-time!
However, let’s look on the brighter side of these things. These series of “unfortunate events” aren’t that bad!
In fact, unedited and unpredictable events in your video have their charms―they present your brand in an authentic and genuine manner, which positively affects viewers’ level of trust towards your business.
When that happens, your brand gains more influence and you can expect more viewers to come back and watch your other live videos.
It creates real engagement.
A live stream’s content is always unique. Every moment in the video is brand new and special, which draws attention and compels viewers to interact with your content, whether by liking, sharing, or commenting.
Because of this, word about your show will spread and reach more potential customers.
Live streaming also enables real-time interaction, creating an opportunity for you and your viewers to ask questions and share opinions.
Some good results of this?
Customer loyalty and better relationships between your brand and target market!
It raises brand awareness―it can even turn your employees into stars!
Higher engagement and viewer retention rates provide more opportunities for your business to expand online. The more live videos you create, the more attention your brand will get!
Remember that viewers want to see the real you during a live stream. While hiring outside talent to host your live show is a good idea, using some of your employees as hosts is better.
Why?
It’s because they know your brand more than outside talents. They’ll be able to answer viewers’ questions and comments more effectively.
Aside from that, these employees can also be your “brand ambassadors.” After all, viewers would love to see familiar faces that represent your brand!
It helps you understand what your audience likes.
Live streaming serves as a testing ground for content ideas, allowing you to judge a concept based on viewership, engagement rates, and feedback.
Through these videos, you’ll gather great ideas from your audience and receive honest opinions about your products or services, as well as requests for future features.
While not all of your viewers’ feedback is gold, some of them might be worth noting to improve your business.
One of the businesses that use live streaming well is Bon Appétit (BA), an American food and entertainment magazine.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, BA’s Test Kitchen crew produced “The BA Test Kitchen Variety Show,” a casual and entertaining YouTube live stream from the staffs’ kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms.
This one-time variety show was first conceptualized by BA’s editor-in-chief, Adam Rapoport, and was live streamed on May 1, 2020.
The show’s objectives were three-fold:
- To establish BA’s online presence
- To engage with viewers stuck at home on all-things-food
- To raise money for BA’s COVID-19-related causes such as providing meals for those in need, putting restaurant crews back to work, and supporting medical frontliners
While the two-hour live stream was casual and “go with the flow,” the sessions were thoroughly thought-out with cocktail hour, cooking challenges, games, tutorials, and fundraising updates.
A great way indeed to interact and impart knowledge to BA’s “foodie” audiences!
The results of the brand’s live stream?
- BA’s YouTube subscribers increased from 5.1 million to 6 million in a span of 1 month
- The BA Test Kitchen Variety Show garnered over 1 million views, 21,000 likes, and more than 1,000 positive feedback about the live stream
- BA raised more than USD 130,000 in funds through the variety show
Since then, the brand has been continually live streaming educational and entertaining videos on their YouTube channel. This marketing strategy helps to ensure BA stays on top of its target market’s minds and inspire them about cooking delicious food.
Going “live” provides a whole new platform for your brand to reach customers and prospects. It boosts engagement rates, builds a trusting relationship with your target market, and enhances your business’ image.
Take note of some of the best practices for live streaming:
- – Add value. Don’t just take up space in the internet sphere.
- – Be as interactive as possible.
- – Keep your content relevant.
- – Be prepared.
- – Be yourself.
Interact with your target market on a more personal level even when you’re apart! Speak to them during a live stream―it’s more memorable than just replying to their posts or comments.
Besides, going live doesn’t cost you much in terms of video production. As long as you find a well-lit space to film in and you have a thought-out plan for your content…
You’re all set to go LIVE!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Thursdays: FYO! Find You Optimization”
Why should you stop thinking SEO and start thinking FYO?
We’re not saying that you should abandon Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Don’t get us wrong, of course, we know this is something very important, especially in today’s digital marketing age.
The internet landscape is vast, and a world of its own. You really need to distinguish yourself and make your brand/company/website known and easily searchable.
Better yet, get to the top of page one for Top Results on Google or any other search engine.
However, what is the purpose of SEO? It’s that customers Find You!
That’s what matters. So, while SEO is one factor of FYO… it really is only one, and we ought not to abandon all the myriad of ways digitally and offline for improving your FYO.
How can we look at this from a different and better perspective?
Let’s say you have it in the bag! You and your team are experts in SEO. Awesome. But did you ever wonder what else you could do to push it further and give your SEO skills a boost?
FYO! Find You Optimization!
You need your target audience to FIND YOU—your brand, product, service, or offer. This is SEO plus other tools that increase visibility online (and offline).
Every Thursday, we publish content on how you can get your target market to find you, beyond the typical “type and search.” There are other things you can do along with your SEO to give your online advertising process a boost.
Try considering other tactics beyond it—WOMO (Word Of Mouth Optimization), RO (Referral Optimization), and “All-Other-Means-Of-Getting-Your-Target-Market-To-Find-You” Optimization (AOMOGYTMTFY, if you’d like a long acronym).
Part of a great marketing strategy is knowing how to adapt new methods and make use of different types of marketing and promotion that best fit your business goals and which give you the results you want.
Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Thursday’s FYO!
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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www.valens-research.com
