Tools & Marketing Techniques to Step Up Your Facebook Live
With users leaving x10 more comments and watching live video x3 longer than regular video, live is THE way to get engagement. In fact, just by going live you're already ahead of the curve!
But, it's easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole with countless livestreaming platforms and tech options out there. Wirecast, BeLive, Ecamm — you name it!
Live streaming is full of possibilities, so Yvonne Heimann and I are here to tell you about the key tools and marketing techniques that you need to consider when going live.
4 KEY TOOLS AND MARKETING TECHNIQUES TO CONSIDER WHEN GOING LIVE
1. CHOOSE YOUR STYLE
What it really boils down to is deciding for yourself what you want your show to look and sound like.
Do you want it branded with a bottom third? Do you want to have guests on your show so you're not the only one talking? Will you be walking around or sitting in a studio with a backdrop? Will you be using a green screen?
These and other questions are important to ask yourself on your livestreaming journey.
2. PICK YOUR PLATFORM(S)
Once you decide the look and feel of your show, choose what platform (or platforms, why limit yourself) works best for you!
If bottom third branding is important, Ecamm, BeLive or OBS are your options. If branding isn't a must for you just yet, go with Facebook mobile or desktop.
If you plan on interviewing guests, Zoom Webinar is one of the best options out there and is easy to use. In fact, if you like how Zoom looks and prefer a bottom third graphic, you can connect Zoom to OBS or Ecamm!
Some platforms require an investment, so you can get creative with overlays and platform combinations.
3. ROCK YOUR PRE-SETUP
The key to a successful broadcast is to get buzz before you actually go live, which you can do by scheduling your broadcast and sharing the link out on social media (Zoom doesn't let you do that).
One of the best ways to get that buss is to create a Facebook event page — create a cover photo and give people a teaser in description saying what the show will be about.
If you have a guest, make them a co-host! This Facebook event page will become your engagement pod — you can ask people to leave questions for your guest, which get them talking and boost their interest.
Keep the party going by adding content to your event as it leads up to the broadcast, inviting people to it, and posting the broadcast link again on the day of your show as a reminder.
4. FACEBOOK EVENT RE-MARKETING
Once you nourish your Facebook event page, make the most out of it by re-marketing. Here's how it works:
In November, I created an event page for my show about Instagram marketing with Christy Laurence, founder of Plann. I rocked my pre-setup and generated buzz about the show and Instagram marketing, resulting in 3.7K+ views and 92 comments!
Two months later, I had another Instagram expert on my show — Jenn Herman. BUT, instead of creating a brand new event, I re-marketed using the Facebook event page for Christy's show.
This way, you take people who are already interested in Instagram marketing and who self-categorized themselves as interested. All you have to do is simply re-engage them!
New tools are invented and new marketing techniques are constantly devised by industry thought leaders — keep an eye out on how livestreaming is shifting and be sure to stay top of mind and tip of tongue.