The digital world is constantly evolving, and live-streaming video has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their audiences.
Live video streaming is the real-time transmission of video and audio content over the internet, allowing viewers to watch and engage with the content as it is being broadcast. This technology has become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks in part to the proliferation of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which have integrated live-streaming capabilities into their services. An increasing number of businesses understand the benefits of live-streaming video.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the way people consume content, communicate, and interact with one another. With lockdowns and social distancing measures in place, many in-person events and gatherings were cancelled, leading to a surge in demand for virtual alternatives. Live streaming emerged as a powerful solution, enabling people to stay connected, informed, and entertained during these challenging times.
Businesses, too, have had to adapt to this new reality, embracing live streaming as a means of engaging with their customers, showcasing their products and services, and maintaining brand visibility.
In this article, we’ll identify 15 compelling reasons why incorporating live-stream events into your marketing plan is essential for your business' success.
Let’s start with some statistics from the video platform Wistia. These metrics are based on data from 2013-2022, where they interviewed 1500 marketers.
- According to Wistia, 60% of businesses produced videos at least once a month, and a third created weekly videos. Nearly 60% of the 1500 companies interviewed had in-house teams.
- A testament to the popularity of video? Videos over 30 minutes saw more than 11,000% growth over the past decade.
- 70% of millennials spend an hour and a half a day streaming news and other content.
- The number of companies with a video strategy jumped from 43% in 2021 to 57% in 2022
- 80% of marketers hosted live events. 30% held webinars at least once/month, and online training and virtual conferences set the stage for the breakout of live-streaming video.
- Even for businesses with in-house teams, time and resources limit productivity.
- 52% of businesses are meeting their video goals, and they’re getting creative about using video for internal and external clients.
- Businesses are also getting smarter about using data to inform marketing decisions.
- 60% produced videos at least once a month, and a third of companies created videos weekly.
Source: Shutterstock
Here are 15 reasons why live streaming video belongs in your marketing plan:
1. Enhance Customer Engagement with Real-Time Interaction
Live streaming video offers a significant advantage over other forms of content by providing real-time interaction with your audience.
Live streaming events allow viewers to ask questions and leave comments and feedback, thereby creating a personalized and interactive experience. By fostering a sense of community and loyalty, your customers are more likely to become brand advocates and promote your products or services to others. This increased engagement can help build a lasting relationship between your business and its audience, thereby contributing to the growth of your brand.
2. Maximize the Impact of Your Live-streaming Videos on Social Media
Live-streaming video content is an excellent way to engage with your audience on social media platforms. Repurposing your live-streaming videos on various social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more can yield a higher level of engagement than posts with still images alone. By creating interactive and engaging content, you can encourage your audience to like, share, and comment, thereby increasing your reach and enhancing your brand's visibility. With increased exposure and a growing audience, your business can establish a strong online presence and stay relevant in the minds of your customers.
3. Reach a Younger Audience with Live-streaming Video
According to Statista, millennials spend a significant amount of time online, with nearly 15% of them dedicating between 10 to 20 hours each week to watching videos. And Gen Z? This is the generation that’s grown up with the internet. They don’t remember a time when they couldn’t turn to Google for answers. They’re watching TV and movies on their smartphones.
For businesses looking to target this generation, live-streaming video is an effective tool to engage them. By incorporating live streaming events into your marketing strategy, you can provide millennials and Gen Z audiences with a unique and authentic experience that resonates, fostering a deeper connection between your brand and your audience.
The Gen Z demographic’s habits continue to evolve, with a big emphasis on social—however, those social media platforms develop. According to Insider Intelligence, an estimated 38% of users purchase from social media sites, and nearly 50% of Gen Z users do. Building trust with millennials and Gen Z audiences is important for anyone who plans to market products and services to these demographics. They need to meet these users where they live—which is on sites such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and gaming and entertainment sites.
Source: Insider Intelligence
4. Boost Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Google and other search engines index content as soon as it's published, and this includes video content.
By sharing live-streaming videos on social media platforms that generate a stream of website visitors, you can improve your site's search engine ranking. If visitors stay on your website and explore its content, it sends a positive signal to the search engine algorithm, indicating that your website provides valuable and relevant information to its users.
Additionally, according to Insivia, adding a product video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80-86%. By utilizing live-streaming video content, you can enhance your SEO efforts and drive more conversions to your website.
5. Build Trust with Live-streaming Video
Live-streaming videos can help build trust with your audience by providing them with a more personalized and authentic experience.
Compared to text or still images, live streaming allows viewers to engage with your brand more deeply by seeing more of your personality and expertise. By sharing valuable insights, providing expert advice, or moderating informative webinars or panel discussions, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and build credibility with your audience.
Live streaming is an effective tool to showcase your brand's values and vision, ultimately building stronger and more meaningful relationships with your customers.
6. Expand Your Reach and Attract New Audiences
Live streaming events can help you reach a wider audience by breaking geographical barriers. People from all over the world can tune in to your live stream, broadening your brand's reach and introducing your products or services to new potential customers. Additionally, live-streaming events are easily shareable, allowing your content to spread across various social media platforms and attract even more viewers.
Source: Shutterstock
7. Showcase Your Brand's Personality and Authenticity
Live streaming events provide an excellent opportunity to showcase your brand's personality and create a more authentic connection with your audience. By sharing behind-the-scenes footage, hosting Q&A sessions, or conducting live product demonstrations, you can give viewers a glimpse into the inner workings of your business and strengthen your brand identity.
8. Save Time and Resources with Cost-Effective Marketing
Live streaming events can be a cost-effective marketing strategy compared to traditional advertising methods. With minimal investment in equipment and software, you can create engaging content that can be repurposed for various marketing channels, such as social media, email campaigns, and your website. This efficient approach maximizes your return on investment and helps you allocate resources more effectively.
Remember that you can get a lot of mileage out of a single video. Extract the video and publish it on other online platforms, including your social media sites. Use clips on Instagram and TikTok. Add snappy captions and stickers to further customize your messaging. Post screenshots to social media. Screenshots are especially effective in providing backup data to support your position. Tweet quotes from your video. Twitter is the perfect platform for quick, fresh messaging. Look for quotes from your video that help summarize your strengths and promote your products and services.
Where Do Marketers Post Short-Form Content in 2021?
Source: Website Planet
9. Monitor Performance and Gain Valuable Insights
Live streaming platforms often provide embedded analytics tools that allow you to track various performance metrics, such as viewer count, engagement rates, and conversion data. By monitoring these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your live-streaming events and make data-driven decisions to refine your marketing strategies.
10. Facilitate Networking and Collaboration Opportunities
Live streaming events can help foster networking and collaboration opportunities among your viewers. By encouraging real-time interaction and discussion during your live stream, you can create a platform for like-minded individuals to connect, share ideas, and potentially collaborate on projects. This sense of community can help strengthen your brand's reputation and credibility.
11. Adapt to the Changing Needs of Your Audience
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, staying ahead of consumer trends and preferences is crucial for business success. Live streaming events offer a flexible and adaptable way to engage with your audience and stay in tune with their changing needs. By regularly hosting live streams and responding to viewer feedback, you can continuously refine your marketing strategies and ensure your brand remains relevant and appealing.
Source: Shutterstock
12. Promote Events and Product Launches
Live streaming is an excellent way to create buzz around events, product launches, or other important announcements. By broadcasting these events in real-time, you can generate excitement and anticipation, encouraging viewers to share the news with their networks and increasing your brand's exposure.
13. Offer Exclusive Content and Incentives
Rewarding your loyal customers with exclusive content and incentives can help foster long-term relationships and improve customer retention. By hosting live-streaming events that offer unique insights, special promotions, or exclusive access to new products, you can create a sense of exclusivity and appreciation for your most dedicated customers.
14. Provide Customer Support and Resolve Issues
Live streaming events can provide real-time customer support and address any issues or concerns your customers may have. By hosting live Q&A sessions or troubleshooting workshops, you can offer immediate assistance, demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction, and strengthen your brand's reputation
15. Encourage User-Generated Content and Testimonials
User-generated content, such as testimonials or product reviews, can be a powerful tool for building trust and credibility. By hosting live-streaming events that encourage viewers to share their experiences and opinions, you can collect valuable user-generated content that can be repurposed for your marketing efforts.
The Expanding World of Social Media
Social media is no longer limited to the traditional giants of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. A variety of new and emerging platforms have gained traction, offering unique features and catering to specific niches. Some of these platforms include LinkedIn, Twitch, and WT. Social, and MeWe, which boasts over 20 million users. As Twitter's popularity appears to wane, platforms like Mastodon are gaining momentum, offering a more decentralized and user-focused alternative.
Statistics Supporting the Power of Live Streaming
The effectiveness of live streaming as a marketing tool is supported by numerous statistics. For example:
- 80% of consumers prefer watching live videos from a brand rather than reading a blog.
- Live streaming is expected to account for 82% of all internet traffic by 2022.
- According to Endavo Media, 63% of people aged 18-34 watch live-streaming content regularly.
Source: Shutterstock
Rankwatch, a leading provider of SEO and marketing tools, has additional insights on live streaming and other digital marketing trends.
Conclusion: Harness the Power of Live Streaming in Your Marketing Plan
In conclusion, live video streaming has become an essential tool for businesses looking to engage with their audiences and stay ahead in today's ever-evolving digital landscape. When you incorporate live streaming into your marketing strategy, you can capitalize on its benefits, including increased customer engagement, a broader reach, and the ability to build trust with your audience.
By embracing the immediacy of live-streaming events and repurposing your content across various channels, you can maximize your marketing impact and drive business growth.
Key Takeaways
- Boost your SEO efforts with live-streaming video content.
- Live streaming enhances customer engagement through real-time interaction.
- Repurpose your streaming video content on social media to grow your reach and brand awareness.
- Reach younger audiences with live-streaming videos.
- Build trust with your audience using live-streaming videos.
- Expand your reach and attract new audiences through live-streaming events.
- Showcase your brand's personality and authenticity with live streaming.
- Save time and resources with cost-effective live-streaming marketing strategies.
- Monitor performance and gain valuable insights from live streaming analytics.
- Facilitate networking and collaboration opportunities with live-streaming events.
- Adapt to the changing needs of your audience by regularly hosting live streams.
- Promote events and product launches through live-streaming broadcasts.
- Offer exclusive content and incentives to reward loyal customers during live-streaming events.
- Provide customer support and resolve issues through live-streaming Q&A sessions or troubleshooting workshops.
- Encourage user-generated content and testimonials by hosting live-streaming events that invite viewer participation.
To devise the perfect marketing plan for your business, get in touch with TechWyse Internet Marketing today! We are backed by a fully certified team and offer a diverse range of digital marketing services. SEO, web design, paid media, social media management, you name it. To book an appointment, call (416)-410-7090 or contact us here.
