People love to watch other people do stuff; it’s ingrained in our DNA. It’s why most of us enjoy people watching in the park or going to the latest blockbuster movie. Facebook and Instagram have taken advantage of this quirk in our genes with their live video streaming features.
Brands who live stream appear more approachable and real. Unlike TV commercials, live stream feeds feel more authentic as it shows the human side of a company. It’s why more businesses are incorporating Facebook Live into their marketing strategies.
Benefits of Live Streaming on Facebook
- Boosts your audience numbers: An event streamed live on a platform like Facebook or Instagram is capable of reach millions of people worldwide. It also gives users a chance to participate in or attend an event they would otherwise have missed.
- Cuts down on cost: You don’t need an expensive camera, a fancy set or a video editor when you go live on Facebook. And since you can host an event anywhere, even in a hallway, you can cut down on travel and rental expenses as well.
- Real-time audience interaction: Consumers react more positively to “face to face” interactions. During a Live feed, the audience can send questions that the host can answer on the spot. Brands can also build trust with clients because of the transparency they show during these engagements.
- Drum up excitement around product launches: Businesses can generate hype for a product launch on Facebook. These raw and real videos can harness the excitement you’d feel when opening a gift or seeing an event start.
How to Launch Your Product on Facebook Live
Give people an inside look.
Everyone is curious about what happens behind-the-scenes. Pull back the curtains on your business and give viewers a chance to know the real people behind the brand. Give your audience a quick tour of your office or show the tools or equipment you use. Doing this will help viewers understand you better and it’s a great way of building trust.
Starbucks used this strategy in its 2016 National Voter Registration Day. They broadcasted the event live as company representatives walked around the park. They also introduced and talked to people who volunteered in the event.
Draw in viewers from other platforms.
One of the best ways to launch a product or start a new channel is to through the “cheap seats” route. You start by going live on Facebook and encourage viewers watching on other platforms like YouTube, Instagram or Snapchat (considered the cheap seats) to move to your page in order to see the comments.
To make things more exciting, you can also go live on the other platforms during a break from the mainstreaming feed and invite viewers to join you on Facebook.
YouTube entrepreneur Chris Ducker used this tactic to promote his book launch party.
Provide a preview of your upcoming product.
Giving your audience a sneak peek or a preview on what’s coming next will drum up excitement and make them feel special. Show a trailer for an upcoming webinar or go live and show your staff brainstorming about a new product.
Tough Mudder is a great example of how to do it. The organizer streamed Coach T. Mud showing participants their training course. Seeing what they would be experiencing got more people interested in signing up.
Use video bots for show notifications.
Take advantage of Facebook’s live video bots and use them to interact and encourage your audience to subscribe to your show. You can do this by asking viewers attending your live feed to type a specific word in the comments if they want to receive notifications. You can also create a URL for your video bot and encourage your audience to click on the link to sign up for notifications. This strategy gives you control on who can see your posts since it’s your viewers themselves who told you they want to be notified about your show.
Get live customer testimonials.
Tap a loyal customer to talk about your product or company during a Facebook Live event. A lifestream approach to get engaging and natural flowing testimonials from customers are a very effective way of marketing your product. Meet up with a customer and hang out with them. The informal setting and relaxed mood can go a long way to getting your audience to warm up to your pitch or new product.
Facebook Live is an excellent platform to launch a product or show your customers and prospective clients what your company is really about. Take advantage of the numerous strategies you can employ to get people interested in your launch. Live stream a launch party with a celebrity or conduct a real-time Ask Me Anything session. Seeing what’s happening as it happens can drum up interest and build customer trust.