Our world has an obsession with getting as close to the ‘real thing’ as possible. The cameras on our smartphones are increasingly higher in megapixels, our messaging is becoming more and more instant and complex, and phone calls have morphed into FaceTime, Snapchat, and Skype sessions. In marketing, it is important to be in touch with this need and to be aware of how to properly use it to build a brand or business.

Facebook has added ‘Facebook Live,’ meaning that brands can now broadcast real-time events to their followers. Users get a notification when a page that they are following ‘goes live’ and can even have conversations with the person in the live video through comments. Many celebrities including Ricky Gervais and Vin Diesel have used the feature to engage with their fans,

Live video is an exciting concept for marketers. Aside from being a neat gimmick, it allows marketers to build those intimate relationships with fans and followers that are always the ultimate goal. Here at Tower, we recently used Facebook Live during the Cayman Airways Invitational Youth Cup. Since we had teams visiting from as far away as the UK, many parents and supporters couldn’t fly down to be with their teams. Having the live video options during important segments (we used it during penalty shootouts and the awards ceremony) allowed distant fans to feel close and connected.

Facebook recently released analytics that revealed that people spend three times longer watching live videos than standard ones. Video posts also have 125% greater organic reach than photo posts, and Facebook generates 8 billion video views on average per day.

If you are thinking about using live video to market your business or brand (and you should be), here are some tips:

  • Have a plan… but be adaptable – Content should be chosen carefully, but you should also be prepared to integrate spur of the moment things that occur as you are filming. Think of it like a live news segment. Be prepared for anything.
  • Give them an inside look – The whole point of live video is to give the type of accessibility that pre-recorded videos can’t. Take your audience behind the scenes and show them segments of your process.
  • Interact with your audience – Live video gives a unique opportunity to forge interactive connections with your audience. Ask and answer questions, conduct surveys, use names when responding – involve them in any way that you can.
  • Have a catchy headline/description – When your followers see that you go live, they need a good description of what you’re doing in order to be interested in clicking on your link. Keep it funny, intriguing, or impactful.
  • Be aware of your internet capabilities – Do your best to ensure that your live stream won’t cut out during an important moment. You should try to use Wi-Fi whenever possible, and when Wi-Fi isn’t available ensure that you are on a 4G network with a strong connection.