A Marketer’s Guide to Live Streaming [Marketing in 2021]

Live stream marketing exploded in 2020 due to the pandemic, and more businesses pivoted to e-commerce. Even as we slowly return to in-person events, live streaming does not appear to be going anywhere.

If you’re developing your brand’s live streaming marketing strategy, read on for our marketer’s guide to live streaming in 2021. In this guide, we will outline: why you should consider live streaming, what goals you may consider, different types of live streams, and how to select a platform for live streaming.

Why Should Your Brand Live Stream?

There are many reasons why you should consider implementing a live streaming marketing strategy for your brand, but let’s examine just three of the main ones below:

1. Consumers Prefer Video to Text.

Numerous surveys and polls have concluded that many people prefer to absorb information via video instead of through a written medium.

2. In-Person Marketing is Still Not Available.

As the pandemic-related restrictions begin to loosen, life is looking more like it used to. However, large events are likely to be one of the very last things to return to our lives. Therefore, live streaming is one of the best ways to reach consumers at this time.

3. Ease of Use.

Live stream marketing is highly straightforward, easy to use, and available through multiple platforms for free.

What are Your Goals for Your Brand?

Having specific goals is vitally important to the success of any venture. A marketing campaign is no exception. Is your goal to increase engagement with your audience? Are you most interested in promoting your new product line? Whatever your vision for your brand is, your live streaming strategy should incorporate actionable methods that lead toward your overarching goals.

What are Different Types of Live Stream for Marketing?

Again, it’s essential to keep in mind your goal when developing your live streaming strategy. Let’s take a look at some different types of live streams so that you can determine what may work best for your brand.

• Audience Q&A Sessions: Interacting with your audience in a setting where they can send in messages and responding in real-time can build trust and brand awareness.

• Product Launch and Promotion: Whenever you release a new product, you can build a sense of excitement in your consumer base by revealing a sneak peek via live stream.

• Live Streaming from an In-Person Event: Once live events are allowed again, streaming from an event can create a sense that your audience is missing out if they aren’t there in person.

Live Streaming Platforms

There are many platforms available when it comes to live streaming for marketing. Your choice of platform should align with the goals of your campaign.

White-label live streaming platforms refer to platforms that are customized for your business by another service. Although the development is done by the other service, there will be no indications that it is done by them. You will also own the content and data derived through this made-for-you platform.

Large businesses can anticipate high returns by using white-label live streaming services. Retail brands can also make use of white-label services to develop or integrate live stream shopping features into their platform.

Examples of white-label live streaming platforms would be BeLive Technology, DaCast, and IBM.

Social media live streaming platforms refer to the mainstream social media platforms that offer live streaming capabilities. The biggest examples would be Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Smaller businesses that are still in the process of growing their user base can greatly benefit from live streaming on social media platforms. It would be easy to reach their target audience, and for new potential customers to come across their live streams.

Conclusion

As you can see, you have many choices when it comes to developing a live streaming strategy. If you’re going to implement a live stream for marketing, it is essential always to keep your goals in mind and outline the specifics of your marketing campaign from there.

Whether it’s live streaming on social media or using your own white-label platform, there’s no denying the power that live stream brings. Not using a live stream strategy would only result in losing out and lagging behind your competitors.

If your business is ready to make that next move, contact BeLive Technology for a free consultation on having your own live streaming platform.