8 Tips for “Going Live”

Going Live on your social channels is an incredible way to create amazing content while getting your audience active and involved. You can go Live on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and some accounts can go Live on LinkedIn.

Here are 8 general tips for “Going Live” on any platform:

1. 1. Announce and promote it!
      Even though going live can be a great spontaneous tool for your brand, if it’s a planned broadcast, let people know that it’s going to happen. You can get people talking and asking questions beforehand which will allow you to be better prepared. Send an email, post about it and even create events so your followers can be easily alerted and reminded.
   2. Choose a topic you feel confident people will interact with.
      We often go back to those FAQs. Questions that your audience asks frequently are a great topic for live video because you know it’s something people want to know. You can also choose a newsworthy, popular topic, address a current situation (ie shipping delays) or get people talking about a new product or new location.
   3. Give people time to join or to just tune in for short period of time.
      Live video can be tricky. You may have hundreds of people watching or just a few. Give them time to get to your post and remember, there is often a bit of a delay with the various channels. Don’t get discouraged if many don’t join right away, or at all. Share the important info regardless of attendance.
   4. Have a good internet connection/ microphone/ lighting.
      The technical aspects are just as important as your topic. You’ll want to make sure your viewers can see you and hear you. It’s completely fine to ask up front if everyone can hear you and to wait for a response. We have some great suggestions on our blog, so you look professional on a webcam, here.
   5. Be prepared with what you generally want to say and rehearse a bit.
      Although the personable, casual nature of live video is typically what draws people in, it’s good to have an outline or notes for what you’d like to share during the video. It’s easy for the “lights, camera, action” to distract even the most comfortable of public speakers. Having your notes on your computer or near your camera will help keep you from looking down or away too often, as well.
   6. Be flexible and ready for your audience to ask unexpected questions.
      It’s ok if you stray from your notes or your audience asks live questions you weren’t prepared for. Have a few key phrases ready like “I’ll have to look into that and get back to you tomorrow,” just in case you get asked something you need to research. No need to feel like a deer in headlights. Just be honest and answer as best as you can and move the video along.
   7. Publish and save your video for later.
      In most cases, you’ll want to save your video and share it for people to watch at another time. You may even get more engagement from the replay. And live videos make easy and versatile re-usable content, so don’t forget to save it!
   8. Be brave and go for it!
      Live video is one of the most intimidating ways to post video on your social channel. But, you’ll never be completely ready! The only way to get comfortable doing it, is to do it. Be gracious with yourself and your employees as you go Live and remember, people like to see the human side of people. You can do this!

Bonus Tip: There are professionals out there who are happy to help with your live broadcasts, like us! Don’t feel like you have to do it all alone. We’re happy to consult, attend, direct, and advertise your live videos so your messaging is as successful as possible.