There’s no doubt that video is the most powerful kind of content to create online.
The latest research measuring Social Media Use in 2021 from Pew Research Center estimates 81% of Americans use YouTube, and the video platform was the fastest growing social media channel in the last few years.
When also considering the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels and that 82% of people prefer to see a video over a standard brand post, it’s critical for brands to start embracing video as a go-to medium for content creation.
When talking to clients about incorporating video into their social strategy, we often hear hesitation. That’s why we decided to sit down with Emmy Award-winning Live video expert, Jennifer Watson.
As the social media manager for one of our favorite companies EVER, Agorapulse, she knows what she’s talking about when it comes to creating a live video show that drives attention and engagement. Plus, her passion for every aspect of digital media—from building brand strategies to creating content plans—makes her a motivating life force to listen to. It’s no wonder she has been featured in Chief Content Marketer Magazine, and on stage at Social Fresh, Social Media Marketing World and Social Shake-Up to name a few.
Why Video Matters:
Every year seems to be “the year of video" and the statistics only show that the trend is increasing.
Some noteworthy statistics about video:
- Viewers claim to retain 95% of a message when obtained via video.
- 93% of brands got a new customer because of a video on social media.
- Videos ads were the #1 way that consumers discovered a brand that they later purchased from.
- 86% of marketers say that video has helped them increase traffic to their website.
- 84% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video.
- Tweets with video attract 10x more engagement than Tweets without video.
- 12% of Facebook video posts are live streams. Also, live streams get double the engagement of pre-recorded video posts!
- YouTube replaced Facebook as the #1 platform that affects consumer behavior.
- 69% of people say they’d most prefer to learn about a new product or service by watching a short video.
When we consider all of this data, it’s a no-brainer that brands need to be incorporating video as a major part of their social media strategy.
Video is humanizing, interactive, engaging and attention-grabbing in a way that other forms of content aren’t.
Why Brands Struggle With Video:
Brands often continue to struggle to create video content because they think they need expensive and fancy equipment.
It can be hard to get out of a perfectionist mindset. Not only does it take courage and confidence (and a lot more that we’ll dive into later) to show up on camera, but it takes getting comfortable with just STARTING.
“Keep in mind with #LiveVideo people aren’t expecting perfection. If they were, they’d be watching a scripted TV show.” @jessikaphillips (click to tweet)
Nobody starts out as an expert. Everyone is a beginner when starting something new.
The other element is getting comfortable with making mistakes. It’s important to realize that perfection isn’t possible, especially when it comes to going live!
Every time we create a video—whether it’s a native video like we’ve been making to celebrate our NOW Team Birthdays, OR a live video like our weekly Magnet Marketers show—we get better!
By focusing on creating value and teaching our audience something, we’re able to shake away the nerves and dive fully into this super effective vehicle for getting our message across.
Getting Started With Video:
If you’re just getting started with video, we recommend really focusing on the FUN! Don’t put pressure on yourself to start with a live show!
Get used to seeing yourself on camera first through tools like InstaStories and going live in a private Facebook group, and THEN work your way up to doing a live show.
Find ways to just practice yourself first! Then when you’re a bit more comfortable, you can invite a few friends to that private Facebook Group as a way to build that confidence in speaking in front of an audience.
Tips For Creating Confidence On Camera:
Consistency and preparation are going to be *the* thing that grows your confidence when it comes to being on camera.
Another great idea? >> Be your own cheerleader! Amp yourself up before going live. Take a good, deep belly breath before you hit that button.
Remember that things WILL go wrong, but it’s all about just continuing on!
When a mistake happens, pick up and keep going! Your audience is rooting for you, so don’t let a little mistake throw off your energy.
By continuing to practice, we create so much more confidence. This allows us to get ready to “press the damn button” as Brian Fanzo would say and go live!
Live Video Best Practices:
When it comes to going live, the most important things we can recommend are to plan ahead and to have fun!
Planning ahead allows you to be consistent, which is critical for any live video show.
Whether the audience is tuning in live or catching the replay, it’s important to grab their attention in order to keep them watching. That’s where the planning comes in.
Having a specific topic that you plan to teach and/or executing interviews are two great ways to ensure you’ll go live long enough to generate an audience AND generate value.
Planning ahead—for both the guest list and the topics—is critical in order to execute an interview-style show. Oh, and did we mention the importance of planning ahead for the questions and promotional graphics?
...planning is a critical aspect to a strong live show.
Sharing the questions and promotional graphics ahead of time allows the guest to best prepare AND share! That preparation will translate to their confidence on camera, and their sharing promotional graphics will help build more awareness! Win-win.
Some other tips for helping you create an epic live video show for your brand:
- Watch other people’s live shows to drive inspiration and get ideas of what you do and don’t like.
- Go through and practice the introductions for your guests.
- Create a branded introduction for your show if possible to generate excitement.
- Have a glass of water handy.
- Check your tech beforehand.
- Let your guest take a deep breath before you go live. It’s more important to be READY then to go live RIGHT on the dot!
- Stand up during the live video to keep your energy high throughout.
- Ask your audience the same question that you’re asking the quest live! (Not only is a super subtle way to test audio, but it drives a ton of engagement!)
- Have an employee, community member or friend answer questions and help drive the conversation, as well as execute community management.
Following these tips above will undoubtedly drive more engagement and create more confidence for your entire brand when it comes to going live. That confidence will translate on camera and make your show even MORE compelling to watch!
Putting It All Together:
The most important thing for brands to remember is to plan ahead and be thoughtful when it comes to video while at the same time, not overthinking it to the point of not taking action.
At the end of the day, being human is what’s going to drive engagement and community. As brands, we have to remember to really just show up and have FUN!
Jen’s positive energy reminded us the importance of truly leaning into our humanity.
If you have to reschedule or postpone your live show by a few minutes, do it! If you have technical difficulties during the show, admit it! Your audience is cheering you on and they understand!
By continuing to show up consistently, being human and providing value, we have the opportunity to create meaningful connections and build relationships that last a lifetime.
What do you think? Has your brand embraced the power of live video yet? What are your biggest tips for creating confidence on camera?
Share them in the comments below!
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