Did you know that 80% of online users would rather watch a live stream than read a blog? This means that it’s high time for your brand to access professional live-streaming production—especially if you’re still in the small to medium scale.
Video has proven to be a practical marketing component, but live streaming ups the game by offering new ways to engage. This type of engagement is not possible with pre-recorded videos. Let’s explore this and other advantages of live-streaming for small businesses—and how you can use them to gain traction.
Why Small Businesses Should Consider Live Streaming?
1. Live Streaming Offers Instant Gratification
Live streaming taps on something that this generation craves: instant gratification.
“Consumers don’t want to go through lengthy articles and videos. Instead, they want to experience the “reward” as soon as possible. It can take the form of a tip, a discount, or any information. When you live stream, you’re creating an opportunity to interact with the consumers instantly.”, explains Max Funding’s bad credit loan specialist Shane Perry.
How does this happen?
During the stream, the audience can participate in the commentary section and you can respond to the comments immediately. Consumers can also converse with each other, generating a discussion about your products/services and anything related to your business.
Live streaming can be used for product launches, contests, Q&A, etc. You might want to hire a professional live streaming company with high-end audio-visual solutions to make the right impression.
2. Live Streaming Humanises Your Business
One of the most effective ways to gain consumers’ confidence is to let them take a peek behind the curtain. Consumers are hesitant to transact with a business when they don’t understand how products/services are made, marketed, distributed, etc.
You can open these aspects to put the consumers at ease through live streaming. This technique works because it humanises your business, making consumers know that there are real people behind it. You may organise an event where the team members introduce themselves and talk about their job in a relaxed way—as if they’re talking to a friend.
PRO TIP: Strive to make the live stream feel as natural or unrehearsed as possible to establish a more intimate connection.
3. Live Streaming Reaches A Larger Audience
Although email marketing is still efficient in keeping your target market updated, only those on your list are covered. Live streaming can attract more leads because social referral can ignite interest from consumers who couldn’t be reached by written content.
According to marketing research, Twitter gains 14% more unique visitors during live streams. But Twitter doesn’t use a unique formula. Instead, they just take advantage of the fact that live streaming offers two essential things: shareability and instant gratification.
4. Live Streams Are Not Venue-Limited
Live streaming also allows small businesses to hold an exciting event without spending on large spaces, catering, security, tables and chairs, etc. The key is to show what your target market wants to know.
Take Advantage Of Live-Streams To Scale Your Business To New Heights
The dynamic shifts in the online world pose another layer of challenge for smaller businesses. Digital transformation technologies, marketing strategies and tools come and go along with leads and clients. Thus, to rise above the competition and thrive, business people need to leverage techniques such as live streams to go with the ebb and flow.