Live Video: Top Tips from 3 Social Media Experts

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Episode 57 of Landscape Digital Show reveals tips from 3 influential social media experts for live video marketing. 

I just returned from Social Media Marketing World in San Diego, and one of my goals was to learn as much as possible about live video. What I discovered will not only give you the motivation to create live video marketing, it will make it easier.

#1. Don’t Be Perfect

David H Lawrence, XVII is a former film and television actor who knows what it’s like to deliver in front of the camera. His presentation on using video to build authority at a moment’s notice was both educational and entertaining.

David’s definition of authority includes being believable and trustworthy. And he noted that trust and believability are directly related to vulnerability because what happens in the moment when you allow yourself to be vulnerable is the authentic you.

Vulnerability engages audiences.

One reason live video is so hot is that connecting with real people is engaging. In contrast, highly edited and sanitized video is often boring.

To be clear, you have to know your material well and practice delivering it, because that helps to remove fears that can undermine your authority. When you trust your authority you know whatever you need at any moment will naturally come to you.

One of my roles at this event was introducing some of the biggest social media personalities to their audience.

I tried David’s advice and was pleased to discover that taking the risk of embracing little mistakes instead of trying to be perfect proved key to encouraging laughter and attention that engaged the audience.  

Not being perfect will save time-consuming video editing time and will put you more at ease when creating live video.

#2 – Push Yourself

This tip from Facebook marketing expert Amy Porterfield was indirectly suggested by all of the marketing experts I had the pleasure to connect with.

The way David Lawrence put it is to “set up quickly” so that you actually get in front of the camera and create video instead of planning to do it another day. He said this is actually a Hollywood trick for bringing out an actor’s best qualities.

One of the ways Amy pushes herself to do video is to schedule it. She will typically create 4 educational videos one week apart in advance of a product launch.

She also prepares opt-in and thank-you pages that describe what the videos will cover. They will say, “This is what I’m teaching. This is what you will learn. Please join us live.”

When you think about it, you can randomly show up on Facebook and do a live video, but if you plan for and promote it in advance you are more likely to attract a larger and more engaged audience.

So push yourself with video. Our next tip explains why.

#3. Facebook May Soon Be All Video

Mari Smith is sometimes referred to as the Queen of Facebook. And that designation is earned because Facebook itself has hired Mari to teach Facebook marketing to small business audiences across the country.

In her presentation on improving your Facebook marketing ROI at Social Media Marketing world, Mari mentioned a quote from Facebook VP Nicola Mendelsohn.

Mendelsohn said, “If I was having a bet, it’d be video, video, video. Facebook live may be all video in half a decade”

That quote was made last June, by the way.

She went on to say that Facebook Live is “a bigger, faster phenomenon” than Facebook expected and that people “are loving the behind-the-scenes content.”

This is significant because Facebook’s algorithm is designed to show content in the newsfeed that people most want to see. This is video, especially live video, and it explains why that content is achieving far greater reach than static content.

It’s also important to remember that Facebook’s revenue is directly tied to advertising, and with 10 billion videos consumed daily on Facebook, it’s clear that video is how advertisers will choose to reach buyers.

You’ll want to do the same.

Live video is the next evolution in storytelling and Facebook is the current and potentially foreseeable leader because they have a massive, ready-made audience that loves video.

If your business wants to reach a greater audience, live video should be part of your marketing strategy for reaching your audience and engaging it to build believability and trust.

Show Notes

• David H Lawrence, XVII recommends the AT2020+ mic for recording video because it includes a headphone jack so you can hear what you are recording. An inexpensive lavalier mic for on-camera work is the AT3350is. And David says Screenflow is the only video editing software you need.
• To switch between her laptop and mobile devices with live video, Amy Porterfield and Mari Smith use Wirecast.
• Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Landscape Digital Show on iTunes.
• And if you are on Facebook, please like the Landscape Digital Institute page. I’ll greatly appreciate that!