Live Video Content On the Rise…Again!

I think one of the trends I have been the most excited about in 2022 has been the rebirth of live video content. For a while, live video was stagnant in terms of the most effective social content but over the past few months, its popularity has surpassed that of general video content. According to Stan Ventures, almost 82% of audiences prefer live videos on social media. A lot of this interest in live streaming was due to the pandemic, which saw everyone from fashion to news embracing and sharing content in real time. Restream found that live video views on Facebook grew by 239% in 2020 and according to Forbes, live streaming had a 99% year-over-year growth of hours watched in 2020.

What Makes Effective Live Content?

The first step, as with any initiative on social media, is to identify your audience. Different audiences are looking for different types of content to watch live, so it’s important to have an idea of what audience you are looking to reach and what your goals are. The best live video content gives your fans and followers a chance to see something “exclusive.” Offering your fans and followers a sneak peek or access to something that can’t be seen otherwise will receive higher engagement than a live video of something they can see any other day.

Campaigns That Work on Live Video

As mentioned above, the best-performing content is the content that allows people to see something exclusive, but what does that look like? The easiest way to hit this target is through live Q&A-style videos. Q&A videos give you a chance to steer the narrative while answering questions that are important to your campaign or event. Simultaneously, your audience gets to engage and participate in a really meaningful way by chiming into the discussion. Another successful style of live video that performs very well is Behind-The-Scenes style videos. These tap into that exclusivity feeling more than any other style of content. You can talk about what it took to create your campaign or event, meet with the VIPs associated with your program, or anything else that gives that “premiere access” feel.

How Do I Get Started?

No matter what type of campaign or style of content you decide to go with there are a few key pieces that are important across the board. It’s important to think about these videos like news channel interviews in terms of what you need to have them be successful:

Lighting is an important component for any video but especially for live video content. These posts tend to be longer form and if your followers aren’t able to see they will not engage.
Good quality audio is key because your audience needs to hear what you’re saying. It might be a good time to invest in a microphone to be able to produce the best content.
Even though it’s live, having an outline of talking points can help. Although you want to have your fans and followers engage with your video, there can be downtime between the engagements, so it’s important to have a loose script that will help to fill those moments of awkward silence.

There are many ways to make live video content successful, but the most important piece is to practice. Like many social media trends, you need to find what works for you and your brand. As long as your content is authentic, it’s ok if your first video doesn’t get the engagements you were expecting. Don’t let that deter you from the concept, and continue to test to see what works best for your audience.

Take Your Video Content to the Next Level

While video is just one of the five types of content, the rise of live video is something every business should at least be considering adding to their social media content mix. Contact our team of experts to see how Slice can help create goal-oriented content to support your business goals.