Since Facebook Live launched worldwide a little over a year ago, the world of live streaming is quickly propelling itself forward to the frontlines of social media marketing. Between Facebook, YouTube, Periscope, Twitter, and Instagram… social media no longer exists without the option to engage LIVE. BUT have you noticed that those using a professional HD service to live stream rather than their iPhone are more successful? In fact, 90% of Facebook Live video viewers say that video quality is the #1 factor when deciding whether to watch a live stream (New York Magazine Survey). And considering 70% of marketers say video produces more conversions than any other content (Vidyard), it should be noted that live video is watched 8x longer than videos on demand (Tubular Insights).
So how can YOU and YOUR BRAND take advantage of a multi-camera live streaming service like Pioplay to increase your own revenue? We’ve made a top 10 list just for you!
10 Ways Live Streaming Can Make You $$$$$
1) Live Streaming Increases Event Attendance Online AND In Person
At first thought, you may be surprised by this fact. You might assume that if people have the ability to watch an event from the comfort of their home, then they would be less likely to buy a ticket to that event. However, think about what you watch on television. You watch sports, yet you would love to go to a NFL or NBA game. You watch a talk show, yet if you were in town you might want to buy a ticket to be in Jimmy Fallon or Jimmy Kimmel’s audience. There is still an aspect of being in the atmosphere that broadcasts cannot duplicate, yet they SELL very well. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that 67% are more likely to purchase a ticket to a similar event after watching a live stream of that event (New York Magazine Survey). Yes, I will watch Bruno Mars or Aerosmith on television, but what I watch on tv will also make me more likely to go to the concert when they are in town. In fact, I personally wasn’t interested in Jimmy Buffet’s music, but after watching the complete livestream of his concert on Facebook recently (off of a FB friend’s share of the stream), I would love to go to his show now. I got to see the elaborate set, the enormous amount of talented musicians involved, and the very animated background singers. They sold me. Live streams help SELL your event.
In fact, Dreamforce 2015 had 160,000 attendees while 6.1 million watched the event live and another 6 million watched the video on-demand, growing their total audience 75 times (Livestream.com) . With live streamed events, ticket sales do not require a cap!
2) Live Streaming Gives You A Better Way to Pitch
Off the top of your head, how do you become interested in a product, an artist, or an event? I’m guessing you would put referrals and commercials in your top 3. I personally hate junk mail, sales calls, door to door, and even radio commercials. They interrupt my life. However, video gives me a chance to see the product in action, and when my friends SHARE a video on Facebook, I’m more likely to check out what they are pitching! If my friend likes it, then I might. In fact, 70% of marketers say video produces more conversions than any other content (Vidyard). Live video takes that advantage up another notch because it also gives the audience a way to not only share that experience with others but to experience a brand’s pitch in real-time, creating more consumer confidence.
3) Live Streaming Keeps You in the Forefront of Your Customer’s Minds
One thing that you may notice in your own Facebook notifications is that when you are online… Facebook automatically notifies you if one of the page’s or people you follow just went live! In fact, Facebook also FAVORS live video in the news feed! And the longer your live video is viewed, the higher it will be in the news feed as a previously recorded file as well (TechCruch.com). As a result, your live video has the best chance of being seen of ANY social media post!!!!
4) Live Streaming Widens Your Audience Reach
Videos are shared 1200% more than text and photos combined (Brightcove), so considering Live video is viewed 8x longer than recorded video (Tubular Insights)… live video will reach more audiences AND keep their attention. As a result, you not only widen your opportunities for new clients or fans, but you automatically deepen their interest and leave a more lasting impact in the memory or recall of your brand.
5) Live Streaming Engages Your Audience in Real-Time
Every platform allows for chatting! Even our embeddable players for your website have a chat board option. You can take questions and answer them. These discussions with your fans and consumers is priceless when trying to create a community of influencers in your market. While videos on demand allow for commenting on these platforms, live videos allow for true discussion between the brand itself, you, your friends, and the other followers. You instantly begin creating community among your followers.
6) Live Streaming Increases Anticipation for Upcoming Products of Services
The more you go live and show your excitement about an upcoming launch, the more your customers will be excited too. Just like email newsletters keep fans and consumers informed about upcoming releases, so too does your live video give the chance to build interest but in a more engaging and eye-catching way. Email newsletters so often get deleted like junk mail, but live video is more likely to auto-play in the news feed of your audience’s favorite platform. Garth Brooks uses his weekly Facebook Live show called “Inside Studio G” to drum up excitement for upcoming shows and ticket releases, making announcements, taking fan questions live, and showcasing fan stories.
7) Live Streaming Strengthens Your Brand Through Cross Promotion Opportunities
By tagging other brand pages involved and simulcasting to their multiple Facebook pages and social media platforms simultaneously you can do a variety of cross promotion! This is one of our favorite tools here at Pioplay. With the rise of influencer marketing, this tool is priceless when considering how you want to live stream. It allows you not only to target your brand’s audience but also the audiences of others involved. For example, let’s say Ford wants to cross promote with Tim McGraw’s new album. You could simulcast to Ford’s page, Tim McGraw’s page, all of their channels on YouTube, Twitter, Periscope, etc. You could even target the audience of the location of the performance, like Bridgestone Arena’s Facebook page. The simulcasting options are amazing for broadening your audience. Many times these sponsorship opportunities are a great way to fund a high quality multi-camera live stream event or a daily show.
Political commentator Ben Shapiro is currently featuring a different sponsor during each of his Facebook Live broadcasts with a short verbal endorsement, logo in the corner, and a discount for the sponsor’s product/service featured in the video description.
8) Live Streaming Strengthens Your Brand Through Original Content
Did you hear that Netflix just overtook cable in their number of subscriptions? As a result, cable advertising is declining FAST. Why? Cord cutters are ruling the fates of media outlets and taking back control through digital media channels like Netflix, Hulu, and now Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are signing original content deals as we speak with major players like the MLB, Ellen DeGeneres, Jamie Foxx, and Wimbledon. You could be a part of that new wave of original content on social media! Produce your own show without the need for traditional television broadcasts. Find your audience in real-time! Advertise your own product on your own time! Then target and find your niche audience through Facebook’s advertising platform. Millennials are the future of content, and that’s where you will find your audience now, not on cable… but on the internet.
9) Live Streaming Strengthens Your Brand Through Exclusive Content
Host VIP shows, ticketed shows that can increase your revenue, or just make it a simple password protection for the air of exclusivity! Make your content even more valuable to the diehard fans who make up a huge chunk of your revenue, and create more diehard fans by growing that exclusive content’s value. For instance, you can do a living room concert and take requests from fans and answer fan questions. You can host a VIP live signing of your newest book and have the first 50 people who buy the ticket have access to it. Whatever exclusive content you want to provide, there is a way to ticket or password protect it with our service.
10) Live Streaming Increases Your Discoverability through Quality
Live video quality is the most important factor for 67% of social media viewers and 90% for Facebook Live video viewers. (New York Magazine Survey). 23% of people who are presented with a poor video quality experience will hesitate to purchase from that brand in the future. (KZO) By live streaming your broadcast in HD with multiple cameras, you will stand out from the crowd of low quality iPhone video and audio. To see the Pioplay difference, visit our comparison demo here (iPhone vs Pioplay quality), and visit our YouTube channel for more samples here. We’ve specifically chosen the best cameras for low light, the best encoder for HD resolution, and the best software for pinpoint rack focusing from any unmanned camera. You can have a camera hanging from the ceilings pointed at your pedal steel guitar, and we can rack focus and zoom in and out from your face to the guitar. We’ve made the quality of your content our number 1 priority. We have a variety of graphics, transitions, even texture overlays, to make your content look better than traditional television. That’s right… better… with our 4K cameras, you can be sure that your broadcast will be the highest quality and that the video recordings you receive afterwards will be the best quality for editing purposes.
In the end, no matter why or how you decide to go live, just keep in mind… your media is a reflection of your brand. Every time you broadcast, your fans and customers will notice not only the value of the content you are creating but also the quality. And that quality could make or break their confidence in your brand. Live streaming will only make you real money if you look like you can afford to spend money!
Our Pioplay packages range from small non-profit production rates to large corporate full-scale production rates. Contact us if you would like to learn more! While we are extremely mobile and can fit in any venue from a tour bus to an amphitheatre, we will also bring you the best HD streaming and 4k production available for a fraction of the cost of outdated traditional television broadcast trucks (which were not built for HD live streaming encoding).
It’s like buying a suit, would you rather buy a Men’s Warehouse suit and have it tailored or buy a custom suit tailor fit for your measurements with all the fabrics you picked for yourself? With our encoder, our dedicated live streaming servers, our 4k cameras and automated technology, and our simulcasting options, you won’t find anything more tailor fit for your live streaming needs. Your live video shouldn’t just work, it should fit the brand quality you want to reflect!
Does your live stream just work or is it a perfect fit? You decide.
Marissa Pio, CoFounder of Pioplay Livestream
Pioplay Livestream is proud to be the first video production company in Tennessee specializing in mobile HD live streaming and 4K productions.
