Seven creative ways to add live video to your business's marketing mix

Video marketing is no longer a luxury: it is a necessity. Experts agree that this type of content makes brands more relevant. According to a recent study, 96% of B2B (business-to-business) companies use video in their marketing campaigns, with 73% reporting positive ROI (return on investment).

So why not do the same? Videos can promote your company's message and improve SEO while increasing engagement with potential customers. The latest trend is live broadcasting. According to recent research, nearly 95% of brands and agencies said live video was a very important part of this year's marketing strategy. And the best part? You can repurpose those live videos and use them again later with a fresh edit. A perfect two-in-one.

Why go live?

Facebook launched its Live feature a few years ago and is seeing excellent results: nearly two billion people have watched these live broadcasts, while broadcasts from verified pages grew 1.5-fold last year. Users of the social network watch 100 million hours of video a day, and current figures suggest streaming will only continue to grow.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the live streaming video industry is expected to reach $70 billion in 2021. Total advertising spending in this area is forecast to exceed $14 billion in 2019.

So, if you are thinking of adding more video to your brand's marketing mix, consider the following tactics:

1. Announce new products or services

Create your own news by turning the launch of something new into a live-streamed event, and let followers react in real time. In 2016, Land Rover used this approach to launch the Discovery Landmark. Earlier this year, the brand did it again to reveal its new Velar model, live from the Design Museum in London.

2. Major events

Remember that live streaming is great for generating engagement, especially with speakers, sporting events, entertainment parties or corporate events. For example, in 2016, Tough Mudder, a gruelling obstacle course race, saw its events reach 14.5 million views on Livestream and Facebook, engaging more than 2.5 million participants.

3. Valuable interviews or media appearances

Give a public relations event more exposure by broadcasting a major press conference, an appearance by a celebrity brand ambassador or an interview with your CEO live. At this year's San Diego Comic Con, Fandango used live video on its own website to conduct interviews with public figures. The result? Thousands of viewers, of course.

4. Behind the scenes

Deepen engagement with your customers by giving them a behind-the-scenes tour. Show your audience how you make that fantastic sofa, how you are helping to protect the environment, or what it takes to set up a live video production, 30 minutes before the broadcast starts.

5. Live question-and-answer sessions

Build on product or service introductions, market trend campaigns or even company crises with a question-and-answer session. This lets you lead the discussion and show greater sensitivity to particular issues, demonstrate more knowledge of complex products or appear more in control during the sale of a brand, for example.

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins did this with a Facebook live broadcast from Las Vegas in 2017.

6. How-to videos

Make your own explainer or instructional videos. This kind of live broadcast sparks curiosity among audiences, who enjoy watching product demonstrations or tips in real time rather than something recorded months ago. Build a live connection with your viewers.

On Facebook, followers can subscribe to the broadcast and receive a notification when you go live. Remember that the video stays on the page after it has finished.

7. Competitions or promotions

Consider announcing major marketing initiatives live. These announcements create excitement, but give your followers a great video. That is the only way to keep your audience watching until the end. Think about the audience you want to reach when choosing which platform to go live on.

In 2015, BMW's "Whatsnext" campaign on Periscope did just that. It was the ideal channel for the company, but other platforms may better suit your campaign. For example, to promote Mr. Robot, the production company used Twitch, the world's largest social gaming platform. The team created a three-day live event that made the stream appear to be hacked. It went on to win a Shorty Award for best live video promotion.

Another goal is to produce at least three of these videos over twelve months. However, it is highly recommended that your business or organisation produce numerous live videos throughout the year. It has become increasingly difficult to use content to take the lead, but this kind of marketing and broadcasting can genuinely help your business stand out.

Finally, remember that your videos reflect your company and brand. They should be engaging, look professional and communicate clearly with powerful messages.