Building a recognisable and reputable brand for your business on social media is something that can feel overwhelming for many people, but as someone with a decade of experience in this field I feel passionately that it really is something that anybody can do with the right advice.
The key to positive brand representation is relatability - potential customers more and more frequently want to be able to really connect with the businesses that they support, to understand more about the people behind the business and what they're all about. If your customers have a sense of who you are and whether they can relate to you, they will feel more confident that your services or products are the right fit for them. This is particularly important for client-facing service businesses - social media offers you the opportunity to sell yourself to your ideal client, and that's an opportunity well worth taking.
One often overlooked way to connect with clients via social media is via live streaming. This can often cause a lot of anxiety for those without much experience in front of the camera which of course is understandable, but as most social media platforms prioritise live content and push it out to more users - it can truly be an invaluable way to reach new potential clients and connect with existing ones.
If you're feeling nervous about getting started, let me share some tips for going live.
1) Practice
The best way to do this is to spend some time in front of the camera. Whether it's recording yourself chatting about your day while you do your hair in the morning, or practicing with some Facetime presentations to family or friends - spending some time getting used to how the camera works and seeing yourself on it can be really beneficial.It's also going to help you get comfortable with your equipment and the technical stuff before you go live, which is naturally going to be very helpful in reducing nerves.
2) Perfect Your Set Up
You want to make sure that your set up is bright, and that your viewers can clearly see and hear you. Try and use natural daylight where possible or invest in some good quality lighting, and always test your microphone and sound are working before launching in to a live stream.
3) Engage With Your Audience
One of the most exciting aspects of watching a live stream as a viewer is the opportunity to engage in real time with the person streaming - otherwise it would be just as entertaining to watch a pre-recorded video. Users will usually engage by way of sending hearts or gif reactions to your live stream depending on the platform, and will often send questions and comments in the chat. I know that I certainly lose interest fast when a streamer doesn't bother to read the chat or engage in conversation with the audience, so I would advise ensuring that you check in with the chat comments every 5 -10 minutes and keeping that conversation going. Happy, engaged users=Higher watch time which is better for engagement and better for business.
4) Consider Professional Input
If you're brand new to the world of live streaming or just feeling that your confidence could use a boost, why not consider some professional support? You might look into hiring someone to help you with your lighting set up, using the studios or services of a live streaming company in london or looking for support in reaching your target audience.
5) Don't Forget To Shout About It!
There's no use in going live if you're going to do it quietly. Hosting a live event and hoping that people will just show up is like hosting a party without sending any invites...you might get one or two stragglers giving it a go as they pass by but your ideal attendees aren't going to be there! You need to promote your live event with posts on social media letting your audience know what you're doing and inviting them to join you. You should also be sure to give your live stream a catchy title which accurately describes what its all about as well ensuring it contains some SEO keywords for maximum visibility.
I hope these tips are useful in your live streaming endeavours. Good luck!
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