Taking THINGS LIVE

The success of live video on social media is hard to ignore. Data compiled by research company 99firms shows that live video on Facebook gains six times as many interactions as pre-recorded video. It’s something that social media platforms will only be encouraging more.

Remember, social media works on algorithms. If someone watches your live video or interacts with you, it flags them as being actively engaged with your content. That means they’re more likely to see your content on that social platform in the future. It’s a quick way to get lots more eyes on everything you’re doing - not just live video.

However, from many conversations with salon owners and therapists, I know that lives are still seen as a “scary” experience. It doesn’t have to be though, as there are some quick wins you can do to make live video seem much less daunting.

Preparation is key

Think about what you want to say in your live video and frame it around this. It might be a new treatment that you’re introducing, or maybe it’s a promotional offer. Try to keep live videos around three to five minutes, as this seems to get the best engagement.

Don’t feel like you have to script everything you’re going to say, though. Imagine how you’d talk about this to a client in your salon. For some viewers, this could be the first glimpse they’ll get of your personality and reading from a script won’t let that shine through.

One of the advantages of going live is that it takes the “need” to be perfect out of the equation. Nobody watching a live video will expect a glossy production with fancy effects. Similarly, there’s room for small errors or mistakes: it makes the video feel more “real”, enhancing that connection between you and the viewer.

That being said, there are a couple of things to consider if you want to optimise the viewing experience. Make sure you’re somewhere with a strong internet connection, and try to limit background noise or distractions. If you want to kick things up to the next level, you can find low-cost, mobile-phone friendly tripod and ring-light combinations online. This is much easier than balancing a phone or holding it yourself while filming.

Re-using live content

One of the great things with live content is that you can also use it for other purposes. Instagram Lives, for example, can be saved to your phone’s camera roll once completed. They’re perfect to then re-upload on to IGTV - another tool Instagram continues to push out to viewers - and link via your Instagram grid.

Similarly, you can upload these videos to Facebook, YouTube, or any other platform that you might be using. You can also crop bits in and out of your video once it’s completed, so if you only want to highlight one specific part of the video, that’s easy to achieve.

Ultimately, the more times you go live, the more comfortable and confident you’ll get. Give it a go and see what benefits it brings.