Live streaming is a growing trend. People are sharing their daily lives, hobbies and passions on social media platforms like Facebook Live and Instagram Live.
Some creators even have their own dedicated channels that they use to share content with fans 24/7.
If you're a service professional that is trying to reach new audiences, live streaming can be a great way to do so, but only if you're prepared with some solid strategies.
To help you get started, I've created this guide: To help you set up your own stream and reach new people around the world who share your interests or might be interested in what you have to offer.
Setting and adhering to a consistent schedule helps you build your audience.
To start off, you should set a schedule and stick to it. This means deciding on a time that is convenient for you, but also for your audience. If someone wants to watch your live session, they don’t want to plan their day around it. They want an option that works no matter what else might be going on in their lives at the moment.
You may find yourself asking what time of day would work best? The answer depends on who your target market is and where they live.
For example, if you sell products geared towards people in New York City who work full time jobs during regular business hours (9-5), then noon EST might not be the right choice since most people won't be home in front of their computers at lunchtime or after 5pm unless they're working from home.
Instead, try experimenting with 9am EST or 2pm EST if those times seem better suited for your viewers' schedules.
Regardless of when you choose to broadcast live sessions, make sure everyone knows where they can find them: across social media platforms where followers engage with each other as well as within platforms themselves through user profiles that feature links back into Facebook Groups (or wherever else people congregate).
Different social media platforms have different strengths.
You should be on social media for your live sessions, but which one? Where can you find your audience?
Here are a few tips:
- Facebook is great for connecting with people you know. It's perfect for location-based groups and can help get you in touch with local businesses.
- Twitter is good at sharing links to news articles that have relevance to your audience. That said, it's not very good at building relationships offline (or online). Try using hashtags to engage followers by asking questions or posting original content that they might enjoy seeing more than just links.
- Instagram is best when it comes to sharing photos and videos of something interesting happening during a session which is the perfect opportunity for using hashtags! You can share behind-the-scenes photos from rehearsals or stagehands setting up equipment behind the scenes before the event starts! These snapshots are a great way for fans who couldn't make it to your event to get an inside look at what went down so they can feel like part of the action even though they weren't here physically :)
- Snapchat has become popular recently because its format allows users complete control over how long they want their story seen by others (usually 24 hours). This means less pressure on yourself when publishing content because no one else will see anything after 24 hours unless they screenshot it beforehand :) Plus this platform makes sure only those who follow us will see our stories each day so if someone doesn’t see something today then there’s always tomorrow night :)
Make sure to have clear lighting and stay in frame.
The second thing you need to do is make sure that your lighting is consistent and focused. This will ensure that your face always looks good on the camera and that it's easy for people to see how you look when they're watching live. You should use a light source behind you, like standing next to a window or overlooking a sunny field. Alternatively, if there are lamps in your room, turn them on so everyone can see what's happening!
You'll also want a tripod or mount of some sort so that no matter where you move around the room, your face stays in frame at all times (unless this makes sense for what kind of mood or feeling you're trying to create). If possible, try using a camera with a wide-angle lens because these lenses can accommodate more space around them than normal ones do--so if your setup has multiple people sitting around talking casually about something interesting then this might be useful!
Finally: remember those speakers? Make sure they're turned up loud enough so everyone who wants can hear everything being said clearly throughout their entire session without having any trouble understanding anything being said while also making sure not too many background noises come through from other sources nearby either (i.e., traffic outside).
Your first live session might be a bit bumpy, but it gets easier and more fun with practice.
Live sessions are a unique opportunity for you to connect with your audience and share knowledge, but they can also be a bit intimidating.
Your first live session might be a bit bumpy, but it gets easier and more fun with practice! When you're ready to give it another shot, here are some tips from our staff of expert marketers:
- Practice makes perfect! If you want to get better at something, there's no shortcut around putting in the work—and this is definitely true for live sessions. The more often you try them out, the more comfortable and confident you'll feel when doing so.
- Don't be afraid of mistakes! Nobody expects every single one of their posts or live streams to go perfectly; in fact, most people would rather see honest mistakes than perfection anyway. What matters most is how well we learn from those mistakes (and how quickly we correct them).
- You'll get better with practice! Once again, this applies both on stage in front of an audience as well as behind the scenes while preparing content before going live or doing research after the fact. Experience makes all these things easier over time by helping us anticipate problems before they arise; plus, it gives us more confidence knowing that if something does go wrong at least we know how best handle it next time around!
Start with a question or story that brings people into the experience, then build from there.
When you begin your live session, it's best to start with a question or story that brings people into the experience. The best questions are those that open a conversation and give you an opportunity to engage with your audience.
For example: "What are some ways you've seen social media used as a tool for learning?" or "Do any of you have experience using social media for your business?"
Once they're engaged, it's important to build on their responses so they feel comfortable participating in the conversation. This can be done by asking follow-up questions, offering examples of how others have used social media in similar situations, or answering any questions they might have at this point; if someone asks how much time was spent on creating an Instagram account for your last project (for example), answer it now rather than later when more people join!
Once everyone has had an opportunity to weigh in on their experiences with social media use in education/training/etc., keep going by asking for feedback from participants: "What would help us make these sessions even better?" or "Is there anything else we should know about making sure this becomes part of our regular workflow?"
You can add a vivid immersiveness by using props, helpful visuals, and body language.
The point of live streaming is to make your audience feel like they're there with you. And the best way to do that is by using props, helpful visuals, and body language.
Let's say you're teaching a group of people how to use a new program. Rather than just sitting in front of them and telling them what to do, take a step back and walk around the room while using your hands to demonstrate key points.
If they're having trouble grasping the concepts behind what they need to do, show them some pictures or drawings that illustrate these concepts more clearly than words could ever convey. Your audience will appreciate this extra effort on your part, and it makes working out any kinks in their understanding easier for everyone involved!
Remember: people love seeing others use their bodies. So don't be afraid if there are times when moving around seems too distracting—it's worth getting those extra tidbits about what might otherwise be missed!
Using social media for your live sessions is a great way to reach people around the world who share your interests
Live sessions are a great way to connect with people, and the more you do them, the better you'll get at them. Social media is an excellent way to share your live sessions with people around the world who share your interests.
The internet is a big place, and it can be intimidating for some people to throw themselves into a conversation where they may not know anyone else in real life. If you're shy or new to using social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, consider starting out by posting links to your live sessions on those platforms.
The more comfortable you become with these tools over time (and they will take time), the more likely it is that you'll feel confident enough to start engaging directly with other users who have similar interests as yours when the time comes for that step!
Conclusion
And there you have it. If you’re looking for a way to connect with people and share your stories, social media is the perfect platform. It gives you the chance to connect with people around the world who share your interests and are ready to hear what you have to say or offer. So, get out there and start live-streaming!
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