If a picture is worth a thousand words, is a video worth a thousand more? There are 4.5 billion pieces of content shared every day. As we enter the fall season and move toward the end of 2016, the reign of video content will continue to dominate into next year. According to a recent report from Cisco, video content will be responsible for 85% of search traffic in the US alone by 2019.
Visual storytelling using video is an excellent way to persuade your target audience to take action. Brands can effectively rise above the noise and clutter of the vast amounts of content being shared on a daily basis by moving beyond the masses and embracing live streaming.
Live streaming video is cost-effective and can be extremely influential for a brand when executed properly. Live streaming can be used for events, product demonstrations, Q&A sessions, “behind the scenes” videos and other occurrences that might be interesting and inspiring to your audience. And thanks to streaming platforms like Periscope, creating video content has never been easier.
Here are some do’s and don’ts when considering if Periscope is best for your organization in producing video content.
DO
Identify your business/marketing goals for the live stream. Is this for an event? To promote a product or service? To showcase thought leadership? Make sure you know what story you want to tell for your brand before you hit the red record button.
Check your hardware. Ensure you have a strong internet connection before recording and also make sure you have available space on the device you use to capture content. The worst user experience is to watch a live stream that stops in the middle due to a bad connection.
Engage with the audience. Add value to what the viewer is watching by answering questions live and addressing comments and feedback when appropriate.
For a full rundown on Periscope best practices and case studies, register today for PR News' Social Media Conference—taking place on Oct. 20 in NYC— where Brandi will be speaking on Periscope for brands.
DON'T
Record video just for the sake of creating video. Organizations need to make sure there is real value for the viewer before deciding to produce video content. Is it really inspiring to see what your community manager or on-air talent had for lunch during a big conference? Not so much.
Allow for visible shakiness or audible noise. When recording a live stream make sure you have a steady hand or tripod/stand to hold the device to prevent shaking. Also make sure you record in a space that has minimal noise so the stream doesn’t provide a bad user experience for the viewer due to sound quality.
Force the format. Make sure video is the right format for your content. There are times an audience may prefer a blog post or white paper over video.
We are in the age of digital relevance among brands, and videos are a great way for communications professionals to achieve success. If you choose to produce video content via live streaming, make sure your video has a purpose. Organizations should think about video more like a TV network of brand broadcasters and less like a Hollywood movie studio looking to create the next big budget film. Keep it sleek, simple, strategic and tell a compelling story.
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