Live streaming marketing has rapidly emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to increase sales and grow their brand. With the ever-increasing popularity of live streaming platforms like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and YouTube Live, companies have the opportunity to reach their target audience in real-time and create engaging content that drives conversions. In fact, according to a report, 80% of consumers would rather watch a live video from a brand than read a blog post.
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One of the advantages of live streaming marketing is the ability to establish a deeper connection with your audience. By creating authentic, interactive content that directly engages your customers, you can build trust and credibility and ultimately drive more sales. Whether you’re showcasing new products, hosting a Q&A session, or offering exclusive promotions, live streaming marketing allows you to bring your brand to life and connect with your customers on a personal level.
However, despite the many benefits of live streaming marketing, many businesses still struggle to harness its full potential. That’s why in this article, we will explore the various ways in which you can use live streaming to sell more and grow your brand.
Ways to use live streaming to sell more and grow your brand
Whether you’re new to live streaming or looking to take your strategy to the next level, read on to discover how to sell more and grow your brand with live streaming marketing:
Product reveal
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A product reveal is an exciting moment for any business, as it marks the culmination of months of hard work and preparation. This is a critical time to generate buzz and excitement around your product and create a sense of urgency among your target audience. Live streaming marketing offers the perfect platform to showcase your product reveal, allowing you to engage with your customers in real time and build anticipation for your launch. By creating compelling and interactive content that highlights the unique features and benefits of your product, you can capture the attention of your audience and drive more sales. With live streaming marketing, you have the opportunity to leverage the power of visual storytelling to bring your product to life and create a lasting impression on your customers.
Fenty Beauty, co-owned by music superstar Rihanna, is known for its innovative marketing strategies and commitment to inclusivity and diversity. In a highly anticipated move, the brand utilized live streaming marketing to launch its newest product line. The live stream followed Rihanna through the entire event, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the product development process and highlighting the brand’s commitment to transparency and authenticity. By leveraging the power of live streaming marketing, Fenty Beauty was able to create a unique and engaging experience for its customers, building buzz and excitement around the launch. The live stream allowed viewers to connect with Rihanna and the Fenty Beauty team in real time, providing valuable insights into the brand’s values and vision. This approach not only generated significant buzz around the new product launch but also helped to solidify Fenty Beauty’s reputation as a trailblazer in the cosmetics industry.
Product tutorials
When it comes to selling a product or service, it’s essential to provide your audience with a clear understanding of what you offer. One way to achieve this is through a product tutorial delivered via live streaming marketing. By showcasing your product or service in action, you can help your audience to understand how it works, its unique features and benefits, and how it can meet their needs. During a live stream, you have the opportunity to interact directly with your audience and respond to their questions in real time, providing valuable insights and addressing any concerns they may have. Whether you have a physical product or a service-based business, a well-executed live streaming product tutorial can help build trust, create engagement, and ultimately drive sales.
Celebrity influencer endorsement
Screenshot Image from ItsJudyTime
Influencer marketing has emerged as a creative and effective way for businesses to connect with their target audience and build brand perception. By partnering with influencers who have a significant following on social media, brands can leverage their credibility, authority, and influence to reach a broader audience and attract more customers. This strategy has been proven to generate public attention and interest, leading to increased brand awareness, improved customer engagement, and sales.
Kohl’s is just one of many brands that have successfully leveraged influencer marketing in their live streaming campaigns. By partnering with influencers who have a significant social media following, brands can tap into their existing audience and promote their products or services to a broader audience. This was the case with Kohl’s 2016 Black Friday sale, where the brand partnered with well-known vlogger Judy Travis to promote their sales on Facebook Live. The campaign was a resounding success, resulting in increased awareness and sales for Kohl’s.
Live broadcast of an event
Sharing live events with your audience virtually has become a popular way to connect with them on a deeper level. By live streaming an event, you can bring your audience closer to the action, making them feel more connected and valued. But it’s not just about letting your viewers watch the event on their devices. With the right tools and strategies, you can create an interactive experience that allows them to engage and be a part of it. By incorporating features like live chat, polls, and Q&A sessions, you can encourage your audience to participate and share their thoughts and opinions. This can help to create a sense of community and foster a deeper connection between your brand and your audience.
Question and Answer with an expert or an influencer
A live Q&A session can be conducted on various social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, allowing you to engage with your audience wherever they are. This interactive approach not only helps to generate leads but also serves as an incredible engagement booster. By creating a two-way conversation with your audience, you can gain valuable feedback, understand their needs and preferences, and improve your brand’s overall performance.
Example of brands using live streaming
Having explored the various applications of live streaming, let’s now turn our attention to how several brands strategically leverage this medium to strengthen and extend their brand presence:
Apple
At the core of Apple‘s success lies its adeptness at generating excitement around its product launches. Live streaming plays a pivotal role in this strategy, allowing the company to connect directly with its global audience. Apple’s commitment to hosting live events annually, where new products are unveiled, has cultivated a sense of exclusivity for the audience. With over ten million viewers eagerly tuning in, these live streams provide enthusiasts and potential customers with a unique and immediate insight into Apple’s latest offerings.
Apple’s meticulous orchestration of live events transcends a mere unveiling of products; it creates an immersive brand experience that resonates with enthusiasts and potential customers alike. The annual live streams not only serve as a showcase for cutting-edge innovations but also underscore Apple’s commitment to transparency and direct engagement, solidifying the brand’s position as a trailblazer in technology and a leader in cultivating enduring customer loyalty.
In essence, Apple’s strategic use of live streaming has become a cornerstone in its ability to sell more and foster an enduring brand loyalty that extends far beyond the confines of traditional marketing methods.
Microsoft
Following the successful blueprint set by Apple, another tech powerhouse, Microsoft has adeptly embraced live streaming as a key component of its marketing strategy, exemplifying how live streaming can be instrumental in selling more and fostering brand growth. Microsoft employs live streams not only for product announcements but also for internal training sessions and the release of software updates. Mirroring the success of Apple’s strategy, Microsoft has found that live streaming is not only an effective means of communication but a powerful tool for generating consumer awareness and excitement.
A notable example of Microsoft’s live streaming prowess is evident during events such as the release of XBOX games. These broadcasts attract millions of viewers, serving as a testament to the impact of live streaming in amplifying brand reach and engagement.
Nestlé
Nestlé Drumstick has ventured into the forefront of live streaming, making history as the first brand to embrace the newly launched video platform Periscope. In a captivating US social media marketing campaign heralding the arrival of summer, Nestlé Drumstick orchestrated live streams supported by paid media on Periscope, introducing an innovative approach to audience engagement. Integrated seamlessly with Twitter, Periscope enables users to share live videos, fostering real-time interaction through comments and fluttering ‘hearts’ that add immediacy to the viewer experience. The time-sensitive nature of Periscope, where broadcasts remain accessible for 24 hours, introduced an element of exclusivity to the campaign.
Nestlé Drumstick’s Periscope journey unfolded, capturing ‘iconic summer moments’ like backyard barbecues and amusement park visits. In an effort to amplify the campaign, four influencers enriched the narrative by crafting their own compelling Periscope broadcasts, synergizing their efforts with the influential reach of Twitter. The outcomes were remarkable, with videos on the Nestlé Drumstick Periscope Channel amassing over 5,000 views and more than 50,000 hearts in just over 12 hours. The influencer broadcasts made a substantial contribution, garnering 1,500 views and over 64,000 hearts.
Beyond the Periscope triumph, Nestlé continued its digital innovation by forging a partnership with Google for a global campaign. This initiative aimed to assist consumers in discovering the most trending YouTube videos on their mobile phones, all while indulging in a KitKat break. Nestlé’s strategic utilization of live streaming through Periscope serves as a compelling example of how this dynamic platform not only cultivates engagement but also propels brand growth and consumer connection in the swiftly evolving digital landscape.
Make-a-Wish
To find a new way of raising money for charity, Make-a-Wish teamed up with a gaming vlogger, Yarasky, and raised over 10,000 euros. This 24-hour YouTube livestream collaboration reached close to 6 million people and brought awareness to both the brand and the cause.
Netflix
When Netflix collaborated with Stage TEN to craft an immersive Bridgerton experience, viewers eagerly tuned in for an exclusive glimpse into the world of Bridgerton. This unique event not only celebrated but also offered the opportunity to purchase the coveted PAT McGRATH LABS x BRIDGERTON II limited-edition collection.
Guided by beauty expert Jackie Aina as the host, the audience was treated to a front-row seat as Aina masterfully crafted a Queen-approved look using the collection, engaging in an insightful conversation with Pat McGrath. This live streaming event became an educational experience, providing viewers with everything they needed to recreate the regal look at home, capturing the essence of this season’s incomparable Bridgerton style.
The event, currently boasting over 40,000 views on YouTube, drew a diverse audience of Bridgerton enthusiasts and makeup aficionados. This strategic fusion of entertainment and commerce allowed viewers to seamlessly purchase the exclusive collection in real-time as they witnessed its application, creating an engaging and dynamic experience that not only sold the product but also contributed to the growth of the Netflix brand.
Wrap up
Live streaming has emerged as a powerful force in the marketing world, and its impact is only set to grow in the years to come. With the rise of social media and the COVID-19 pandemic, live streaming has transformed the way brands and customers interact. It’s a format that’s engaging, reliable, convenient, diverse, and cost-effective, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.
By harnessing the power of live streaming, you can massively increase your customer base and reach a wider audience in no time. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to ignore if you want to create a buzz, drive traffic, and influence the purchasing decisions of your audience. So, if you’re looking to take your brand or business to the next level, it’s time to explore the possibilities of live streaming marketing and tap into its enormous potential.
