Instagram (and its users) have embraced both temporary and long-form videos with the debut of Instagram live in 2016 and IG TV in 2018.
Although Instagram is most known for being a place to post your most stunning photos, video is becoming an increasingly important element of this platform. However, running an Instagram brand account is not as simple as it was before. It is a never-ending balancing act of posting at the right moment, interacting on the go, and coming up with fresh ideas to outsmart the algorithm. You don’t have to break what is working for you, but if you need a little additional inspiration to shake things up, experimenting with various sorts of Instagram posts and stories is always a clever idea.
If you do not have a video strategy on Instagram yet, there is reason to believe you should. Videos generate 21.2 percent more engagements than single photos and 18.6 percent more interactions than carousel posts.
83% of Instagram users said they use the network to discover new products or services. So, how can you ensure that your brand gets new Instagram followers?
Insta Live is one option.
Instagram Stories has a live function that allows you to stream video and interact with followers in real-time. When a person goes live, Instagram informs their followers and highlights their profile image in the Stories section, putting it first in their follower’s feeds.
How Do You Get Started With Your First Instagram Live?
It is easy to get started with Insta live. All you have to do now is:
- To go to your Home screen, open Instagram and press the symbol that looks like a home in the bottom row.
- In the top left corner, tap the camera icon.
- The first option on the menu at the bottom of the screen is Live. Scroll down to open it.
- On your screen, press the Live button.
- Instagram will now tell a limited number of your followers that you are live broadcasting, and they may opt to join in and say hello. At the top of your screen, you will see the number of people watching your live stream.
- Any new comments, as well as hearts and likes, appear at the bottom of the screen.
- To end the live session, press end at the top right of your screen. If you like to save your video, you can press the download icon in the top left of your screen.
What is the point of Insta Live?
Insta Live is one of the powerful Instagram tools for engaging and interacting with your audience.
Insta Live allows you to:
Increase Visibility: Because of Instagram’s new algorithm, your work may not always receive the attention it deserves. Because Instagram Live delivers push alerts to everyone who follows your account, it improves your visibility.
Increase Engagement: What if your favourite Instagram influencer, celebrity, or brand answered your queries directly? By bringing your followers closer to your actual life, Insta Live improves Instagram engagement.
Create a Brand Identity: This relationship helps transform into a brand identity. Insta Live may assist your brand in developing its identity and communicating it to the Instagram community.
Build Relationships: Whether you are using Instagram Live for answering questions, revealing parts of your life, or just chatting with your followers, each time you appear on a Live story, your audience is building their relationship with you.
Insta Live is looking quite good right now, right!
05 Things To Consider Before Going Live
#1: Promote Your Insta Live Ahead of Time
Promoting forthcoming Insta Live on a regular and strategic basis may make all the difference in reaching those all-important views. You might accomplish this by sharing Instagram Stories with the time and date of your Insta Live, as well as using an Instagram Stories countdown sticker to highlight the occasion.
The countdown sticker does what it says on the tin, making it an excellent tool for generating excitement for approaching live broadcast!
Pro Tip: Increase the effectiveness of this sticker by urging followers to tap it and create a reminder for when the countdown expires.
Share an Instagram post, in addition to your stories, to advertise your forthcoming live. Tell your audience what to expect during the live broadcast and encourage them to leave any questions in the comments section. It can make your fans feel more involved and, as a result, more inclined to watch!
The Time Saviour: Socinator
A unique and excellent Instagram tool that will help you save time beforehand by scheduling your posts for you. That is why having a helping hand, such as a Socinator, is always a good idea.
Why not write a post about your live session with Socinator ahead of time?
Socinator allows you to manage several Instagram profiles from a single, simple, and uncomplicated dashboard. You can schedule an unlimited number of postings and automate every activity.
Auto-Schedule posts collect posts as they are published and store them until the prerequisites for the appropriate publishing time to post. Publish your posts at certain times, on specific days, and with a minimum period between them, among other things.
Socinator is an incredible application that allows you to publish to Instagram in a variety of ways. You have the option of scheduling your Instagram posts based on your preferences.
#2: Don’t Be Concerned If Things Aren’t Perfect.
While running an IG live, remember that this is a live broadcast from your smartphone, not a professional production with a complex video setup. Not everything will always go as planned, and your audience does not anticipate it. If you have some audio or connection difficulties halfway through, don’t let it spoil the entire video.
If there are any disruptions or difficulties, instantly apologize to them before continuing with the rest of your presentation. Authenticity, in any case, makes your brand more human, so roll with the punches!
#3: Be Genuine
The first rule of Instagram Live is to be as authentic and sincere as possible. What exactly do I mean? It is not the time to read from a video script or become a marketer. Preferably, they want to see you live because they want to see a true human. People need that actual, honest human connection, even if it has to be gained through their screen, especially when we are socially detached.
So, how can you be your most genuine self in front of your audience?
- Take a lesson from this, and don’t be afraid of being vulnerable.
- Allow yourself to express your emotions.
- Communicate in the same way you would with a pleasant coworker.
To be clear, we do not advocate that you start crying in front of the camera or chat about that doctor’s visit you finally got last week. Preferably than letting your personality show through while connecting with your audience on Instagram.
For example, it is OK to express emotion while discussing how COVID-19 affects your small business. Going off on an overly dramatic tangent, on the other hand, may cause users to abandon the site. Maintain your professionalism while remaining honest.
Checkout other latest blogs:
Social Media Monetization: 7 Ways To Monetize Your Social Media Profile
10 Facebook Hacks You Must Know in 2022
Instagram Stories Viewer | Unsee Yourself In 3 Quick Ways
#4: Plan Your Live For Longer Than 10 Minutes
Longer live broadcasts, according to marketers, perform better and reach a wider audience than shorter ones.
Part of this is because lengthier live streams should include more planned content. However, this is since many people will come and leave from live broadcasts, and the longer your video lasts, the more time people have to come and go.
Aim for at least 10 minutes, but remember that the maximum time you may spend on a single live stream is one hour. If you need to go longer, you’ll need to start another live broadcast.
#5: Have a Well-Defined Content Strategy
It is critical with any video material to have a clear vision of what you’re going to cover in your Insta Live show. Having a detailed strategy can help you avoid awkward pauses and ensure you cover all of the essential issues on your business agenda.
One of the best methods to prepare your live stream is to see it as having a beginning, middle, and finish — or, more accurately, an introduction, focal point, and conclusion — and make a list of the essential topics to convey during the broadcast.
It’s also critical to plan ahead of time what format you’ll use so that your broadcast runs as smoothly and professionally as possible. Insta Live lets you post pictures or videos, ask others to co-host on a split-screen, and show your camera screen with your audience.
Whatever structure you choose, it’s always a good idea to conduct a brief run-through ahead of time to make sure you’re comfortable with the flow and know what you’re going to say throughout each part. It’s also a good idea to think about what may go wrong in a “worst-case scenario.” For example, if your live broadcast relies on viewer queries, have a backup plan in place if you receive none. It may be a list of questions compiled from Instagram Stories or an alternative discussion topic.
How Insta Live Can Help You Grow Your Business
Q&As
Answering their queries is an enjoyable approach to start establishing interaction with your audience. It is especially beneficial if your organization has thought leaders. Directly go live on Instagram and ask your followers questions. They can cover everything from the most recent news in your sector to the inner workings of your company.
What Happens Behind the Scene
A behind-the-scenes peek at an operation or event is another entertaining option for Insta Live broadcasts. Whether you’re putting on a huge fashion show or giving a tour of where the manufacture of your products is, these films make viewers feel like they’re a part of your company. They may also feel unique because of the “secret and exclusive” idea around “behind the scenes” looks. Prepare some fascinating facts and intriguing topics to discuss as you lead your audience through the behind-the-scenes tour.
Questionnaires
One of the most effective methods to engage your audience is to host an Insta Live quiz. Posting an Instagram story around six hours before going live using the question box function is a particular tip for having the finest live questionnaire. It will allow your audience to ask questions ahead of time, and when you go live, a feature will display all of these questions for everyone to view!
Contest
You may have noticed that more websites are gamifying their interactions with their audiences. Product dashboards employ visuals, GIFs, and statistics to entertain and educate consumers rather than merely deliver information. Some companies, for example, let customers earn badges or points when they utilize a new feature for the first time or complete a task. Other dashboards track the user’s progress to keep them interested in the product.
Contests, like gamification, function successfully- because they inspire people to take action. Use Insta live video to promote or conduct contests to create a fun Instagram experience. Highlight what participants win, what they must do to win, and how they register.
Incorporate a feeling of urgency by stating that the contest would only go as long as the video. Remember that Insta live recordings might persist up to an hour but will expire once you stop filming. Explain to followers that they only have 30 minutes to watch the video, participate in the comments, and sign up immediately for a chance to win a free product, and discounted services, event tickets, free passes to an industry event, and so on, using a special link and that they cannot register later.
This technique instills a sense of urgency in your followers and allows you to produce several new leads in a short time.
Share a post about the contest or giveaway ahead of time to raise awareness and generate anticipation.
Make Use of the Collaboration Option
The collaboration function on Insta Live is one method for businesses to enhance brand exposure. Businesses utilize it to collaborate and cross-promote with other brands and influencers by launching campaigns together. In this manner, both companies may interact with their respective Insta Live audiences and perhaps earn new quality followers.
Begin planning your next Instagram Live.
Live is an excellent venue for product demonstrations and showing clients what they can anticipate from your company. It might alleviate any reservations about making a purchase. It also provides a forum for professionals- and current users to address any questions a prospect may have about the product. Examine your current offers and plan a live session to discuss how your goods may be used and benefited by the consumer.
Whatever sector your company is in, all successful Lives have one thing in common: they give visitors helpful material that is both amusing or informative.
With the Instagram algorithm changing, coming up with new Instagram live ideas may be difficult. We hope these suggestions provide some inspiration for what to do for your brand. Instagram now renders a range of content kinds, including Stories, posts, and IGTV. Don’t become enslaved to one simply because it is what you have always done.
