4 Live Streaming Benefits for Your Brand

In 2013, the dramatic effects of technology on business and the way that business is conducted have become more apparent. Currently, more businesses are experimenting with live streaming and the benefits that it provides for not only the business, but for consumers as well. For instance, Apple recently announced the iPhone 5 at a conference that was live streamed. This allowed consumers from all over the nation that couldn’t attend the event to tune in with the announcement. So, what are some of the primary benefits of live streaming?

• Live streaming grows your audience. The internet is an immeasurably large place. A live streaming event gives access to consumers who wouldn’t have otherwise participated in the announcement, forum, question & answer session, or whatever event your business chooses to host.
• Live streaming reduces costs. Some companies use live streaming as part of their training programs to train new employees. Everyone receives the same training and product information at the same time, thereby saving the company’s money. Also, when hosting a live event, consider the cost of travel, lodging, and security. Opting to live stream an event and downgrade the live event itself can save a lot of money.
• Reduced costs mean increased revenues. The time and money saved allows you to spend more time and resources growing your brand and promoting your products.
• Audience interaction. Face to face time with consumers allows businesses to humanize themselves and connect with their audience. You can more effectively tell your brand’s story. For businesses that engage in live streaming events with question and answer sessions, this allows the viewer from home to participate.

Why Live Stream?

Aside from these benefits, live streaming provides a sense of excitement for your audience. The live stream itself is inherently about community. It makes your customers feel inclusive and exclusive simultaneously. There are many platforms for live streaming including Google+, Ustream, or Livestream.

Aside from the live stream itself, businesses can record the broadcast and upload it onto a platform such as YouTube. This allows people who couldn’t tune into the live event to watch it at a later date. Once the recorded stream is uploaded onto YouTube, embed it onto your website and all the social media sites associated with your business.

Live stream also allows businesses the opportunity to interconnect and inter-promote their platforms. For instance, encouraging the audience to tweet questions or “like” you on Facebook is an effective method to quickly grow your social media presence with people who already care about your brand.

After the live stream has been recorded and uploaded, take advantage of the SEO benefits of YouTube. If you announced a new product or performed a tutorial on an existing product, making it accessible for others to find it is a great way to grow your brand’s web presence and story. The audience will be pleased with the richer content that a live stream can produce, especially if audience members are allowed to interact and submit questions. Unlike radio, internet streams have unlimited range and even open the possibility for an international audience to participate.

Have you hosted a live stream event before? If so, please share your tips and experience with our readers below!