Marketers are clamouring right now to get onto live streaming apps like Periscope and Meerkat and everyone is currently very excited for all the possibilities that it offers them.
The main advantage to something like Periscope as far as a marketer is concerned is that it will allow them to find a new audience in a space that currently isn’t over saturated. Create fitness content? Then you’re probably only competing with around 3 other vloggers on Meerkat and you can bet that every video you upload will result in large numbers of new followers. This is very exciting and something that you really shouldn’t underestimate the value of.
But it goes far beyond that. Live video is not just a new way to create content – it’s a new way to interact with your audience. This means that it can offer some truly unique opportunities that no other platform can for any marketer. Here are some examples:
Building Relationships
What’s more important than having lots of fans, is having fans who are truly engaged with your content and who really love what you do. You can help to build this kind of trust, authority and relationship by simply interacting with your fans more through live video. This will give them the opportunity to talk to you through the video and to have you react in real time. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to survey your audience and discuss matters with them.
New Products and Services
If you’re looking for a new digital product or service you can offer, then imagine the potential for seminars and conferences through something like Blab. This way you can teach your audience in an almost one-to-one session once they’ve paid for entry and this can offer a lot more value than simply watching some pre-recorded videos. How much would you pay to get to ask questions directly to your favorite blogger?
Selling
You can also use live video to directly sell products and this is something you can do right now. Better yet, people can ask you questions about the product and ask to see different features live on air!
Feedback
Of course this interaction also gives you a perfect way to survey your audience, to learn what they like and don’t like about your products and to generally provide better quality service.
Influencer Marketing
If you join in with a ‘blab’ then you’ll instantly be seen by all the followers that follow that other user. If you make a good impression this is a fantastic form of influencer marketing that can gain you huge numbers of followers.
