Struggling to Get Eyes on Your Live Video Content? Try These 5 Simple Solves

We all know live video content requires a certain level of commitment from your audience. When stacked up against prerecorded video content, viewers don’t have the luxury of tuning in whenever they want, à la Netflix or Hulu. With scheduled live content, people need to be on a specific platform at a specific time, so it’s your job to prove to them that live video is worth their while.

Give viewers a reason to come and — more importantly — a reason to stay for the actual event. For B2B audiences, that means delivering real-time insights and information that will engage and entertain them throughout your live video.

“Give viewers a reason to come and — more importantly — a reason to stay for the actual event.”

The best live video content is fueled by honest brand conversations and a genuine desire to connect with viewers in real time. Here are five ideas you can put to use immediately to attract more attendees to your next live video event.

1. Incentivize live video attendees

Everyone loves a good freebie, and there’s nothing wrong with offering folks a motivating reason to join your live video. If you believe the content of your video is good enough for your audience to want to stick around, don’t be afraid to give viewers a little extra push to get them there in the first place.

Offering early access to a new product or even something as simple as free swag can immediately make attending your live video more enticing in an audience member’s eyes.

If your brand already has a dedicated following, you could even offer free merchandise for attendees. Things like a branded T-shirt or a coffee mug might sound small, but who doesn’t like cool stuff on the house? That could be the determining factor for someone who is still slightly on the fence about attending your event in real-time or catching the recorded version later on.

2. Share the “why” behind your product or service

iPhone advertisements have always been pretty cool and innovative, but how much more exciting was it when the late Steve Jobs talked in front of a live audience? Through storytelling, Jobs illustrated the power of Apple’s smartphone in detail and built hype for the product through his words.

Follow Jobs’ example and get people excited about your brand by sharing the “why” behind your product. Showcase what is so special about your product or service in real-time and allow people to ask any questions they want about it. Make it an interactive forum that allows your audience to understand the motives that drove you to offer this product or service and the passion behind why you do what you do.

Once people understand the values and reasoning driving your offering, it’ll be more likely that they’ll support your brand and ultimately spread the word about it.

3. Leverage a thought leader

It’s not unusual to watch a brand’s live video and see speakers who don’t actually work for the business. That said, their knowledge and insight into the specific topic being covered is a welcome addition — and often a draw — for viewers.

The power of industry thought leaders, especially in B2B, cannot be overstated. Many thought leaders come with built-in audiences that you can reach if you ask them to appear in your live video event (and promote it beforehand). Just as your brand may have a loyal audience, there’s a personal connection thought leaders have with their respective audiences that makes people more inclined to consume content that includes them.

Thought leaders are especially useful in a live Q&A video setting. They can help keep your audience engaged and answer specific questions. It’s also probable that they’ve had previous experience appearing in other live video content and will already be comfortable in that type of setting.

Up and above that, thought leaders add authority to your live video. If your brand is still finding its way in its B2B niche, having a thought leader anchor one of your live videos can add immediate credibility. The people who trust that expert will be interested in your brand and live video simply because it has that leader’s inherent stamp of approval.

4. Highlight your company culture

Every business has its own unique company culture — the problem is that most customers don’t really get to see it unless you put it out there. Create live video content to show how your business functions on a day-to-day basis and build a sense of familiarity with your audience. It might be a video tour of your office or a company event video that shows that the people behind your brand are just as real as the ones consuming your content.

“People want to see real human beings — real faces, names, and stories.”

People want to see real human beings — real faces, names, and stories. Use live video as an opportunity to center your employees and forge a connection with your audience. Hiring a host or interviewing a thought leader are wonderful ideas, but using real employees to run live events can help people better understand the inner workings of your company and build trust all around.

These videos can also be a great way to recruit more hires for your company, as now more people will understand what working for you might really be like and who they’d be working alongside.

5. Be open to feedback

Though critical comments can sting, in the long run, audience feedback is a good thing. It can help you recognize the shortcomings of your videos so you can create better live content in the future and keep your audience coming back.

Always monitor negative comments during live streams. Keep an eye on what people are saying in live chats and comment sections when you stream a live video, and address everything from research discrepancies to equipment issues that may arise. Don’t try to sweep comments of this nature under the rug unless they’re blatantly rude, offensive, or confrontational.

“Don’t try to sweep negative comments under the rug unless they’re blatantly rude, offensive, or confrontational.”

If you had attendees that signed up for your live video in advance, allow them to share their thoughts with you after it ends. In the days following the event, shoot them a quick email survey to find out if the event lived up to their expectations and what they’d like to see next. Surveying attendees will help you create more personalized live videos that will be aligned with what your audience wants to see.

Ready to start making live videos for your business?

Creating live video content for your business is not just about showing up on time and having something interesting to say. You should be thinking about how to galvanize people into wanting to attend your event in real-time and collecting insights as you go. This helps ensure you’re being strategic in your planning and giving people tangible value in exchange for their commitment.