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As a marketing professional, you probably know all about the live video marketing trend. It happens to be the big marketing idea right now. Unfortunately, the financial services industry hasn’t adopted this trend as much as other industries, and we think that’s a missed opportunity. Here’s what financial services marketers can learn from non-financial brands that are doing live video well.
What is live video?
In case you’re not clear on what live video is, it’s very much what it sounds like: video streamed live as events happen.
As a marketing technique, live video seems to have picked up steam since the launch of Facebook Live. We’re sure both your personal and professional Facebook streams have been hit with notifications that a specific person or company is now (or was) live.
Live video isn’t just for Facebook, though. You can go live on YouTube or on your company blog. Review your content strategy, take a look at the resources you have available, and choose the channel that makes the most sense for your firm.
Who’s doing it well?
Since we’re talking about video, it should come as no surprise that media properties are using this marketing tool particularly well.
Disney Interactive Media, for example, has established a production team dedicated to producing broadcast-quality live video. Thanks, once again, to Facebook Live, you may have had the opportunity to see the touring cast of Newsies perform the song “Santa Fe” actually live from Santa Fe.
Sure, it’s easy for a company like Disney that knows a thing or two about production value and making great videos. But here’s the thing: live video isn’t about broadcast-quality video. It’s about telling a story in real time and delivering that story to people who might otherwise get to participate in it. And that’s something content marketers already know how to do.
What story will you tell?
It’s up to you, but it should be a story that fits with your overall content strategy, doesn’t feel forced or staged, and doesn’t require a great deal of resources.
Maybe you have an investor presentation, industry conference or other event that you think non-attendees would be interested in. Have someone on your communications team film part of the event and stream it live on Facebook. This could be a great way to give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at the financial services industry and, at the same time, provide a learning opportunity. It could also benefit those who wanted to attend your event but couldn’t make it in person.
You probably won’t want to live stream the entire event, as you still want to provide value to those who attended in person. Instead, live stream meaningful snippets, enough to capture your audience’s attention and potentially drive interest in future events.
It’s up to you, but it should be a story that fits with your overall content strategy, doesn’t feel forced or staged, and doesn’t require a great deal of resources.
The nuts and bolts of live video
Before you go live, there are a few other things to keep in mind.
First, if your channel of choice for live video is YouTube or your company’s blog, rather than Facebook Live, you may want to invest in slightly higher production quality. But the great thing about live video is that you can decide how to approach it.
Second, live video doesn’t mean spontaneous video. If you want your video to have an impact, then people have to see it. It can’t hurt to take to your social media channels and give your audience a heads-up that you’re going live. Let them know when and where, as well as what the topic will be. That way, people will know to tune in.
Finally, never film people – including audience members – without their permission. And make sure your firm’s compliance department is comfortable with what you’re posting live.