Unlocking the brand value of live streaming

In part one of a two-part series, Mark Blair, VP of EMEA at Brightcove, explores the unique value of live streaming video, how to use it to communicate with external audiences and how it can the benefit your business.

Live streaming video is gaining more widespread use across enterprise organisations. Its use isn’t new. Corporations have been using it for well over a decade, broadcasting events, executive conferences or new product announcements to employees and customers around the globe. As technology has made live video easier to capture, manage, and distribute, those enterprises using live streaming see it as a productivity enabler, making both internal and external communications efficient and cost effective.

The unique value of live streaming video

Video has the ability to win the hearts and minds of viewers, and live video provides an even more compelling experience. Here are the top five reasons why brands and influencers favour live video over other forms of media communication to engage with their audiences:

• Better brand connection Live video enables brands to connect with audiences on an authentic, human level. While you want to produce quality live video by being prepared, use that preparation as a platform for content that allows individual personalities and unexpected moments to shine, as live video enables viewers to gain insight into that ‘behind the scenes’ type content that they wouldn't normally have access to.

• Increased urgency Live streaming creates a sense of urgency that’s hard to replicate with on-demand video. Greater value is placed on an event when there’s only one chance to view it. Thanks to mobile devices and low-bandwidth video, viewers can access live events from almost any location.

• Longer viewing times According to ComScore and Facebook, online video viewers show increased engagement and longer viewing times while watching live video versus on-demand video – providing a great opportunity for cross-promotion and advertising.

• Greater audience interaction Viewers tend to interact more with brands in real-time, from asking for a shout-out from a brand ambassador or leader, to asking questions about a brand’s latest product during a live launch or promotion. Having community managers on-hand during live events to interact with those tuning in, means you can answer questions instantly and even boost sales by engaging with fans and potential customers.

• Increased social sharing Viewers who are engaging with a live video event are more likely to share their experience on social media and encourage friends to join. By taking it one step further however, and hosting live streams through your on-demand platform as well, it provides a compelling invitation for new viewers and a chance for video publishers to grow their audience and increase awareness of their message beyond the live event.

How to use live video to promote your brand

Live streaming brings value to your brand by enabling you to interact with customers and prospects in real-time, forge a more personal relationship, and grow your audience by providing access to consumers who may not have otherwise participated. The live stream itself is inherently about community. It makes your customers feel included.

By offering behind the scenes insight into your company, products and the people behind your brand – encouraging viewers to click through to the relevant pages from either a public platform like Facebook or YouTube or owned video platforms you can push them further down the funnel towards the point of purchase. This not only makes live streaming an incredibly useful sales tool, but can also provide brands with the ability to offer additional support to the buyer during the decision-making process.

What’s more, there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of live streaming. Whether you’re streaming consumer-facing events like fashion shows or product launches, or presentations from corporate meetings or industry conferences, real-time video can help you reach and engage with a much wider audience.

From a customer support perspective, live video could also put customer assistants in front of consumers for virtual face-to- face interaction. Unlike other live chats that don’t use video, there’s no delay caused by waiting for messages to appear, no risk of mistakes due to typos, and issues can be explained more easily verbally. Visual aids can also be used to demonstrate problems on both sides, with assistants able to walk customers through solutions in a more convenient manner.

The value of live streaming video is clear to see. It strengthens the connection your target audience feels with your brand, captures audiences’ attention, increases the likelihood of that audience sharing and interaction on social media, and – most importantly – can contribute to a healthy revenue in the long-term.

So, now we know the benefits of live streaming from an external perspective, but can it also have a positive impact on internal organisational communications? Stay tuned for part two of our live streaming video series to find out!