How to Go Live on Social Media

In a year like 2020 where many of us are stuck at home, going live on social media may be one of the best ways to engage with audiences and even better, it is free to use! The biggest social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all offer a live stream feature. But how can PR professionals use this feature to the fullest and connect with followers authentically?

Promote Your Live

Promoting your live is crucial to ensure viewers will be tuned in. Although your followers will usually receive a notification when you go live, promoting your live through your social media posts and stories will encourage followers to save the date and draw in more viewers. Creating an easily readable graphic for the event highlighting the time, the event and any guests is an informative way to make your followers more aware. If you are conducting the live through another service like Zoom, be sure to make the link available early. If you are using another platform, I recommend a test run, just to make sure everything is syncing correctly.

Make a Plan

Always make a plan for your lives. It is important to know your audience and know their most active times; this will guarantee that your followers are available and ready to tune in. It is also a good idea to practice what you want to say for your live. This will allow you to be aware of how much time you want to devote to making announcements, streaming your event or accepting viewer questions.

Invite a Friend

If you are streaming on behalf of a client, invite them on! Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram allow users to broadcast with others by invite or request. Having a client join your live can allow you to have a casual conversation or conduct an interview. Inviting another user on will also notify their followers which will lead to more viewers.

Mastering live streaming on social media can build your brand awareness and allow you to make authentic content with a genuine voice.