Nobody’s going to stare at your picture for 2 hours. Hell, no one even stares at the Mona Lisa that long! But, start a live stream and you’ll have their attention for way longer than 2 hours!
It’s no longer a question of whether livestreaming is effective; it’s a question of why you aren’t doing it! Afterall, 80% of people would rather watch live video created by a brand than read a blog. And if there’s one group of entrepreneurs who could use live video more than the rest, it’s those with crowdfunding campaigns.
While the power of live video to build a loyal community remains unrivaled, it’s not the potential value of live streaming that stumps most entrepreneurs. It’s the lack of ideas. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
Live Campaign Launch
One idea is to do a live launch of the crowdfunding campaign. Create a live streaming event that starts when your crowdfunding campaign starts, and use it to show off the product prototype, answer potential questions, and thank early backers!
You could set up alerts/labels for each backer, giving them a shoutout and thanks when they contribute towards your crowdfunding campaign! This can help to create a “backer train” where backers see others claiming rewards and decide to do so for themselves. If done right, it can quickly snowball into a wildly successful launch day.
Prototype Showcase
Another great option for live content is to create a prototype showcase. This can be done either before the campaign launch or after, making it a versatile option for live video content. Try to do it when you’ve created a new prototype or have new features to showcase, that way it has the highest impact..
Answer viewer questions, show off the features they want to see, and be personal!
Q&A With the Team
Another versatile idea for a live stream is to do a team Q&A. Get all team members together and run a stream with them all on cam. Then, let the viewers ask questions and get to know the team! If questions are coming in slowly, you can use dead time to talk about funny stories from the early days of product development, the team’s history with each other, or how the idea came to be.
Behind the Scenes Look
Another great option for live video is to do a behind the scenes look at product development. Take viewers through your office and show them how the team members work, what everyone’s doing, and what the company culture is like. Even something like a “lunch with the team” stream could be a huge hit for viewers wanting to get to know the team they’re pledging support and money to.
You can also use this to provide a sneak peek at future features and ideas too! When showing what someone’s doing, you could “accidentally” reveal a new feature that’ll be given as a stretch goal.
Live Content is Powerful, Don’t Miss Out
There’s no denying that live streaming is a powerful tool for reaching, engaging, and even selling to your audience. Currently, it’s a tool that isn’t used by many entrepreneurs and marketers, making it even more effective. As more brands begin to live stream, it’ll be harder and harder to cut through the competition, so get ahead of the crowd and be sure to use it before it becomes common practice!