You can go live on about every major social media platform out there, but why isn’t everyone doing so? After taking a poll, I found the top reasons to be fear of what can go wrong on a live broadcast and worry that nobody will show up to watch the stream.
Live Features to Familiarize Yourself With
You don’t need a million followers; you don’t even need two thousand to attract a loyal community, affiliate partnerships, brand sponsorships, and speaking invitations. People with smaller followings have been discovered, went viral, and sold #1 best-selling e-books before their follower count caught up. When you post consistently about a topic you know a lot about, you can get recognized as an expert in that field.
- Go live with a friend.
- Mute and unmute your audio.
- Add a face or background filter.
- Turn off your camera and only show your profile image.
- View questions from your audience and share them on the screen.
- Invite an audience member to join your live video, or they can request to join.
"People with smaller followings have been discovered, went viral, and sold #1 best-selling e-books before their follower count caught up."
Get Unstuck and Go Live
Some established content creators feel stuck and aren’t staying consistent with their posting schedule. I am here to tell you that your story needs to be told and there is an audience wanting and waiting to hear it. Your lived experience, what you have learned and overcome, is of benefit to someone out there in the online world.
There is even enough space on the internet for thousands of people telling a similar story because it will never be exactly your story—there is only one you. Don’t let fear of the unknown stop you from creating valuable content. Silence the doubt and go for it! I always say, “Just go live. Your audience is waiting.”
If you’re one of the people who want to go live but haven’t taken the plunge yet, Instagram Live is the perfect place to start. It doesn’t matter if you have 100 or 100,000 followers. You can go live with just a few people and build from there.
Instagram Live notifies your followers when you go live so they can tune in. And, if they can’t watch live, the video can be saved and stay up for 24 hours. Ready to give it a try? Here are some tips to help you get started.
Building an Audience
Here are some tips to help you build an audience and keep them coming back for more.
- Add a title to your Instagram Live so viewers know who you are and what you are talking about or performing. This will ensure that they stay tuned in.
- Go live at the same time each day or week. Planning will ensure you aren’t scrambling for ideas while livestreaming.
- Livestream with another account in your niche to combine audiences and reach more people.
- Invite your followers to ask questions to improve engagement. You can even offer a prize for the best question.
- Hashtags are a great way to connect with new audiences on Instagram, so add a few to boost your viewership.
- Use Instagram Stories to promote your next live stream. While you still have people’s attention, tell them about your upcoming content.
- To prevent your Instagram Live from looking like everyone else’s, use creative visuals to draw the audience in.
- Keep it short and sweet by streaming for around 10 minutes. Tease a longer stream on YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook for cross-promotion opportunities.
"Add a title to your Instagram Live so viewers know who you are and what you are talking about or performing. This will ensure that they stay tuned in."
Improve Your Livestream Audio
Roland helps artists and content creators present higher-quality live broadcasts. As we all know, audiences will tolerate poor video quality, but they will immediately leave your livestream if the sound is bad. Products like the GO:MIXER PRO-X provide an easy way to boost livestream audio quality without needing a sound technician or an expensive setup.
It has everything you need in one little device. Simply connect your smartphone, plug in your external microphone, musical instrument, DJ controller, and even connect over Bluetooth to mix in background music from your favorite streaming service to enhance the livestream.
More Pro Tips
Avoid copyright strikes by only using music you have permission to use. This can be done by either creating your own music, using royalty-free music, or getting permission from the artist or copyright holder. If you’re not sure whether or not you have permission to use a certain song, it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
The GO:MIXER PRO-X has an XLR input for a professional microphone. Plus, you can make podcasts, live tutorials, and performances more interesting by adding another person to your stream with the headphones jack as a second microphone feed. Even better, the device runs for 4 hours on battery power, so it won’t drain your smartphone. You can bring in power through a USB connection as well.
"Avoid copyright strikes by making sure to only use music that you have permission to use."
Distribution Channels
When it comes to getting your music or video out there, distribution is key. Stream to wherever your digital audience is before you release an album or promote in-person ticket sales. When you provide better production value, your audience will naturally grow. Hopefully, this article sparks your creative juices and inspires you to go live today.
