Grow Your B2B Brand With Live Video Streaming
Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes
Intended Audience: Microsoft Partners, SaaS Owners, B2B Marketers
Revised June 2024
What is ‘Live Video Streaming’ On Social Media?
Live video streaming—or live casting—is the real-time broadcast of video content, typically via webcams or mobile devices, directly to an audience on social media platforms. This dynamic tool allows for immediate interaction with viewers, whether you’re conducting live Q&A sessions, demonstrating new product features, or hosting interactive interviews with industry leaders.
Marketing expert Bryan Kramer, heralds live streaming as an essential and cost-effective way to engage and educate audiences. Its effectiveness is particularly pronounced in the B2B sector, where audience participation is steadily increasing.
For a clearer picture of its growing relevance, consider this insightful infographic from Livestream, which presents key statistics from their research on the adoption and impact of live video streaming.
Which Social Media Platforms Support Live Video?
Facebook Live – Dynamic Real-Time Interaction
LinkedIn Live Video Broadcasting - The Premier Tool for B2B Engagement
YouTube Live Stream - Connect and Monetize Your Content
Ideal for longer form content, YouTube Live Stream allows users to connect with viewers via their desktop chrome browser or through the main YouTube mobile app. This feature allows content creators to not only connect in real-time but also monetize their live streams by enabling ads. While this can be a lucrative opportunity, it’s important to approach monetization carefully to avoid overshadowing your brand’s message.
YouTube Live Stream is a great tool for delivering tutorials, product or feature reviews and business updates. It’s possible to ‘go live’ on YouTube for many hours but to live stream through the mobile app, your channel must have a minimum of 50 subscribers, which ensures that the feature is used by creators with an established audience base.
X (Formerly Twitter) Live Videos - Amplify Your Reach
Instagram Live – Spontaneous Audience Connection
Instagram Live, seamlessly integrated within Instagram Stories, offers users the ability to broadcast live videos directly to their followers.
When going live, a colorful ring highlights the broadcaster’s profile picture, and a notification is sent out to alert followers, ensuring maximum visibility. While these live videos traditionally disappear after 24 hours, they can be preserved as “Highlights” on your profile, offering a permanent showcase for your content.
Despite common perceptions, Instagram’s utility extends well beyond B2C marketing. With a user base exceeding 2 billion monthly active users, and 80% of accounts following at least one business, Instagram is a goldmine for B2B marketers. The platform is heavily frequented by decision-makers and influencers across various sectors, proving invaluable for networking and client engagement.
In addition, Instagram’s algorithm now prioritizes video content, making Reels and Live videos a powerful way to reach new audiences and increase engagement. With creative formats like Reels, interactive features like polls and Q&As during Live videos, and targeted advertising options, Instagram offers a versatile toolkit for B2B marketers to capture and engage their audiences.
How Can B2B Live Video Streaming Work for Your Brand?
Share Project Updates
Grow your Audience
Demonstrate Product Features
Get More from Beta Testing
Live Video Streaming an Event
Set up a Guest Appearance
Maven’s 6 Best Practices for B2B Live-Streaming
- Consistency is Key: Live stream regularly, same day, same time every month, to grow your audience steadily.
- Promote Ahead of Time: Alert your followers about upcoming streams to ensure maximum viewership.
- Engage Actively: Plan to interact with your viewers. Keeping engagement high by greeting viewers and preparing a list of questions and talking points to keep the conversation flowing.
- Include a Call to Action: Direct viewers on how to stay connected, whether through social media, newsletters, or email.
- Archive Your Streams: Make your live content available post-broadcast by saving it to your profile to cater to those who missed the live event.
- Test Your Setup Beforehand: Avoid technical glitches and last-minute panic by thoroughly checking your streaming setup in advance.
