Adopting the appropriate channel of communication is the most decisive part for any brand which wants to establish itself in the eyes of its target audience. Integration of live streaming features in social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Video-Livestream and other live streaming apps like Periscope, Tik-Tok, Bigo Live, etc. tends many worldwide brands to incline themselves onto these platforms for their brand and strategic marketing communication. 

Although streaming live content in the digital world isn’t a modern notion, as you will find it in several industries, from Education, Customer support, Modern marketing, Entertainment and so on. Big Brands such as General Electric (GE), Nestle, Samsung and Doritos (among other) are using it to their advantage. The emergence of this new medium gave companies leverage over stereotype and traditional media, which have its own limitations. 

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Assuming that 2016 was the year of live streaming, then 2017 is the year it transfixed its spot as a formidable business and marketing communication tool. Brand across varied industries are manifesting that live streaming for business is a great way to engage their target audience.

Brands like Adidas and Dunkin Donut exhibited the capacity of live video streaming to connect with consumers and employees alike. It’s time to think about your brand’s streaming strategy for 2019.

Moving forward we will learn how companies are using live streaming platforms for spicing up there communication channel. 

Product Promotions and Unveilings

You already know those unboxing videos that do so well on Vimeo & YouTube? So, what’s pulling you back from doing for your own products? Even services companies can function with this notion, by getting an SME to address to live audience when a new program is being launched. Live streaming promotions and launches gives audience the liberty to ask questions directly, which in turn gives you ideas for how to proceed with the rest of the marketing campaign.

Singularly, Samsung is the existing brand which stands out in the B2B territory with its live streaming content. The tech giant frequently produces live streamed webinars as a part of its Samsung Developer Program where professionals cover a wide array of topics, tailor made for customers to teach them how to successfullymap, monetize, develop and publish the apps they run on Samsung technology. Part of the program’s exclusive resource and support materials, the webinars are another way Samsung is able to connect with its most loyal customers and build a community of brand loyalists that seek them out for customer support content.

Exclusive access to live events 

Dunkin Donuts has been vexing to win back its market stake from Starbucks for decades, and in this quest, they’ve been particularly pinpointing on the millennial market, considering the purchasing capacity of this demographic is budding rapidly. Over the past summer, the company started considering new measures to draw attention to their iced coffees and Periscope was one of the platforms they used. 

They has come up with the event called “DD Summer Soundtrack,” a live concert series full of musical events, videos, personalized playlists of all the musician, off the screen actions, and wrap-up short promotional reels from all the footage. Scott Hudler, Vice President at Global Consumer Engagement, added that embracing customers over varied social media platforms is crucial: “This will be the first time we’ve had the mass social presence across all the channels on the same idea for the same promotion.”

Consumer engagement and instant feedback

Nestlé’s Drumstick maneuvers a different approach for its marketing. Rather than focusing live video feeds of its facilities and employees, it made its consumer the centerof attraction for its Periscope campaign. The company invited number of Nestlé fans across the globe and convince them to eat their Drumsticks on video. The feeds were later broadcast on Periscope so that other consumers could see the brand in a more personal light than ever before.

This strategy has been exceptionally effective. “ Thesecontent creators frequently reach their followers on these live streaming platforms by telling their own stories, and brands like Nestle are excited to see what they create for Drumstick. Live video streaming also unlock the door to live reactions and opinions, such as user-contributed questions or comments, which adds a layer of engagement to the experience.

Telling customers what really goes behind the scenes:-

General Electric (GE) is one the largest organization across the globe – a fact that undeniably causes many consumers to fascinate what really goes on behind thescenes. Well, wonder no more; GE has started adopting live streaming platforms to allow their customers an internal view of some of their facilities, which has helped boosts transparency and customer engagement.  

In particular, GE developed a drone that fly over its manufacturing unit in Texas. The camera was mounted on the drone that stream the live video feed to their Periscope channel as part of a week-long event called “Drone Week,” which turn into a unique way for GE to draw attention of their millennial viewers. GE believes that Periscope events such as this are going to play a vital partin earning the fidelity of their younger customer demographic—and we can’t argue with that!

Conclusion:-

“When you give people a snoop behind the curtain, they fall in love with your brand” 

Thus, reaching customers across various social platforms is critical. Live streaming beholds a huge potential for the brands, and it’s not just something for B2C businesses,either. It’s a marketing approach that can build your brand through increase reach and engage with targeted audience with very limited outlay, as long as you have the resources to assign to doing it properly. So brands should approach their live video strategy rightfully, and gear up to truly engage with their target audience to make the most of it.

(Sudhanshu Rai is Brand Strategist)