Live video has been dubbed as the most engaging type of content on social media. Facebook Live gets 6x more engagement; LinkedIn Live, on the other hand, gets 24x more reactions than pre-recorded videos. While this is true, it doesn’t mean that people will automatically engage with your stream. Luckily, there are simple strategies that you can easily apply in your next broadcast. Plus, when using live streaming services, platforms, or live apps, adding these engagement techniques will be a breeze and won’t require a long time to set up.
Ask Engaging Questions
What makes a question engaging? Ideally, your question needs to be clear and specific. Asking vague questions make it hard for your audience to answer them.
- Good example: What was the last film you watched?
- Bad example: What’s your favorite movie?
The first example is clear and specific. Most people will remember the last film they watched. On the other hand, the second is hard to answer because people usually have tons of favorite movies.
Lastly, make sure it’s an open-ended question. So, no questions that the answer is simply yes or no. If it’s merely answerable by a yes or a no, people won’t be compelled to comment. Using a live streaming platform like Be.Live helps you show viewers’ comments live on screen–whether you’re going live on Facebook or YouTube–making the viewers more motivated to comment upon seeing their comments being highlighted.
Use Interactive Polls
When Facebook Live was released in 2016, a live poll was one of the most popular content. There wasn’t officially a live poll feature, but smart Facebook page admins found a workaround. They would create one image with five options, and each option is assigned an emoji. For example, there was a poll on people’s favorite fast food. People can use the like, heart, cry, laugh, and angry emoji to vote.
However, Facebook eventually banned this type of content because it was considered engagement baiting–a Facebook crime that can land you in Facebook jail. But this proves one thing: polls are very interactive, and people love them! Luckily, there are many options now to have polls in your live stream. Facebook’s Live Producer now has an integrated interactive poll. Still, if you find it too difficult to navigate, you can also use Google Forms, Typeform, and other similar tools to survey your viewers.
Include Various Types of Media
Talking in front of the camera for the entire live stream is always a good choice. But what makes your live stream more exciting and engaging? Like in presentations, it’s better to add different media types, such as an image, a video, and a GIF. And the best thing about live apps and live streaming platforms nowadays is that it’s easy to share a PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides presentation. Adding media helps illustrate your point visually. You can read more on sharing your screen and other media on your Facebook Live.
Have Fun with Giveaways
It doesn’t matter who your audience is. Everyone wants to win something. And it doesn’t even have to be a big prize like a MacBook or a DSLR camera! The best and most convenient option is to give away an Amazon gift card. There are also tons of other electronic gift cards that you can give away, which is perfect for businesses with an international audience. Provide fun ways to join the contest. For example, you can tap into people’s creativity by asking them what’s ONE WORD to describe their day. Or tell a sad story with just six words. You can then choose the most creative answer before the live stream ends. Your imagination only limits you on how you can hold contests, but make sure that you stay within the platform’s guidelines. For example, Facebook has stringent rules regarding asking people to share a post to win something.
Invite Guests
Ellen DeGeneres, American comedian and TV host with one of the longest-running talk shows, is highly entertaining by herself. But what makes her show more engaging? Her guests. Adding a guest on your live stream adds a layer of fun. With a guest, you’ll have someone to bounce ideas with and help you answer the viewers’ questions. The added benefit is if they promote their show to their followers, you can even get more viewers.
Summary
Which one of these strategies will you try on your next stream? Try to experiment and see which one works best for you. You can also try to level up your next stream by using a live streaming platform or a live app that will make it easy to add polls, media, and guests.