Day two of the 2018 Traffic & Conversion Summit in sunny(ish) San Diego was intense and engaging. The day left our own attendees’ brains swirling with new ideas about content and information from amazing speakers such as Ryan Deiss, Ezra Firestone, Perry Belcher, and none other than the shark himself, Daymond John.
Day one was top-notch and thought to be unsurpassable—then this happened:
A speech by the pioneer of live video online, Joel Comm. He has been streaming original content to the internet since 2008.
Joel’s session titled, “The Live Video Revolution: How to Get Massive Customer Engagement & Make more Sales with Live Video,” was truly amazing. It was packed full of information and resources to improve your live streams, PLUS an intro into what the future holds for live video streaming.
The Perfect Storm 2015
After briefly introducing himself and discussing his first personal experiences using live streaming through apps such as Blab and Meerkat, Joel made the most compelling argument.
In 2015, three key elements came together to create what he called “The Perfect Storm,” allowing live video to take off. For live streaming to be effective and part of the mainstream, these three things needed to come together:
- Mobile adoption
- Increased bandwidth
- Easy-to-use apps
In 2015, Facebook did just that by launching Facebook Live. And then this happened:
What can we learn from Candace (aka Chewbacca Mom)?
Candace was the first person to produce a live video with Facebook that went viral! You’re probably thinking, “Okay, that’s hilarious and I’m laughing so hard I’m crying, but what does this have to do with me? What does this prove about live video? Why did Joel share this other than to get instant engagement with the audience?”
Glad you asked!
The answer is simple. After being shared 2.8 MILLION times on Facebook alone, Candace’s video proved three things to be true about live video:
- Set doesn’t matter. Candace is in the parking lot of a Kohl’s department store in her own vehicle. There is no fancy backdrop, no green screen, no beautiful view of a landscape. Just Candace, with her phone, in a car, in a parking lot.
- Hair and makeup don’t matter. Candace isn’t all dolled up in Hollywood makeup; she puts on a child's toy Chewbacca mask!!
- Script not necessary. Many of us panic about going live and worry that we will say the wrong thing. Candace’s video proves you don’t need to have anything prepared—just be you! Go off the cuff and say exactly how you feel and what you are thinking in the moment. Be real!
For those who have been hesitant or nervous about utilizing Facebook Live, these three PROVEN takeaways from the internet’s first viral “amateur” show what is crucial to understand. You don’t need to be a celebrity, plan for weeks in advance, write out a script, or look like you walked off of a Hollywood movie set. All you need is a story to tell.
As of April 2017, 20% of all Facebook videos posted are LIVE! This percentage is constantly increasing.
It’s not about technology. It is about taking authentic content, putting it together with engagement, and creating a relationship with your audience!
Viral marketing happens when you tell a story so compelling that others can’t wait to retell it for you.
There are four kinds of storytelling:
- Educational/Informative
- Inspirational/Motivational
- Entertaining/Fun
- Experiential—Where you are, who you are with, and what you are doing
For better or worse, various industries are about to be disrupted by virtual reality, live video, and 360-degree video. Such industries include the following:
- Travel
- Real Estate
- Entertainment
- Retail
- Events & Conferences
- Marketing & Advertising
- Manufacturing
- Health Care
- Journalism
How can you utilize live video in your own business?
- Go behind the scenes
- Take questions from the public
- Share news and agency updates
- Motivate and inspire
- Give an opinion
- Provide tips and tricks
- Do presentations
- Introduce your team
- Be spontaneous (like Chewbacca Mom)
We all have a story to tell. Don’t shy away from sharing it! Figure out what your story is and start streaming it LIVE!
Check back with us tomorrow as we wrap up day three of the 2018 Traffic & Conversion Summit and gain more insights from the masterminds at DigitalMarketer.
