Many brands today are well aware of just how critical Instagram is to a business’s marketing strategy. In addition to being an ideal platform for showcasing products and services visually, its Instagram Live feature allows businesses to communicate with current and potential customers in an approachable way through livestreaming.
With new updates being continually added to Instagram Live to improve the experience on both sides, a brand’s prowess in learning and using the platform to its fullest creative potential will positively impact the business’s sales and online reputation far into the future. Below, 11 Forbes Business Council members each share one creative way businesses can leverage Instagram Live to connect with their online community.
1. Put A Face To The Brand
Instagram Live gives you a direct connection to your audience. The key here is to focus on making it personal and fun. These people don’t want to hear from a faceless brand, they want personality so work that into your livestreams. You might get different staff members to answer questions or work with an influencer on a product demo. Give the audience a face to connect with. – Jess Shanahan, Jet Social
2. Offer Free Advice
For professional services, offer free advice where you can. It’s an easy way to engage with existing customers, as well as appeal and showcase the value you can offer to prospects. Instagram Live can help to humanize your business and address customer concerns while being led by your audience, helping you understand what matters most to them. – David Price, Employsure
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3. Host Regular AMA Sessions
One creative way is to host a regular “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session. This provides a platform for customers to ask questions directly to company representatives, CEOs or industry experts. These sessions can cover product details, upcoming launches or industry trends. AMAs create transparency, facilitate engagement and help businesses in understanding their customers’ concerns better. – Dustin Lemick, BriteCo
4. Stream Live Tutorials And Demonstrations
Host live tutorials or demonstrations. This could involve showcasing the usage or benefits of products or services in real-time. By providing valuable and actionable information, businesses can engage with their audience, answer questions and demonstrate the value of their offerings. – Trey Ferro, Spot Pet Insurance
5. Launch New Products Or Services
Talking about a new product or service launch live generates interest. Unlike curated content, Instagram Live is an uncut, interactive way to reach current and potential customers. Your brand becomes more relatable to your audience and you can have conversations with them in real-time, allowing you to build more meaningful connections. – Adam Povlitz, Anago Cleaning Systems
6. Host Exclusive Events Or Launches
One creative way that businesses can leverage Instagram Live is by hosting exclusive events or product launches. Promote the event beforehand and invite followers to join in live. These events offer a unique opportunity for businesses to showcase their brand personality and brand identity in a raw, authentic way, making them valuable tools for standing out in a crowded digital landscape. – Michael Shribman, APS Global Partners Inc.
7. Introduce A Company Mascot
We branded our Instagram marketing by adding our most commercially successful mascot into our most commercially successful marketing piece: The Adventures of Insuranceman. We also added a steady stream of Instagram Live segments to keep our No. 1 Google search rankings on top. This along with other strategies has helped us to edge out a rockstar, an NFL running back and some very famous doctors and lawyers. – ‘Smitty’ Robert J. Smith, Robert J. Smith Productions
8. Give A Behind-The-Scenes Tour
Businesses can host virtual behind-the-scenes tours on Instagram Live. For example, this can allow followers to see how products are made or a day in the office. It humanizes the brand and fosters a sense of community, as viewers can ask questions and engage in real time. – Vikrant Shaurya, Authors On Mission
9. Host Live Shopping Events
Businesses can host live shopping events on Instagram to unveil new products exclusively to the live audience. This offers an interactive shopping experience, fostering community spirit, customer loyalty and real-time sales. For extra impact, businesses can integrate Q&A sessions, games, special discounts or influencer appearances. – Nikhil Maini, Synergogy
10. Build Excitement For A Upcoming Product or Service
To generate buzz for my upcoming book, I have been going live on Instagram to feature guest speakers. This provides an excellent opportunity to organically build excitement, as it allows me to tap into each guest’s audience while they tap into mine. The community benefits from receiving free valuable insights on the discussed topics and they can actively participate by asking questions directly. – Yasmin Walter, KMD Books
11. Create Full-Scale Marketing Campaigns
Instagram Live needs to be observed as a campaign. Develop a story that hooks the media—even if your followers are not on Instagram. If you are going to speak at a conference or do speaking engagements, Instagram Lives can be used for prep or for the event itself. If your livestream can create buzz, you will get traction and have content that can be reuploaded and repurposed as a lead magnet, insider mail or blog post. – Michele Paiva, The Finance Therapist
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