Do you love going live, and now want to make even more of your time and effort?
Do you HATE going live and wonder if it’s worth jumping onto the bandwagon now?
No matter which end of the spectrum you fall into, let’s explore these vexing video questions.
If you’re into live broadcasting now, you know how the routine goes. (If you’re not broadcasting live yet, here’s a quick roadmap) You prep for your live stream spending time:
- Marketing your live broadcast in advance
- Checking your lighting and audio
- Finding the perfect background
- Glamming-up for the camera
After you actually go live, what happens to your video? Does it sit in your video library collecting dust?
Here’s some ways you can extend the shelf life and gain even more exposure from all your hard work.
Audio Only
Today people are craving to consume content on the fly; commuting, sitting at the airport, working out at the gym. Podcasts are the perfect channel to tap into this type of audience. It’s easy to create an audio podcast once you’ve recorded your live video. Just strip out the audio and use it as a podcast.
Once you’ve created your live broadcast check out tools like:
- On Line Audio Converter With this free tool you can easily extract the audio from a video and convert it to a variety of audio formats.
- Quick Time Player . Designed for Mac.
- MP3 Audio Converter Audio Extractor. This free tool is available for iPhone and iPad users.
Video Blog Post
Don’t you love it when you can read a blog post and then see a short video showing you how to complete a project? When you embed video into your travel blogs, your readers can take a mini-vacation and picture themselves in your destination.
Tap into your reader’s sense of curiosity and love for video. Take your live broadcast to a new set of viewers by embedding it into your next blog.
Here’s how savvy travel pros are making the most of this opportunity:
- Destinations are attracting visitors by showcasing activities and experiential options via video. For example, use video to showcase activities like zip-lining, cooking classes and tour highlights. Focusing on niche markets and going behind the scenes is powerful.
- Wedding & honeymoon specialists are embedding video from a resort or destination into a blog about the destination. Planning tips and a call-to-action add finesse to their production.
- Attractions amplify their reach by going behind the scenes and pulling back the curtain on upcoming events and new offerings. For example, entice people to visit the newest area in your attraction with a video highlighting the spectacle of the final phase of construction or the spectacle of grand opening.
To embed a video into your next blog post, simply end the live broadcast and grab the embed code. Place this code into your blog or website. Make sure to adjust the size of the video player and maximize viewer ease.
Video in E-Blast
While most e-blast providers don’t support video within an e-blast, you can provide your readers with the power of video. With a bit of magic, and a good graphics tool, you can make it look like a video is playing right in your next e-blast. This is a super-simple way to earn more eyeballs for your live broadcast.
Here’s how:
- Create your video and upload it to your favorite video platform
- Copy the URL link for your video
- Create a video thumbnail graphic
- Create your thumbnail by selecting a favorite frame from the video
- Use a tool like PicMonkey, Canva or Stencil and add this frame as an overlay on a new graphic
- Then add an overlay of a video player button on top of your thumbnail. This will ensure readers know to click the graphic
- Size the graphic to 1280 x 720 pixels
- Add this thumbnail into your e-blast
- Pop in a border around the graphic (see below)
- Hyperlink the thumbnail to your video
- Now when a reader clicks on your graphic, they’ll be redirected to your video playing on your favorite video platform
- See the example below (Note the thumbnail with the player button added)
Divide & Conquer
While people are keen to watch more lengthy live broadcasts, the average video view of a non-live (pre-recorded) video is much shorter. To maximize your live broadcasts’ shelf life, clip it into shorter segments and repurpose it.
For example, let’s say you did a 20-minute live broadcast. Once you save that video to your camera roll you can now edit it into shorter segments. Consider breaking it into 1-2 minute segments that you can drip out during your next marketing campaign.
When you’re planning and writing your live video script, plan to cover several topics that can be addressed in 1-2 minute segments. This will make your editing much easier. Editing tools and tips here.
These short videos can also be the foundation for a series of blog posts or social ads.
Loom & Zoom
Do you find you get the same questions again and again from different clients?
Do your clients stumble when using some piece of technology connected to your business; your booking engine, group registration form, etc?
How about creating a short live video answering those FAQ’s or demonstrating how to use the technology? This live broadcast showing your screen and/or your beautiful face can be done easily and for free. Using Loom you can create a series of evergreen videos to email to your clients or even embed into your website.
This same strategy can be accomplished using Zoom or GoTo Webinar. Simply click the record button and create your video or screen share video.
Get the Right Gear
Live broadcasts are all the rage today! They are proven to earn social credibility and eyeballs for your business.
Making the most of your live broadcast puts you on the road to maximizing your time and talent. Here’s some tips and tools:
- Go live from your desktop and host an interview
- Upgrade your lighting and sound with this gear
- Make your next video shoot easy with this Multi Case all in one rig.
Extend the shelf life of your live broadcasts and put some time back into your busy marketing calendar with these tips and tricks. Take the vex out of video so your visitors, clients, fans and followers get to better understand your value.
Catherine Heeg, international speaker and trainer, focuses on social media marketing & communication for the travel and tourism industry. Join the conversation and connect with her at www.cmsspeaking.com and socially. Connect online for access to free social media resources.
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