Livestream marketing a 'Fad' or a 'Trend'? - by Sakshi Uniyal

‘Seeing is believing’

As technology has captured every aspect of human life, how can marketers refrain from penetrating this segment of the digital world? The traditional form of marketing has already broken its wings since late 70’s, and digital is the new tool with YouTube taking over as a platform specially created for video viewing, and then Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat converting this idea into a more customer engaged service. Video Marketing is not declining in any near future; it’s something that will remain with each web-based showcasing specialty for the foreseeable future. According to a survey conducted by New York Magazine, 80% of respondents would rather watch a live video from a brand than read a blog, and 82% prefer live videos from a brand to social posts. To build link, News Channels also do live streaming of breaking news, but now when the internet is accessible at the tip of our fingers, information in standby mode, shouldn’t everything we do, and see should be up for everyone?

Live streaming can be considered as a natural extension of video marketing. The whole objective of brands is shifting to more Live Streaming form of marketing & advertising, and social media platforms are trying at every stage to develop their user interface into more Live streaming pattern because block text, static post or even shorter videos still don’t drive audiences at the same pace which live streaming as a tool does. This technique makes the world feel even smaller than it already is as it creates connections that span time zones. It lets us explore parts of the world we might otherwise not. As Periscope puts it: live streaming allows you “discover the world through someone else’s eyes.”

Highlighting 5 points of difference, Live Streaming has over other tools of Digital Marketing:

• Viewers consider it as more raw content hence a genuine form of brand engagement

• Real Time Conversation and TG Engagement as per your comfort

• Easier and Affordablele Channels

• Easier and Affordable

• User-Generated (comments/ share and audience allowance to be a part of the live stream)

Right from customized timings, to lead generation buttons, call for action buttons or a simple user generation button of like and share, collaboratively have one moto of either brand awareness/ consideration/lead generation in this tech-savvy world. Managers are focused on how to build their brand identity and engagement to a mass youth pulled audience. Too much or too less is also an issue, over the content or consistent approach of live video is also not advisable and not being on this tool is a lower back on competitive edge. Before the rise of these live stream tools, there was a physical and social wall between brands and their audience. Communication and its branches have broken this barrier. However, the way live stream enmeshes social and real-time, conversations and presentations, and brings everyone into the room, means that the final barrier has been broken and to state: once a wall is down, as we know, there’s no putting it back up.

Broadcast Real Time

Looking at the other side, companies are grappling live streaming marketing, and agencies are pushing to be on the top with their real-time creative challenge. “We want this right now” is the new slogan of youth along with having everything on their fingertips adopting the medium of digitalization. Live streaming offers an opportunity to reach younger viewers for companies, but the broader audience is still a push. Live Streaming Planning revolves around factors such as : Will it be watched live?, sharable content, shareability process, user generated content in the form of comments, likes or even shares for that matter, advocacy of the brand, engaging content and the right medium for live streaming. Unpredictability plays a major draw back when it comes to adopting this form of marketing. Giving an example of the recent iPhone X launch which happened on 12th September 2017. The launch can be considered as a form of live streaming marketing, what hap- pened I am sure most of us are well aware off. One of the product feature failed at the first attempt, the crowd was taken aback and so was the company. There were lot of follow up trolls and negative engagement of the audience. What if the launch wasn’t live streamed? What if the launch was a close door activity? Could the harm created on the brand image by streaming the launch live be stopped?

Can we ever generate ads while someone else is live streaming? Does live streaming marketing has any form of sponsorship space for brands to tap in?

Can Facebook, YouTube or other live streaming tools sell live streaming as a way to advertise for brands? Maybe a pop-up or a screen ad below while it's life. All this is possible shortly, but the concern is the authenticity, the user trust and engagement of a fresh content won’t dissolve? These are certain factors of concern which somewhere is hindering companies to pitch in capital towards live streaming as a tool for ad hoc manner and considering traditional marketing or another digital medium as the priority.

What’s your stance as a marketer?