Live content has always been a draw for audiences. Think, for example, of Saturday Night Live. With over 850 episodes broadcast since its debut in 1975, the live comedy show is one of the longest-running television series of all time. And of course, traditional forms of live entertainment like stand-up comedy, live music, and theatre are still going strong.
With so many platforms now offering live video functionality, live content is truly in the hands of the masses now. But is it the right avenue for your brand to consider? Here's what live video can offer to your marketing strategy.
Live video involves your audience
The way we consume media has changed over the last decade or so. The old broadcast model has given way to a non-linear model, whereby viewers can watch at their leisure and on a multitude of different devices. But even in this landscape, there’s still something to be said for the power of live content to centralise and unite an audience around a single event.
OFCOM's Media Nations study analyses media consumption trends across UK audiences. They found that there is still a great appreciation of the collective audience experience, even amidst a more fragmented media landscape:
"[Broadcasters’] programmes of this nature dominated the list of most-watched programmes in 2022, with England’s quarter-final in the FIFA World Cup (16.1m viewers), HM Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral (13.2m viewers), and the Platinum Jubilee (13.2m viewers) holding the top spots."
There are many ways in which today’s live video platforms are able to make use of this collective experience. Most notably, they enable audiences to comment and discuss the content in real-time. And this interactive, real-time engagement can prove beneficial to all kinds of businesses.
Many universities, for example, have found that live video is a great way of showcasing their spaces and facilities remotely. This can help prospective students to find out which university is right for them, without having to travel out to open days around the country.
Why not repurpose your live content?
One criticism of live content could be that its greatest qualities diminish after the initial broadcast. It can be viewed again, but will often lack the freshness, and interactivity that elevated it. This is not to say, however, that live content can’t have a “life beyond live”. Your live content can be the raw material for sculpting longer-lasting pieces of content.
Take the example of a lengthy live Q&A video. One way of easily and effectively repurposing this would be to extract the audio and turn it into a podcast. Alternatively, the video could be re-edited into a more polished series of shorter videos. You could even revisit particularly interesting points and expand upon them.
With live video, the simple differentiator of its being live opens up several possibilities. You can publish content that's distinctive, convenient and that serves many purposes. It may demand more preparation, but it can also pay off in terms of presenting your audience with content that can make them feel like a part of your brand.
Do you have any ideas for how you could enrich your brand with live video? Feel free to get in touch if you're interested in working with us or hearing more about what we can offer.