LinkedIn live video events are a low cost and easy way to reach and engage with your audience. But so few businesses are using it.
I do one of these live streams events with Ayo Abbas every month themed around a particular topic – we call it the B2B Comms Breakdown – and get a good response.
There are other benefits too but more of that later.
What is LinkedIn live video?
It’s a video streamed live to your LinkedIn feed – your personal account or company page. Think of it as a sort of mini webinar/online talk.
You can ‘live stream’ solo or with guests/co-hosts.
People watching can add comments or ask questions, just as they would on a normal post, so it’s interactive.
How does it work?
LinkedIn doesn’t have an inbuilt live stream video function (yet), so you use an external platform.
Ayo and I use StreamYard, which has a monthly fee, but it’s relatively low cost, particularly given what you can do with it.
Once your LinkedIn account is connected to StreamYard, the two work together; LinkedIn pulls through the event information from StreamYard.
From the LinkedIn event post, people can click to attend, and you can also invite people directly from your 1st degree connections.
Find LinkedIn’s full getting started instructions here.
Why do a LinkedIn live video?
• It’s a low-cost, easy-to-set-up event on a platform where you already have an engaged network (hopefully).
• You decide on the format and topic so you can showcase specific areas of expertise.
• It’s a different and effective way to engage with your LinkedIn network that not many people/businesses are using.
• Watching someone talking is a good way to build a connection and familiarity.
• Your event is available to watch as a replay, so it has a shelf life beyond the time of the ‘broadcast’.
• You get valuable data from the video, so you can see if you are reaching the right people and businesses.
It’s not just one piece of content:
• Easily repurpose your event to create additional content in different formats. For example, download the video and audio (from StreamYard) and turn them into articles, short video clips, audiograms, podcasts, LinkedIn document posts etc.
• You can also double up and simultaneously stream live to YouTube and Instagram.
What have LinkedIn live videos done for me and my business?
Admittedly, the number of live viewers is relatively modest, but the number of replays ratchets up, particularly as Ayo and I repurpose and promote the replay.
It’s an opportunity to speak publicly on topics about which I’m knowledgeable and that fit my marketing strategy.
Doing the live stream saves time creating lots of new content. From the live, I can generate 4-6 pieces easily to use elsewhere or as new LinkedIn posts.
The comments/questions that come in during and after the live give me fresh ideas and help me angle my content appropriately.
These live videos get mentioned in DMs, emails and in-person events, which means it’s building connection and familiarity.
And inviting people to watch is another way of reconnecting with my network.
Do I get work from doing lives? I have done, yes. While I can’t point to masses of direct leads, I believe it is important in my overall visibility and shows what I’m about.
Live streaming is a bit stressful (for me), but it’s good for keeping me on my toes.
Got a question about LinkedIn live events? Hit reply to this email.
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