The New Trend in Social Media Marketing

With the growing popularity of social media “stories,” it is important for marketers to consider this format in their digital marketing strategy. Savvy marketers can make use of live video, one of the most profitable social rollouts to date, to promote engagement and brand awareness. Once again, it is crucial to tailor your marketing strategy to the people, not force the people to engage with your business on your terms.

First Snapchat came out with the concept of “My Story,” then Instagram and Facebook stories were introduced, and now YouTube has unveiled their own story format, “Reels.” In November 2017, Instagram Stories hit 300 million daily active users.
So why the new obsession with stories and live video? For some users, tools like live video create new opportunities to share snippets of their lives with friends, family and followers. But for the more savvy social media entrepreneurs, live video paves yet another smooth path for engagement and brand awareness … and it may be one of the most profitable social rollouts to date.

Following on the heels of Facebook Live, Instagram has established a way to turn your Smartphone into your own personal broadcasting studio. With a swipe of your finger you can take to the social media airwaves for a show-and-tell session of whatever strikes your mind. Instagram can notify your followers each time you start a live broadcast so viewers can tune in. Likewise, Instagram places your live video in a feed for other viewers to watch. But the moment you go off the air, so does everything you just shared.

Think of yourself as a fly on the wall in a real-life instant. There’s no record button, no pause, no reverse, no fast forward – it’s simply living in the moment until that moment passes. And the only record that an event ever occurred is the one in your own memory. Just like real life.

As with other social media channels, businesses can cash in on their established Instagram following by adding live sessions into their social marketing mix. The live sessions allow amateur video enthusiasts a chance to show off what their company is about without feeling the burden of having to produce slick, professional-grade video clips.

Nobody who checks in to watch a live video is expecting high production value. However, there is great opportunity for businesses to perfect the art of live streaming and they are the ones who will probably be the most successful at marketing through this channel.