Stream Your Product Launch
If a company wants to launch a product, they must coordinate it. In the past this involved hosting an event or buying advertising space in industry magazines and on television. The modern digital world requires a more engaging product-launch experience. Customers and prospects can now learn more about the solution in real-time.
Livestream product launches provide a fantastic way to boost brand visibility and drive sales. Video marketing strategies have been growing in popularity. It’s a natural progression to keep this trend going. Wyzowl has found that 88% are more likely to be convinced by a company’s videos than from reading about it. A similar study found that 73% more people prefer to see short videos about new products than read text articles.
Livestreaming offers something different to liverecorded video content. It allows creators and viewers to communicate directly with their customers, answer any questions they may have, and relay their company’s core beliefs live. Livestreaming also allows viewers to feel closer and more connected to the brands that they support. It will create an incentive to purchase their products.
It is crucial to plan ahead for a successful livestream launch. For you to explore this new avenue of promotion, you will need a strong marketing strategy, a content catalog, and confidence with today’s technology.
This guide will help you stream your product launch globally.
Part I: Before Stream
Research Your Target Audience
Your target audience research is the first step to planning your livestream launch. Analyze your current followers as well as the personas to which you are trying to reach.
Asking specific questions helps you to collect as much information as possible about your customers’ online habits and daily routines. You might ask your potential buyers where they shop. What are their preferred social media platforms and what times do you see them scrolling? What content keeps their attention?
The better you are able to answer these questions, you’ll be able to plan your stream more effectively.
Select Your Platform–or Platforms
Now that you know your target audience and where they frequent to consume content it is time to decide which platform will be most effective in reaching them. There are many options available for brands and social media platforms that offer livestreaming.
You can connect with your followers on the platform they use most. Your livestream must be convenient and easy for them to access. It is essential to select a livestream platform that aligns with your brand’s overall message. Twitch, for example could be a great platform if you want to promote an entertainment product. LinkedIn Live is the best option for B2B tech companies.
What if your audience is spread across multiple social networks? Multistreaming allows companies to reach more people via multiple channels. Multistreaming tools, such Switcher Studio for livestreaming, enable brands the ability to share the same stream to multiple channels simultaneously. One study revealed that 65%+ of live-streaming companies have multi-streamed at least once before. You don’t need to choose.
Schedule your Stream & Work Backward
Now is the time to select the day and hour for your livestream product release. You need to ensure your stream goes live at a time when your followers are online and available. Next, take note of the time zones of your potential viewers and align them with one another for a successful stream worldwide.
You must also allow enough time for promotion and marketing of your virtual event. (We will cover this next. Plan enough time to tease your event, prepare new content and find PR opportunities. Don’t rush to attend any event. Take your time.
However, you do want to keep your audience interested for too long. Three months out could lead to your followers losing interest, or worse, to forget all about your livestream. Your goal is to find a balance between anticipation and keeping your audience active in your big launch.
Once you have determined a streaming time, you can start working backwards to create your marketing campaign. Your promotion ideas can be organized using a social networking scheduling tool. For example, determine when you want to announce an event. Highlight specific days each month to share more details with your audience. This is called a breadcrumb technique.
You can think of a breadcrumb like a new detail about an event or product. This is an approach that will continue to give your followers something exciting to look forward and keep them interested in your livestream launch right up until the end.
Marketing Campaigns
Your livestream launch will be successful if you have a strong marketing campaign. There are many ways you can increase the visibility of your event, from influencer marketing to pay-per–click (PPC), ads and everything in between.
First, think about creating organic content to highlight the value of products and services. You can make short videos or infographics. Your prospects will be inspired to engage with you brand even if they don’t need paid advertising or sponsored content. Outbound marketing techniques are also great for organic content marketing, but these tactics may not work as well.
Next, submit any prelaunch materials that you may have to media outlets for coverage. PR campaigns are a great method to increase brand visibility as well as boost RSVPs for livestream events. Press releases and organic content on your new product can be sent to the top publications within your industry. Your executives will be recognized in the media and interviewed for an exclusive interview.
Cross-promotion to new audiences is possible with media outlets. Get colleagues, social media influencers and industry leaders to spread the word about your event. Return the favor by posting about their work in your company profile. Invite a special guest host to join your stream. This will give you an attendance reach that is greater than your company’s followers.
PPC advertising is a smart way to improve your marketing strategies. These ads are especially effective for reaching people unaware of your offerings.
Your Stream of Success: Brand it and Outline It
You want your livestream professional looking. After all you are trying to sell the product. Small businesses were not equipped with the editing tools or equipment necessary to make livestreams professional. They are lucky that they have a pro-quality digital camera within their reach.
Livestreaming software allows companies to brand their streams through customizable features. It is possible to choose your own colors, personalize it with a logo and include multimedia elements like polls and countdown timers.
Multi-angle streaming techniques are a common way for brands to personalize their product. Livestreaming software is able to connect multiple iOS devices. This allows viewers to see the product from different angles. These features will set you apart from your competitors.
Make sure you pay equal attention to the content flow of the launch. For your viewers to be engaged and active on the livestream, make a bullet-point outline and include CTAs. Last but not least, allow room for audience participation. Find the right balance of preparation and spontaneity.
Part II – During the Stream
Now is the time for your livestream product launches. However, you need to make sure that you have everything you need for success before you press the “stream” button.
Double-check that both your iOS devices are fully charged, and that the Wi-Fi signal is strong. You should test the lighting and sound of your broadcast and ensure you have all your prerecorded and graphics ready to go. These steps might sound obvious but they can make your production less valuable and negatively impact your brand. 67% of livestream viewers think video quality is the most important factor when watching livestreams. Pay attention to these small details.
Once you’re online, the show must go ahead. Now, it’s time to get comfortable with hosting and present your new product. You need to keep an eye on every part of your stream. This includes your comments as well editing tools and live feeds.
First, engage with your participants. Ask questions in the comments section and give shoutouts to the most excited viewers. Your interactions should be personal so that viewers feel included. You can also create a pathway for viewers to learn more information about your company by offering them the opportunity to schedule a one-on-1 call. The closer they feel to the brand, the more valuable.
Make your livestream fun and easy by editing it on-the-spot. A few platforms allow businesses the ability to alter layouts, add prerecorded videos, and change camera angles live. It’s okay to change things up and show different sides of your new venture.
Speaking of fun, who doesn’t love a good surprise! It is always a smart idea to surprise your viewers with a few surprises. To encourage viewers to buy, offer them a discount, early-bird and/or livestream exclusive giveaway.
Part III: After Stream
There are still many opportunities to optimize product discovery and conversions once your stream is done. The best thing about livestreams, is that you can archive them for later use. Successful marketers use their 1- to 2 hour streams to make bite-sized content assets on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. This strategy increases the duration of your stream, and it proves the value to users who have not viewed the stream.
Your product launch event will require you to nurture your contacts immediately. One easy way to keep the momentum going is to send an individual email newsletter to your viewers that ties to the livestream–including screenshots from the stream, references for funny moments or flubs, and other highly personalized references–and ends with a CTA that leads them directly to a purchase page. It could contain a discount code or a gift for thanksgiving.
This guide will assist you in planning your first livestream product release. This marketing strategy allows you to be creative regardless of your experience with streaming. It is important to have creativity when introducing a new product on the market. A well-planned livestream could be the ideal introduction.