A show about the business of being a professional mom.
“Write what you know.”
Mark Twain
It’s a good policy for writing, and the same goes for shows. We are the most passionate about the things we feel we know best, so it makes perfect sense to me that my return to livestreaming is a show about two aspects to me that I know all too well.
Mom + Professional = #TheMomDept
When I’m thinking about doing a new livestream show about real, professional experience as a woman, and then learn I have access to LinkedIn Live, the theme of #TheMomDept was a no-brainer.
I know so many professional women, and a good portion of them are mom-figures in every sense. We navigate the choppy waters of being responsible for multiple aspects of our life, and often of other people’s lives, so there is no end to relevant topics we can explore.
Also, I can’t lie: the draw of making videos on LinkedIn is great, especially as the engagement there is more focused and amplified than on a platform like Facebook. YouTube is great, but right now video on LinkedIn is a small-enough, focused pond where great waves can be made.
What do you want to see?
Upcoming topics for #TheMomDept include:
The Whole Image Thing (make-up, fashion, appearance, etc.)
Dollars and Sense (budgets at work and budgets at home)
Back-to-School Balance…??? (is there such a thing?)
If you have a topic you’d love the show to cover OR if you’re burning to be a guest, email me! You can also InMail me on LinkedIn.
Never were more terrifying words spoken! The idea of being on a live video, in the next five seconds or the next five months, can be daunting and even terrifying. I always encourage preparation to help soothe those pre-live jitters.
That said, the time will come when you know you’re ready to start a livestream broadcast. The content is gold, the timing is ripe, and the audience is ready. So if you know you need to get a livestream up and running in short order, you absolutely can! There are really only about four things you’ll need to get off to a great start.
4 Things
Your smartphone and its apps is your primary tool for livestreaming on the fly.
Smartphone. Those wondrous mini-computers we hold in our hands not only give us access to the world wide web; they also are fully-fledged mobile studios which you can use to create content. Just make sure your battery is fully charged and that your cameras (on both sides) are clean.
Wifi. To broadcast in real-time, your phone will need access to the signal which lets the broadcast be carried forth. Livestreaming apps will typically not allow you to start a broadcast unless the signal is strong enough to at least get started.
Apps which allow livestreaming. The most popular apps you can use to instantly livestream are Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, YouTube, Instagram, and Busker. For each, you’ll need to create a profile (free), and then the apps walk you through how to start a broadcast within just a few steps.
Earbud microphone. You’ll hear me say it repeatedly: your audience will forgive a crappy video if the audio is decent. After all, many people may start a livestream and then simply listen to what is being said, so use the microphone your cell phone carrier included in your smartphone package to be heard loud and clear.
The Helpful Extras
Selfie stick. Your arm is a perfectly acceptable means of holding and positioning your smartphone’s camera, but a selfie stick gives you so much in leverage and range. You can shoot your video from more extreme angles, plus save your arm the fatigue of being extended at length for your longer broadcasts.
Aaron Roth (left) and Rachel Moore (right) livestream in a dark bar using the selfie ring lights.
Ring light. You aren’t always going to be in pristine daylight (or even good lighting for your subject), so having a quick fix for a dark or dim environment can save a broadcast. I adore my selfie ring light from Arkon Mounts, and you will, too! (Use REALLYSOCIAL to get 20% off their website.)
Tripod/Mount. If you don’t need to hold your device for the broadcast, use a tripod or device mount to create a steady shot while you roam free in the shot range. I always love the octopus-style mounts, which you can attach to just about anything to create an effective angle. (Arkon is also a great resource for these helpful items.)
The more comfortable you get with livestreaming, the more you’ll want to add on the extras for a superior broadcast.
If you’re in Denver this October and want to learn more about how to livestream, don’t miss our workshop: “From Broadcast to Podcast!” A few seats are still available, so sign up today.
What are your favorite tools for going live? Comment below!
You may be thinking the last thing you’d want to do is get on a live video. I get it. Really, I do.
There are tons of reasons to not go live. You may not like your appearance. What will you say? What if you stutter or misspeak? What if no one watches? What if you start getting spammed by trolls? What if you think it went great, but the higher-ups don’t like what you did?
Fair enough. Those are all completely valid reasons not to go live. For 2016, those excuses worked just fine and held off the inevitable. But guess what?
It’s 2017. Time to livestream.
Your content is probably pretty good… maybe even great. Your audience and fans may have loved it thus far. But here are some hard facts about why video matters to you:
Facebook users are 10x more likely to comment on your livestream than on any other type of post;
Your live video will get watched 3x as long as a video which is pre-recorded;
If you’re into anecdotes, I have one for you: regardless of what I’m broadcasting about, every single Facebook Live video from my Page has achieved at minimum 3x more reach and engagement than every other type of post.
In our weekly #LetsLivestream chat + broadcast, we welcomed nuggets of wisdom by Brian Fanzo, each of which reinforced why livestreaming is going to continue to be a big deal into this new year.
Now that you’re taking livestreaming seriously (begrudgingly or otherwise), let’s break this down: it doesn’t have to be hard to go live. No one is expecting you to take to the camera like a 30-year broadcasting veteran. In fact, the more authentically you livestream, the more your fans will want to interact.
To get you started, here are 4 ways you can easily plot your livestreams into your brand’s strategy in 2017:
Demonstrations & How-To’s
You’re the expert at your business, so naturally you understand how your products and services function. Remembering that your customers aren’t yet experts is important to how you perform your sales and service. Figuring out how to translate what’s in your brain into something they can use is always a challenge.
Livestreaming video can give you direct access to show your customers, in real time, how to use what your company provides. As you use live video to demonstrate, viewers can comment, ask questions, and even share the video with their friends and fellow customers.
YOUTUBE is a natural platform for videos which provide how-to instructions and demonstrations. As the 2nd largest search engine, next to Google, your branded and instructional livestreams can be watched and circulated repeatedly.
Be.Live launched their livestream community site via Facebook Live press release.
Announce News
Not so many years ago, hiring a public relations expert or using a press release tool was the proper way to get the word out about your business or brand. You’d have it written up, complete with headline and eye-catching information, and issue it in the hopes that news outlets or journalists would find it interesting enough to “pick it up.”
Welcome to the future! Now companies can generate their own news by publishing announcements and deliver it to the masses through social media. By announcing your major updates via livestream, you can hold your own press conference to established brand fans and potential customers and connections. Take questions, provide links, and tag/mention any partners who collaborate with your company.
TWITTER is an outstanding choice for announcing news with its instant connection to journalists, news outlets, and just about everyone. You aren’t restricted by friends or connections on Twitter, and now you can #GoLive from within the Twitter app.
Broadcast Events
When your brand holds an event, you have a unique opportunity to give your customers a new level of access. Instead of reaching you via phone, email, or even social media, they can now shake hands with the staff who serves them and the masterminds behind manufacturing your products.
However, as with any event, you will inevitably have those who would like to attend yet can’t make it. You may also have customers on the fence about attending your events to partake in the activities. By livestreaming teasers and highlights of your company’s event, you can increase anticipation, promote attendance, and give access to your audience.
PERISCOPE is well-established as a platform for livestream events. With its connection to Twitter and the ability to go fully public to anyone online, start broadcasting your event and field comments, questions, and remind viewers to share to their circles so more can partake of the access.
Look to Your FAQs
Whether or not you have a list of frequently asked questions, you know the ones we’re talking about: you can recite the answers by heart because the queries happen so often. A FAQ is the perfect place to start for when you don’t know what to go live with.
Mine your reviews, online comments, customer service cases, and sales notes to learn what most customers ask as they discover your products and services. Once you go live with the question and answer, you’ll have a timeless resource—via video—to refer your customers to when they need answers.
FACEBOOK is a natural fit for engaging with just about anyone (since just about everyone uses it), and going live with the goal of explaining concepts about your brand will serve you well. You can go live from your Facebook Page, a Profile, a Group, or even an Event.
Still not convinced? That’s OK.
But do me a favor: will you at least lurk a bit in a place where we chat about live video and why it has tons of potential?
Starting today, there’s a new Twitter chat in your Wednesday timeline. I’m proud to introduce
#LetsLivestream!
It all began…
…a few months ago when I started up my weekly Blab show, Laugh & Learn. While I adore Blab, Twitter is still my daily go-to social media platform. Part of my leaning toward the tool of 140 character limits comes from these awesome, lively conversations known as Twitter Chats.
Starting last fall, I began to dip my toe into a few Twitter Chats in an effort to learn more from social media influencers and increase my engagement. Dipping ultimately turned into full submersion as I tweeted full throttle in chats like #ViralChat, #MediaChat, #SocialRoadTrip, #InfluencerChat, and a few others.
Recognizing a need.
As I dedicated more effort into livestreaming video, I noticed that there really weren’t any Twitter Chats dedicated to the topic. Sure, they’d come up based on a guest or isolated weekly topic in an existing Chat, but Twitter didn’t seem to have a home for a dedicated conversation about livestreaming.
Now, let me pause a moment and voice what you might be thinking: Rachel, it’s livestreaming video. Twitter doesn’t natively host livestreaming video, though it will display a live Periscope broadcast. So why would a Twitter Chat about livestreaming video be relevant?
I hear you. That, in addition to the commitment of time and energy it would take to get a Twitter Chat started, all seemed like great reasons to sit back and let someone else figure it out.
Oh, and one more thing: have you ever searched for hashtags including words like “live” and “video?” If you do, make sure you’re not on a computer where browsing history will matter.
Taking a leap.
This brings us to a few weeks ago when another Twitter Chat came on to the scene: #ChatSnap. I recall seeing the promotions for it and learning about how its host, Kristy Gillentine, was encouraged by our mutual friend Madalyn Sklar to “just go for it!” She did, and #ChatSnap has been a resounding success: filling a need by taking a leap.
That was it for me. I’m an entrepreneur, and a lover of change, which means pulling the trigger doesn’t take much prompting. A week ago, I decided to “go for it” and today will be the first of many #LetsLivestream Twitter Chats (Wednesdays, 3pm ET).
Want to save your livestream video for other uses? Click on the tool icon below to see a short how-to video.
Snapchat
Periscope
Facebook
Blab
Is there anything you’ve been wanting to do but just aren’t sure if you should take the first step? Share it in a comment below; you may be surprised at how the reasons why outnumber the reasons why not.
