The Metacake Video Marketing Checklist for Facebook and Instagram Live
I don’t know if you’ve seen our YouTube channel lately, but we love using video to communicate concepts. And it should be no surprise that Facebook’s algorithm loves video content. Facebook Live took off like a rocket when it launched in 2016. Eight years later, some brands are wondering if going live is still relevant for marketers and business owners. We’re voting yes. Why?
Facebook and Instagram Live are fantastic ways to show authenticity as a brand. Now more than ever, customers seek transparency. Is anything more vulnerable than broadcasting live in front of a large following? Live videos are inherently unproduced and raw, and those are the elements that can help build trust.
With that in mind, read on for our favorite ways to use Facebook and Instagram Live, our checklist for successful video marketing, and a few words of caution!
Using Facebook and Instagram Live for Video Marketing
How you use Facebook and Instagram Live, and what you use them to promote, depends on your brand, but here’s a list of several options we’ve seen successful ecommerce brands use for their video marketing:
- Behind the scenes at your office, headquarters, or store
- Broadcasting company events
- Webinar-style live events educating on how to get value out of your product
- Engaging with brand partners or customers
- New product sneak peeks
- Interviews with team members
- Answering FAQs (this may sound boring, but it’s a big one!)
Checklist of Best Practices for Video Marketing on Facebook and Instagram Live
1. Plan Thoroughly
We’ve all heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Even though live videos are unproduced, you need to have a purpose and a strategy like you would on any other channel.
2. Outline Ahead of Time
Think through what you’re going to say prior to going live.
What’s the purpose of engaging with your audience today? What’s a clear call-to-action you can provide at the end of the video? Of course, you’ll want to be sure your message is relevant to your brand and appropriate for your audience.
Practice and rehearse ahead of time if needed, keeping in mind the short attention span of this medium. If it’s clear this was a spontaneous video with no real purpose, the audience will drop off in the first 10 seconds.
3. Use a Calendar
“Planned spontaneity” may be an oxymoron, but it’s necessary for Facebook and Instagram Live. Schedule your live videos on your marketing calendar alongside other important dates. A great way to build engagement is to go live at the same time each week so your audience will come to expect it and look forward to it.
4. Promote Ahead of Time
Make sure your customers and brand fans know about your live video ahead of time so they know to tune in! You can invite them via email, post about it on your Facebook or Instagram, and encourage them to spread the word. We recommend announcing that you’ll be going live and introducing what’ll be covered a week in advance, then reminding your audience a couple more times throughout the week and the day of.
5. Stay Awhile
Facebook recommends staying on for at least three minutes, but you can technically stay on for up to eight hours. If you still have interesting things to say, keep it going! Paying attention to how long your customers stick around to watch will give you a good idea of how long to talk as well.
6. Engage With Your Audience
Our checklist for successful video marketing wouldn’t be complete without mentioning engagement. Encourage your audience to interact with you by commenting, asking questions, or sending reactions. When they do, thank them by name and engage — fans love the personal element of Facebook and Instagram Live, so use that to your advantage.
Also keep in mind that people will likely join you throughout the video, so it doesn’t hurt to pause midway and bring newcomers up to speed. Your video will remain on your Facebook or Instagram page after the video ends, and it can keep accumulating reactions and comments as more people watch it.
Bonus: Words of Warning
Using Facebook and Instagram Live comes with some risk. The rawness of it means room for huge mistakes if the video isn’t carefully planned and executed.
Be careful who’s running the show! This isn’t a job for the new social media intern or someone who only dabbles in social media from time to time. Mistakes on a live video can put your brand reputation on the line, so make sure it’s run by someone who’s familiar with this space.
The Metacake Video Marketing Checklist for Facebook and Instagram Live: Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, like any other marketing channel, Facebook and Instagram Live videos are all about the content and making sure it’s engaging for the audience. You have the opportunity to communicate things that your fans and potential customers will care about, so plan thoroughly and test a variety of options to find what brings the best engagement.
If you’re needing some help getting started, we’d love to partner with you. Contact us today to get all the support you need. We can give you direction for utilizing our video marketing checklist and making the most of all that Facebook and Instagram Live have to offer.
