Instagram Live was introduced in 2016 and it has been steadily gathering pace. That is until Coronavirus hit and Lockdown was enforced in March 2020, when to be honest, you couldn’t even go onto instagram without accidentally joining a Live because there has been SO many of them.
Of course, a global pandemic is the perfect time to get everyone utilising this new platform, and Instagram has been playing catch up to make it more useful, for example, by ensuring you can save your Live to IGTV afterwards.
Live is the way the world is going, it allows for a more natural conversation and real time interaction which is perfect for a time when social distancing is in play. It is estimated that by 2021, 86% of consumer internet traffic will come from video, so this is a time to embrace it.
Here’s my quick guide on how to go live on Instagram
To start a Live:
Pop onto Instagram, select the Instagram Stories open which is a camera symbol (top left).
Once in there turn your camera around to face you
Slide across to the Live button on the bottom of the screen
You’re Live on Instagram!
To go Live with someone else:
If you’re starting it, wait for the other person to join your live and accept their request to join
If you’re joining, the person inviting you to the Live will go live first. You’ll see them on the top of your home screen with a LIVE written underneath their picture. Join their live and click the button that says ‘request to join’
10 tips for a successful Instagram Live
Ok so let’s take a couple of steps back. Here’s my quick guide on things to think about to promote your live and how to ensure a stress free experience.
Before your live
1 Plan it – try and give a weeks notice so you can promote it on different social media channels and add a little countdown timer on Instagram Stories. Plus you can ask your followers for questions in advance
2 Have a theme or topic to talk about so people know what to expect. This will help to set expectations and allow you to structure the talk too.
3 Collaborate – the best thing about Lives at the moment is the ability to work with another person or brand at the same time. This could be a takeover or a live at the same time with a second person. Find people that you want to work with (who have similar followers and if possible more followers than you) and you can both benefit from this cross marketing activity.
4 Research – Get the questions ready. I literally write them out and stick them to my tripod and it is amazing the number of times I look at them. If you lose your train of thought, it really helps keep you on track.
During your Instagram Live
5 Do not disturb – you have to switch this on before the live otherwise your phone will ring or you will get a text and you will get distracted!
6 Charge your phone. No one wants to be cut off by a low battery.
7 Wear a watch. OMG there is no way to tell the time on there. Has it been 10 mins, or 15. A watch is your saviour.
8 Have fun and go with the flow. If a question naturally arises, roll with it, and incorporate viewers into your chat
9 Expect the unexpected. A technical glitch can happen at any time. Don’t panic, stay online and just prepare to freestyle a little
After your Instagram Live
10 Save it. Please save it. At the end you get the option to post to IGTV – which 100% do. You can also use tools to download your video afterwards to repurpose for YouTube.
Still not sure? Take a look at my blog on How to be confident on camera.
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