How To Go Live on Facebook + Instagram

What a crazy month it’s been. I hope you are finding ways to make the best of your situation and staying positive. While adjusting to this new normal has been full of frustrations, surprises and also silver linings, our team here at Creativ has noticed a trend on social media that's getting our digital nerd selves very excited. 

Everyone is experimenting with Live Videos on Facebook and Instagram!

So far, we’ve seen everything from quick updates from mom & pop shops to full live concerts streamed from living rooms. 

One of our music clients went live on Facebook for the first time during this time at home. His one hour performance generated over 11,000 views, 600 reactions, and 1,500 comments, and held a steady viewership of around 350 people during the show. 

Since then, fellow band members have followed with their own shows and participated in the Songwriters in Paradise SIP SIP Carolina concert streamed through StageIt.com this past weekend. The show, organized by Patrick Davis, benefited two South Carolina charities dedicated to helping those on the front lines of COVID-19 and allowed musicians who’ve been sidelined because of canceled events to get tips. The concert featured a fantastic lineup of musicians connected to our state, including Lewis & Lee Brice, Edwin McCain, Wyatt Durrette (songwriter for Zac Brown Band), Charlton Singleton (member GRAMMY award winning band Ranky Tanky), Sadler Vaden (guitarist for Jason Isbell) and many more.  

So are you getting in on the Live action? 

Why Go Live?

Due to our current circumstances, time spent on these platforms is much higher than usual. Getting personal through a Live video with your audience not only entertains them, but it also gives you a way to reach people while they’ve got the time to watch. It’s also a way to stay relevant and top of mind if you’ve had to adjust how your business operates on a daily basis, so you won’t lose traction once you’re ready to reopen fully. 

There are many ways to use these channels at your disposal to your benefit during this time. In fact, we’d argue it’s crucial that you do. Live videos are a great way to get out of your comfort zone and do something different to continue to engage your customers. 

Your audience wants to see your face on your social channels, especially if you have a business where your customers are accustomed to seeing it. That’s true regardless of whether we’re experiencing a global pandemic or not. Many of us don’t think twice about face to face interactions in normal times. We may have even taken them for granted before this. Even so, I know that something happens when that face to face interaction occurs through phone and computer cameras. It can be awkward, even panic inducing, but what you’re doing is no different than what you do every day. 

Take this opportunity to step outside your comfort zone!

Part of the beauty of social media is that it’s social. Experimenting with a Live video doesn’t mean you’re about to have to direct a Scorsese picture for your social media audience; you’re just speaking with them through a different channel. Don’t take it any more seriously than your regular conversations with your customers. In other words, be yourself and try to relax a little about the whole thing.

If you’re up for it, we encourage you to give it a try. Below is a quick guide to help you jump in on the action. We’ve also included some tips and things to know before you get started. 

Facebook or Instagram? 

You can broadcast live from many platforms, but these two are the most popular and the ones we recommend starting with. Hopefully, you have an audience on these channels and are engaging with them consistently already. 

Some Tips on Choosing One or the Other

• Choose one to start, but use both to promote your upcoming Live video.

• You can’t go live simultaneously on both platforms from the same device.

• Facebook allows you to save your Live video, which means once your broadcast is over, it will continue to live on your feed as a post for anyone to rewatch as they please.

• Instagram also allows you to save your video once it’s over, but only to your camera roll and without any comments or reactions. The interaction with the audience is often the fun part, so that’s something to consider if you’re engaging with your audience. You could use the basic video and reformat it for the feed or an IGTV post later, but it will take you a few extra steps before you can share it in full. 

• For your first video, start with where your audience is. If you use one platform more than the other, it makes more sense to keep it consistent and use the same one for your Live video.

• If you want to invite someone to go Live with you but you aren’t physically with them, only Instagram allows you to do that. We’ll show you how below.

What Should You Do During Your Live Video?

We know not everybody’s a musician, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have something to offer your audience. Of course you do! Choose a theme for your video or a topic to focus on that can keep your conversation on track. 

Some Ideas

Host a Q&A or “Ask Me Anything” session about you and your business. Thank your audience for supporting you these past few weeks and give an update on how you and your team are doing. Have a discussion with or interview someone related to your work, whether that’s a vendor, a team member, or someone you interact with regularly and allow your audience to chime in with questions. (May want to do this one through Instagram while we’re social distancing since you can split your Live video between two people). Walk people through the steps of how something is made or show them what’s going on behind the scenes to give a little bit of insight into everyday life at your business. 

Pro Tip: Think about a recurring series you can do and schedule out a few Live videos ahead of time. Space each broadcast out and you’ll see your viewer counts build over time. 

Promote Your Broadcast Ahead Of Time

Pick a date and time and let your audience know in advance that you’ll be going Live. Give you followers a chance to ask questions, make requests, or give suggestions that you can then address during your broadcast. 

If you have a following on Facebook, create a Facebook Event for your broadcast. Send out an email if you have an email list. Tell your friends!

How To Go Live on Facebook

1. Navigate to your Page like you are going to post and select the “Live” button. 

2. Give Facebook access to your camera and microphone when prompted.

3. Switch to "Live" on the bottom of your camera screen.

4. Choose your privacy and posting settings.

5. Write a description. Take advantage of this space to include relevant links, Venmo handles if you’re in an industry that works for tips, or other information.

6. Set your camera's orientation.

7. Click the blue "Start Live Video" button to start broadcasting. You’ll get a 3 second countdown.

8. Interact with viewers and commenters.

9. You can pin a comment so that everyone watching your broadcast sees it while everyone else’s comments keep scrolling. Use that for any relevant links or info you want everyone to see while they’re tuning in. To pin your comment, write something in the comment box, and when it shows up in the thread, hold your finger on it for a second until you see the option to pin it. 

10.  Click "Finish" to end the broadcast.

11.  Select “Save” to keep the Live video posted on your Timeline. 

How to Go Live on Instagram

1. Open your Instagram account and tap on your profile picture like you are posting a Story.

2. Tap on the Settings wheel in the top left corner to check that your settings are how you want them.

3. On the bottom where it says “Normal”, swipe to the left until “Live” is highlighted.

4. From there, you’ll see how many followers are currently active on the top of the screen, you’re able to choose a filter by swiping right next to the Live button if you’d like to, and flip your camera to and from selfie mode through the camera icon in the bottom right corner.

5. Note: Instagram is a mobile app, so you want to make sure you're recording Vertically so people don’t have to turn their heads to the side. 

6. Hit the “Live” button when you’re ready to begin. 

7. Once you’re live, you’ll see some features to help you engage with your followers. Comments will begin appearing at the bottom of your screen. 

8. You can invite someone to join you on your broadcast by clicking the button with the two smiley faces. 

Things to Remember 

• Make sure your Internet / WiFI connection is strong so your broadcast doesn’t get interrupted.

• You can do a Facebook Live video through an iPad or a laptop, but we recommend doing it from your smartphone. It’s less fussy that way.

• Once you go Live, give everyone a minute or so to join you before you dive into your topic.

• Act naturally! It’s ok to let your viewers know this is new for you. It’s humanizing!

• Check in on the comments every now and then and respond to them or call out some people who are watching. Engaging in this real time two way conversation is the great benefit of a Live video. 

• Try to use your Live videos to chat about something a little more in depth. Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes Live videos in general, but also those that last beyond the 15 minute mark. 

Are you ready to get started? Can’t wait to tune in!

Dear Lowcountry Business Owners,

Strange times we’re living in...

I hope you’re hanging in there during this time of uncertainty and doing your best to stay positive.
I’ll admit, yesterday wasn’t great for me, either. It was the first day that the realities of an impending recession and the future of my business and those of the people I care about all kind of hit me for real. But... before Day 1 of working from home in "self-quarantine" completely got the best of me, I caught myself.

Negativity is not my vibe. And as soon as I did, I realized something. 

There’s a silver lining to this Coronavirus situation for us small businesses, and you may not even be aware of it. Two things are at work here:

1) People are home across the country, semi-isolated, and getting more bored by the minute, so social media use is up even more than it usually is during times of crisis. And,

2) what we are going through right now with COVID-19, we are all going through together. 

While some of us aren’t completely convinced that how we fare through this is dependent on our collective actions (or inaction...), we’ve undoubtedly felt varying degrees of the same emotions. Some of us have more at stake than others, but at the very least, we’ve all paused to consider what to do next.

Under these circumstances, all of a sudden, we’re being forced to return to the basics in our communications. We’re simplifying our messaging and speaking to each other again, human to human.

So amidst all this uncertainty, what have we actually done?

Well, it’s actually pretty awesome. Everywhere you look, people within our community are supporting each other the best way they know how. We’re responding to a constant cycle of changing CDC guidelines and new developments coming out of federal, state, and local press conferences, and becoming more adaptable than ever. We're making decisions quickly, but thoughtfully. We’re looking at every move we make through the lens of how it will affect the people closest to us; our employees, our guests and customers, our families, and our neighbors. But this whole time, we’ve been so consumed with this uncertainty that we haven’t even allowed ourselves the time to appreciate that there is some good in what’s happening... and all there is to gain.

There is so much you’re gaining.

As you’ve put yourself in your customers’ shoes to determine what steps to take to ensure their safety and make them more comfortable, you’ve changed your perspective from selling to them to serving them, which is how you will win. 

As you’ve paused your ad campaigns and reevaluated your P&Ls in favor of redistributing dollars to save towards your employees’ potential lost wages, or to stretch out funds to make payroll for longer, you’ve demonstrated your commitment to your team and those who help your business thrive, which is how you will win. 

As you’ve read and reread statements before posting them publicly, you’ve shifted your attention from what it is you want people to know, to how it will be received and how helpful it is to the person reading on the other end, which is how you will win.  

As you’ve pivoted your operations and brainstormed new ways to bring value to your customer, you’ve demonstrated your ability to be agile, your dedication to your community, and your resilience. This is how you will win. 

Keep doing what you’re doing.

Don’t forget that oftentimes, the most extraordinary circumstances are the ones that force us back to the fundamentals that have anchored our success since the beginning. Not that it will be easy, but humanizing how your business acts and communicates now is how you will survive (and thrive!) in the future. It almost blew me away when I realized that this virus is what it has taken for us to get back to being human on social media, but maybe that was the only way we were going to be saved from ourselves. 

Communicate transparently, demonstrate and share value to the people you serve, and their loyalty to your business won’t be far behind. Trust that people will see that you're doing the best you can. In a time when we’re physically more isolated than ever, be the leader that brings us closer together by prioritizing human connection, transparency, and empathy within your circle of influence. Keep hanging in there and let us know how we can help.

Most importantly, stay positive, spend some time outside, and don’t overthink it.

We’re all in this together and we’ll get through it that way, too.

We're here for you. 

Links That May Be Helpful

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

What's in the House Coronavirus Relief Bill for Small Businesses (Inc Magazine)

Get help from Lowcountry Local First to Promote Your Business in Charleston.

For Restaurants in Charleston: Get Active.

For Restaurants: Sign the Aid For Workers in Charleston Petition

3 Things to Do Before You Discount

This post first appeared in the January 2020 issue of Markeating, a monthly email to restaurants + small businesses with tips, post ideas and more, focused on the local Charleston community. Sign up for it at creativsocial.com/markeating

It’s Restaurant Week again. 

There are few things I love more than a celebration around food, especially when it’s in the spirit of supporting local businesses and Chefs, but if you know me, you know I have mixed feelings around this popular event (read them here). After working through my ambivalence, I’ve realized it’s because this promotion is an example of one thing local businesses the world over do that drives me the most crazy: discounting. 

I can’t think of one good reason to ever discount as a local business. Yes, even though everybody does it. Yes, even though your customers and guests might expect it. I mean literally never. They expect it because we train them to.

A few weeks ago, I spoke with a former corporate executive at Chick-Fil-A who was sharing his insights into why their company was in a whole different league when it came to raving fans. This nerd (me, not him) was ecstatic to hear that they attribute their uncompromising commitment to brand value as a core catalyst to their success. Theoretically, this is nothing new, but it’s not always easy to remain unfaltering in this regard in practice, especially when it means you zag when everyone else zigs. 

So, while, I understand you probably won't wake up tomorrow and decide to never discount again (even though I challenge you to try in 2020!), maybe you will consider committing to doing three things before you decide to knowingly undervalue your product or service from this day on:

3 Things to Try Before You Discount

Tweak / Add Value To Your Experience

Brand value comes from overdelivering on expectations. To do that well, you need to know your baseline. Find out why people actually continue to buy what you’re selling. For most businesses, it’s never about the transaction but how you’ve made that person consistently feel. What can you add before or after the transaction that surprises your customer? Can you host an event that makes an experience with you more memorable? Maybe it’s a simple as a follow up note to past customers that genuinely seeks to find out how they’re doing since you’ve seen them last. 

Seek Out A Local Partner to Cross Promote With

There’s power in collaborating, especially if you find a local partner with an audience that shares interests with your own, but it has to be meaningful. Maybe it’s packaging your products or services together to give customers something new. Maybe it’s doing something that gives back to a cause important to you and your customers, that can turn a regular visit to your business into one that’s driven by purpose. 

Give Something Away… FOR FREE!

The fact is, the reason why so many people discount is because it’s easy. It’s also validating to see a spike in traffic, whereas a gradual loss in brand value and perception on the part of your customers is much more intangible. Making something half off for a limited time seems like a better alternative to giving something away for free entirely because maybe it feels like at least some dollars are still coming in.

This is a trap. Value is subjective and especially when it comes to price. Someone’s $20 deal is another man’s $100, and if he has no need for what you’re selling or it doesn’t make him feel how he wants to feel right then, neither price matters. 

Luckily for you, giving something away for free is just as easy as discounting.

If you do it strategically (low cost, high value) and selectively, it makes people feel special. If you add a layer of making it personal, giving away something for free can even become something they talk about with their friends. You’ve surprised and delighted them. 

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Here are some easy ways to do that as soon as you get to the end of this email:

• Open Instagram, search “Charleston ', hit Places, go to Recent and DM 10 people, inviting them to redeem something for free at your business over the next couple of days by showing you this message (Shamelessly took this out of Gary Vaynerchuck’s playbook, so let me know how it goes).

• Read this month's Spotlight below. Page’s recently gave something away for free in a way that excited people, but also gave them valuable insight into their guest preferences.

• Empower your managers or employees and make them look good to their friends. Ask them to hand out their business card and invite a handful of people to redeem something for free.