Live video is in its infancy. But it is already having an impact as these examples show.
By Dan Slee
For a while now I’ve been flagging-up how video is making a huge impact on the media landscape.
I’ve also been keeping a weather eye on live video and its growing impact. It’s something I’ve blogged on before because I think we’re only just starting to explore how we can use it.
Why bother with live?
Quite simply, it is worth bothering with live because you can use it in a unique way. The optimum length for a live broadcast is a lot longer than the 21 seconds that work best in a Facebook timeline and 15 seconds on Twitter. Anything up to 30-minutes works well. This means you have more time and space to tell a story and engage the audience.
In addition, Facebook at the moment is rewarding live users to encourage the market. Post live from your page and you reach more of your audience. Twitter’s Periscope app is also part of the landscape.
Five live videos with ideas you can pinch
A NASA Rocket launch… for the launch
Yes, yes. I know you don’t have a $25 million dollar space rocket to punt into the sky just for the audience. But the idea here is that something is about to happen. Stick with us. It’s coming. Don’t go away. How would that work with you? A launch? An unveiling? Why would be people stick around.
A ride in a police helicopter… for behind-the-scenes access
West Midlands Police used a 360 degree broadcast using Twitter app Periscope. That’s just showing off. But what is useful is the idea of a behind-the-scenes tour. How would that work for you? A museum? A library? A calls centre? An exhibition sneak peak?
University of Cambridge… for a tour
Kelly Quigly-Hicks used Facebook Live to show people what Jesus College Cambridge looks like. This gives a flavour of the venue. How about you? A police custody block? A historic building? A new leisure centre?
Birmingham Mail Big Sleuth Bears… for partnering and a sneak peak
In summer 2017, bears were placed across Birmingham to encourage families to explore their city. Brightly painted you could tick them off a list. The arts scheme was staged as a fun fundraiser by the Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital charity. Rather than start from scratch they enlisted the help of Birmingham Mail’s almost 300,000 Facebook page followers. It doesn’t have to be on your Facebook page.
For clamping down on drug use… for showing the audience what you are doing
Newcastle City Council have done some great work with video. But the topic doesn’t always have to be uncontroversial. Drug use in parts of the city is a problem. So, here they tell people about what they are doing about dropped needles in the Byker area of the city. How could that work for you? Are you doing something about something grim?
An ice cream opera… for livestreaming an event
When an event took place in the city centre Bradford City Council used Facebook Live to broadcast it. The position of the camera maybe isn’t the best. But they do show how an event that is unfolding can connect to people online. What do you have coming up?
We’ll be in Manchester to talk you through some of the do’s and don’ts of live video. How to take your first steps and how to shoot good content. We’ll look at BBC live guidelines and how you can adapt them. I’ll be joined by our Steven Davies to deliver SKILLS YOU’LL NEED FOR LIVE VIDEO in Manchester on September 27. Find out more here.
Dan Slee is co-founder of comms2point0.
Picture credit: SDASM / Flickr.
Original source – comms2point0 free online resource for creative comms people – comms2point0