Three quarters of brands are now using livestreaming to engage with audiences and the format has grown in popularity this year in the absence of in-person events. Webinars, digital conferences and social media events are enabling marketers to connect with people in new and exciting ways.
There is also a world of possibilities for content creation after the initial stream. Livestreams, whether a short 10-minute session or a packed itinerary of speeches, can be repurposed and repackaged into other types of content that can be published through social media and have a tangible impact on your marketing goals.
Post to other platforms
Livestreams can be made platform agnostic through cross-channel uploads. While you may have hosted the content on Facebook Live, for example, you can then save and upload it to YouTube and republish it on other social platforms to really amplify its reach and power.
This is an affordable way to support your social media marketing strategies as no further investment or post-production is required. A content agency will be able to schedule each of these posts if you are currently outsourcing social media management, which will save you even more time.
Embed video in blogs
Livestreams can be the basis for a blog post or series that explores a topic that you covered in greater detail. YouTube and Facebook both allow you to copy and paste embed codes for your livestream and essentially repurpose it with just a couple of clicks.
After embedding the stream in a blog, you can perhaps answer some of the questions that viewers may have about the subject and provide internal links to other blog posts that expand on what you were saying. Transcribing a live video is another quick and easy way to create a blog from a stream.
Edit clips for bite-size content
Livestreams usually contain a goldmine of quotable insights, facts and statistics, so it makes sense to draw attention to the most important bits. You can do this by using social media tools to trim and edit clips.
Instagram Stories is an excellent resource for turning original streams into memorable content as it allows you to come up with short 10 to 15-second videos with text captions and other eye-catching visual design cues. These captions can give a brief overview of what is being said or covered in a written format.
Standard video editing software can also be used to create clips that can then be disseminated on Twitter with accompanying copy and hashtags. Repurposing clips over a seven-day period can really hammer home the crucial points that were raised during a livestream.
Share screenshots
You don’t even need video to make an impression on social media. A humble screenshot could be enough to excite your customer base, especially if you have a new product or service launch on the horizon.
Using a few screencaps can give audiences a brief window into what your livestream was about. You could also drive clicks here by sharing a link to the full video. The initial screenshot piques interest and then the video follows through. This boosts engagement and, more importantly, uses different forms of the same content to get people from ‘A to B’ in a cost-effective way.
Use branded quote graphics
You can also use quotes and information from livestreams to create branded quote graphics – yet another string to add to your visual content bow. A simple graphic design tool is enough to create a short sentence that could have a lasting impact on your audience. Incorporate your colours and fonts for an additional on-brand touch. You could also use quote graphics in your next infographic alongside any facts or data you want to present.
Tweet written quotes
You don’t need to wait until your livestream is over to repurpose some of the content. During the stream, you can drive engagement by publishing tweets with some of the most pertinent points. Twitter is great for this as you don’t need to add any additional videos or photos to reach a wide audience. Many users will be ready and willing to like, share or comment on the knowledge you have espoused. Twitter hashtags can also increase the reach of simple, written tweets.
Share in email marketing
Email newsletters are yet another channel you can use to promote your livestream after it has aired. Just a quick recap of the event with enticing copy and an embed of the video is usually enough to engage people who may have been interested but weren’t able to tune in initially. This again boosts the reach of your livestreams without any further investment as regular email marketing is something that you are already likely to be pursuing. It brings both formats together seamlessly.
Repurpose into a podcast
Visual can take a backseat for a moment as you instead use the audio from a livestream for a podcast episode. This is easier to do than you think as you can leave the entirety of the audio intact and just add in an intro and closing thoughts section. You could also edit out anything that may not appeal to an audio-centric audience, such as Q&As based on social media comments. If you already have a podcast series up and running, repurposing streams in this way reduces your workload and allows you to focus on promotion.
Create GIFs
While short clips are usually more informative for social media audiences, depending on the subject, you could instead create a few reaction GIFs from fun or quirky moments during the livestream. These GIFs will make your brand more relatable and could even go viral if they hit the right notes. There are a number of online tools available that can be used to create GIFs from video.
These are just some of the ways that you can turn a stream into content that can supercharge your campaigns long after it initially goes live. Experimenting and being creative with your video footage could give you an edge on competitors and support your goals and objectives without any additional investment. It’s a win-win strategy for marketers.
