You would be surprised to know that of the 4.8 billion social media users globally, nearly 37% of users find live videos the most engaging.
If you want to develop a personal and long-lasting bond with your Instagram audience, you should leverage the Instagram live feature on Instagram. How to do that? Don’t worry, we are going to cover it all in this blog.
But before that, you can always consider exploring social media growth services to ensure your follower base is ready for hosting Instagram Live.
We will provide you with a step-by-step guide to going live and some valuable tips on how to connect with your followers on Instagram Live.
Before we start, it’s crucial for us to understand how going live can add value to your Instagram journey, whether you are an influencer, creator, or marketer.
Why Hosting Instagram Live Can Be Valuable?
During Instagram Live, you get to interact with your audience in real time. This helps you build a more personal and authentic connection with them. It gives your followers a glimpse into your personality outside of your regular Instagram posts and reels.
It makes them feel that they are getting to know the real “you” through your interactions with them in the live sessions.
You can also use these live sessions to get real-time feedback from your followers.
Also, live sessions boost your visibility. They prioritize your content in your followers’ feeds and send them notifications when you go live.
How To Go Live On Instagram?
Here is the step-by-step guide you can follow to go live on Instagram:
Step 1: Open Instagram
Launch the Instagram app on your smartphone.
Step 2: Access the Camera
Swipe right from your home feed or tap the camera icon in the top-left corner.
Step 3: Select Live
Scroll through the options at the bottom (Normal, Boomerang, etc.) and choose “Live”.
Step 4: Check Connection
Ensure you have a stable internet connection, as indicated by the “Checking Connection” message.
Step 5: Go Live
Tap the “Go Live” button. Instagram will notify your followers that you’re live.
Step 6: Interact with Viewers
Greet viewers as they join, respond to comments, and use interactive features like Q&A stickers.
Tips To Use Instagram Live To Connect And Engage With Your Followers
Let’s have a look at the quick, actionable tips that you can follow to have a good connection and engagement with your followers during Instagram Live:
- Plan Your Instagram Live Content In Advance
When we say “Plan your content,” we don’t mean that you should have a word-to-word script ready of what you will say on your Instagram.
Instead, have ideas and a concrete plan for the topics you want to cover in your Instagram Live. This will ease your nerves during IG Live, and your it will go smoothly as you won’t go blank thinking about what you want to talk about with your followers.
- Choose The Right Time For Your Live Stream
Let’s assume that you have 4000 followers and go live on Instagram randomly when only 5 of them are online. Will it really fulfill the purpose of your live?
Research the peak time when most of your followers are online so that you can go live and interact with maximum followers.
You can track this data using Instagram insights if you have a business account, but if you have a regular account, try going live at different times of day and see when are most of your followers active.
- Promote Your Instagram Live
One way to ensure that you get the maximum number of people to join your live is by promoting it beforehand.
Roll out creatives on all your social media handles notifying people that you are going go live on Instagram on the mentioned date and time.
- Create Engaging Content For Live
Note that the content you plan for your live is engaging and not monotonous. To make it more engaging, you can include Q&A and polls, go on Live with influencers, and incorporate many more such content ideas.
- Look Into Technical Setup And Preparation
Make sure you have good lighting and clear audio for your Instagram Live. Use natural lights or a ring light and a quality microphone. Test your equipment and internet connections beforehand to avoid any technical glitches.
Have a backup plan for technical issues, such as alternate devices or locations.
- Engage With Your Audience During The Live
A lot of people may join your live at the start, but if you can’t keep them engaged, they will drop out quickly.
Make sure your Instagram Live is interactive for your followers. Ask them questions, answer their questions, and engage with their comment section.
- Be Ready For Challenges And Unexpected Situations During The Live
Some trollers may be in the comment section during the live or some technical glitch may also occur. In situations like these, don’t panic; stay calm and composed.
Have a backup plan for such situations. Adapt quickly and gain the trust of your audience.
- Collaborate With Guests
Collaborate with fellow creators, and industry experts and invite them as guests during your Instagram Live.
This will help you attract their followers and offer them new perspectives. Have relevant discussions with them to make your Instagram live engaging.
- Respect The Time Of Your Followers
Ensure you communicate the time details and duration of your IG Live beforehand to your audience. Start on time and end on time. Don’t stretch the live for too long.
Respect your followers’ time. This will build trust and encourage your audience to attend future sessions as well.
- Survey Your Viewers
Use tools like Instagram stories to conduct surveys and polls to gather feedback after your Instagram Live. Ask viewers about their preferences, what they enjoyed, and what can be improved.
This will help you tailor your future content better to meet audience expectations.
- Be Open To Feedback
A creator needs to come out of their ego bubble and be all ears to constructive criticism. Use the feedback from your audience to enhance your future live sessions.
Being receptive to feedback demonstrates that you value your audience’s input and are committed to continuous improvement.
- Track And Analyse Your Instagram Live
Use Instagram’s built-in analytics to monitor key metrics like viewer count, engagement rate, and audience retention from your live sessions.
Analyzing this data helps you understand what resonates with your audience. This allows you to refine and improve future Instagram Live broadcasts.
Conclusion: Go Live On Instagram
To all the creators, now that you have the right information and strategies to make the most of your Instagram live sessions, what are you waiting for? Use these tips, go live, and connect with your followers like never before.
