Going live on Instagram - what you need to know!

When Instagram was launched more than 10 years ago, nobody could foresee how enormously popular the platform would become. Although the app focuses on photos and stories, short and longer videos can also be created, which can increase your Instagram reach many times over. Alongside classic posts with photos or short videos, the option to create live videos has been available since 2016. In this article you will learn why it can make sense to look more closely at live videos and what you should keep in mind when creating one.

Why should I go live on Instagram?

Instagram is a social media platform where like-minded people find each other. Followers specifically look for accounts that either share their own interests or have a certain reputation. Companies that already enjoy a very good reputation find it easier to gain followers than founders who have just started. The same applies to accounts of private individuals. Accounts that can already show a large number of followers easily attract further subscribers. If the account has only just been created, trust must first be built up laboriously. Learn more about how to get more followers. This is the basic principle Instagram is about: building trust. Alongside regular posting, content and the quality of posts play an essential role.

What to consider with Instagram Live

Your post should be clear and high quality so you win your followers' trust. The live function of Instagram in particular is well suited to involving your fan base in real time. This gives you the opportunity to communicate with them, answer questions as they arise and build a bond. Don't forget that your followers subscribed to your account for specific reasons. With the live function you can show your human side and thereby convey a high degree of authenticity to your subscribers.

Get live feedback from your fans

Another advantage of live streams is not only real-time communication with your fan base, but also their immediate feedback. They can likewise tell you in real time what you could do better and which aspects work excellently. You can now use this information to build your brand better. You gain fresh inspiration and, on the other hand, show appreciation to your fan base. If you already have a company and are trying to sell your services and products, the live function also gives you the opportunity to respond directly to customer wishes. You build trust and a relationship with your subscribers and potential target group. Through the live stream you have the opportunity to enter into a personal conversation directly with your target group. They can get to know you better, and you can get to know your community as well. You can use this opportunity to build closeness and a more intense bond.

So how is Instagram Live best used?

You can use the live stream, for example, to present a product or service directly. If you present a product, you can combine it with a tutorial and first show your community what the end result looks like and second explain in more detail how your target group can best use the product. If you succeed in creating engaging videos and convincing your potential customers of the product, you can also increase your revenue straight away. Once they are convinced of the product, you can assume they will place an order with you soon. This can increase your turnover enormously. In addition, you can use live streams to share your knowledge and back up your expertise. Live rooms in particular give you the opportunity to bring in additional experts and thereby reinforce your image once more. In this way you not only convey information about your product, but go one step further. Perhaps you offer vegan products? In that case your experts can shed light on exactly this aspect and present the production in more detail. Through the live stream you can noticeably increase your visibility on Instagram, because your subscribers immediately receive a notification that you are going live. In addition, this video is stored in your story for 24 hours and can be accessed there later in case a subscriber missed it. The live stream is thus available to a larger audience and can significantly increase your own reach. These aspects are indispensable if you want to make your brand better known through the social network. Making use of Instagram's many functions helps you achieve more success; besides live streams you can also find new subscribers with Reels, for example. Here you learn everything you need to know about Instagram Reels.

The live room function

Until now only one other person could be included in the live stream. With the live room function you can even integrate two additional participants. This benefit is of course especially suitable if you want to give qualified answers to questions and thus run a question-and-answer stream. Either you bring in experts and reinforce your brand that way, or you can introduce your own company in more detail through a talk-show format.

Guide - How can you go live on Instagram?

Before you start with your first live video, you should check your settings, because there you can make basic settings that will matter later on. First open the Instagram app, go to your story and select the live function from the lower area. The live mode is on the left side. Tapping it centres it. If you now tap the gear symbol, you go straight to the settings. In the left sidebar you have the option to set a title, choose a non-profit organisation, define the target group, start a practice video and fix the start plan of the video. But the options are by no means exhausted, because in the lower area a wide range of filters and background colours appear that you can choose for your video. Here are a few more tips on Instagram Live.

Hide the comments

As a side note, you can also keep inappropriate comments out of the stream. You can set this option in the settings. To do so, open your profile, tap the three bars at the top right and open the settings. In the settings go to the "Privacy" area and there select "Interactions". There you have the option to switch off comments. You have two options here: either you don't display any comments at all, or you restrict this function to certain types of comments.

What should I prepare?

A good way to find out how such videos should run is to watch live videos from other people. Ideally these are accounts that enjoy a very good reputation and already have a large fan base. Watch these live videos in advance and think about how you can implement that in your own videos.

Think about when your target group is online

If you have a professional account, you can use the "Insights" function to get precise statistics on when your target group is most likely to be online. Only if you choose the optimal time will you reach the majority of your target group and be able to connect with them.

Check your internet connection

An ideal internet connection is a basic requirement before you can start recording your video. Otherwise you risk images and sound not being transmitted correctly. Such transmission errors can have serious consequences. In extreme cases you may even lose a loyal community, because they assume you are not making enough effort with your videos and cannot produce professional ones.

Prepare your smartphone for your live video

You should also prepare your smartphone or iPhone for designing your video. Make sure in advance that your video is not interrupted by other disturbances. Switch off all notifications and make sure you are not interrupted by calls. Such interruptions can also negatively affect the quality of your video and lead to a scenario similar to a poor internet connection. Don't forget the battery level either: make sure your smartphone is fully charged so it doesn't give up in the middle of the video. If it does, there is a high chance that your target group will no longer be interested once you switch it back on. To record the video you should use a tripod so you can create a steady video. Products equipped with lighting are best suited here. Under these conditions you have the optimal prerequisites to concentrate fully on content and quality during your video.

What you need to consider before going live

The run sheet is about the most important thing for starting your live recording. Like an essay, you should first think carefully through the structure of your video and consider what you want to say and, above all, at what point you share this information with your community. You should also think about the questions you want to answer, but also deal with questions that could simply come up. If you present a product, you basically only need to put yourself in the situation of your potential customers and consider which questions you would ask yourself. You should think through these questions thoroughly in advance and work out the answers.

Set up a practice account

A good way to test all facets of a live video is a practice account. Be careful here, however, because it should not be linked to your actual account. Here you can test all kinds of functions, try out how you find your own videos and make any improvements. The transmission or the tripod can also be tested here without problems and checked for functionality. Inform your target group in good time about your upcoming video. It is best to integrate this function directly into your Instagram story. You should also mention the topic and format at this point, so your target group knows exactly what to expect. You can even add a countdown sticker. Your subscribers can save it and are then informed immediately before your live video actually starts. You can also rehearse your behaviour in advance in your practice videos. Use them to shake off any nervous mood before you move on to the real live streams. Your broadcast videos should convey trust and authenticity, and you only achieve that if you come across naturally and behave normally. Your community follows you not only because they are convinced by your products or services, but also because they like you as a person and have built a relationship with you. Be natural in your videos so your community continues to be enthusiastic. Especially at the start it can make sense to involve another person in the live video. This may make you feel more confident yourself, and with two people on screen a good conversation arises automatically. The image and the information conveyed are also reinforced this way. A nice side effect of this strategy is that you can give yourself a breather and think about where to start next while your conversation partner takes over the speaking part. The greeting is also an important prerequisite so your audience already knows what to expect from the video before it even begins. Alongside a polite welcome and a friendly goodbye, it is important to make clear at the start of the video which information you want to share with them. You should also tell them right at the beginning that you answer questions at any time or that questions can be asked in the chat. This gives them the chance to possibly stay in the video longer so they can ask their open questions at the end. Ensure a distraction-free environment. Choose a quiet place and make sure you have a secure internet connection. Loud noises from the next room are just as out of place here as jerky images. As indicated above, an optimal environment increases the quality of your videos. In the story the videos disappear after 24 hours and your audience can no longer access them. However, there is the option to save your live streams as IGTV. This way your community can also refer back to them at a later point.

What types of live streams are there?

As mentioned further up, question-and-answer videos are one option for addressing your target group's questions in more detail. If you present certain products or services in your posts, questions can come up. Compared with pure posts made of images and text, videos have the quality of seeming more trustworthy and authentic. Questions inevitably arise from pure image-and-text posts, which you can take as an occasion to address in these videos. This also tells you immediately which problems and challenges your target group is currently struggling with. Another effect of these questions and answers is that your personality and your company move more into focus. This allows your community to identify more strongly with you. Once they have built a strong bond, the chances are good of winning new customers this way.

Give a look behind the scenes through your live videos

Today customers no longer buy the cheapest product, but rather from companies whose personality and values they can identify with. The more customers learn about a company, the stronger their identification with you and your company. So what could be more natural than introducing yourself and your company in more detail in a video, talking about your daily routine and putting your values or visions in the foreground?

Create informative interviews

If you opt for interviews, you can involve another person in the video. For example, you can choose someone with special expertise in a field. This greatly increases your credibility and can strengthen the trust placed in you. Interviews have another advantage too: normal television interviews are post-produced and edited. Unimportant details as well as more detailed explanations are cut out. You do not have this option on Instagram, which has its good side. It further underlines your credibility and earns a high level of trust. These aspects attract followers and ultimately convince them. If you choose another person to go live with, this multiplies your reach. Not only your own followers are automatically informed about the live broadcast, but also all followers of the people you involve in the video. The community thus grows many times over almost by itself. It doesn't get any better than that.

Use live videos to present products and grow your turnover

This option is worth considering not only for companies but also for influencers. On both sides reach can be increased and turnover grown. Live videos in particular offer an optimal way to go into a service in more detail or to present a new product to the audience in detail. The community thus experiences the products first-hand and sales can be effectively supported. This approach is especially sensible for products that need a lot of explanation.

Events for live videos

Ultimately, theme videos or seasonal videos (Christmas, Easter) are also an option. This further strengthens the existing bond with the community and shows followers a high level of appreciation.

Conclusion:

Many companies, solo self-employed people, but also private individuals have recognised the potential of live streams for themselves and implement it on Instagram. With a professional presence you can multiply your company's turnover, increase reach and achieve a strong identification with your personality and your company. If you also ask other participants to support your live stream, you can increase your reach even further. Beyond pure product presentations, you can conduct interviews or give your audience a look behind the scenes. Live video recordings, transmitted in real time, show the audience appreciation and can be used to stay informed about current challenges and problems of the target group. You can in turn pick up these aspects to build your brand more efficiently and gain more likes as well as reach.