Why Going Live Matters
Going live on social media matters! We use going live in our business for a variety of reasons. It's been an essential part of our business since we started 2 years ago. Matt jokes and says it's "the booty hole of our business... crap doesn't happen without it!" (He used other words, but you get the point. Haha)
First, it allows for real-time interactions with viewers, followers, and customers. This instant feedback and engagement creates a sense of community and connection. We joke and say that we like our TikTok community more than we like most people in our "real lives"... and it's true! The relationships that we have built through going live have become our drive on hard days, our reason for getting into the office, and our WHY.
Second, going live can help build trust and authenticity. By showing a genuine and unedited side of yourself, it can make your audience feel more connected and engaged. People want to know that you are who you say that you are. Having a face, voice, and personality with your company name builds that trust.
Lastly, going live can also increase visibility and reach. Social media algorithms often prioritize live videos, making them more likely to be seen by a wider audience.
Overall, going live on social media can be a powerful tool for building relationships, establishing credibility, and expanding one's online presence.
Plan your content and goals
If you plan to just hang out while working, that's fine. But take a moment before your live to plan an idea of what you want to work on during the live.
Setting a goal before you hit that live button can help you stay focused during the live. For example, if your goal is to sell 15 shirts with our "True Crime Junkie" print, you better make sure you are showing it! If we want to move Chenille prints, we will pull orders that customers have placed that have the Chenille print in them to get those shown more often. Sometimes, we will set "sales" goals for ourselves. We will do an unplanned surprise live and we tell our customers "Y'all we are $300 away from hitting our sales goal for the week, here is a coupon, help us out!"
Test Your Equipment and Internet Connection
Now, before y'all start calling me out... this is something I forget to do until AFTER I hit that live button! Sometimes getting our music goiing, orders printed, and camera adjusted doesn't happen until after we are live, but I'm trying to be better OK! haha
When we were getting ready to move over to our new shop, I would do "field trips" so viewers would see the progress. Our internet connection DROPPED as soon as I walked too far into the new building. We could get it back up fairly quickly, but we would lose a lot of viewers when that happened.
Interact with Your Audience in Real-Time
Encourage viewers to comment and ask questions during the livestream. Responding to comments and addressing viewer questions will make the experience more interactive and engaging. It also helps ease their mind on any questions they may have that could be holding them back from purchasing.
Interacting with your customers helps you get to know what your audience is looking for. You can also get instant feedback. For example, asking your customers "Do we want sarcastic prints? ", "Should we carry more Chenille Patch designs?", or "How do we feel about this inappropriate print?" can help you determine what products you should carry in the future.
Keep Your Energy and Enthusiasm High
Let's face it, we are all on social media to be entertained. Keep that in mind when you are live. Maintaining high energy levels while live helps to capture and hold the attention of your audience. This can lead to increased engagement, likes, comments, and followers. Algorithms tend to favor videos that are engaging and energetic and videos that are getting reactions from your viewers. By keeping your energy levels high, you increase the chances of your videos being shown to a wider audience and gaining more exposure. In addition, having high energy while live can help you establish your unique and memorable persona. This can make you different from other creators and attract a dedicated fan base who enjoy your energetic content.
Be yourself
Authenticity is key when going live. Be natural, speak confidently, and let your personality shine through. Viewers will appreciate the genuine connection. Being yourself on social media allows you to showcase your true personality and genuinely connect with your audience. By being authentic, you establish trust with your viewers. They appreciate honesty and are more likely to engage with your content. Social media is the perfect place where uniqueness and originality thrive. Embracing your true self sets you apart from others and helps you stand out in a sea of content and other small businesses. Being yourself attracts like-minded individuals who resonate with your personality and values. This can lead to building a supportive and engaged community. Can you see how this all just fits together nicely?
Follow Up and Engage After the Live
Following up after a live event helps to maintain the connections made with your viewers and customers. It shows that you value their time and are committed to building a relationship with them. Following up allows you to reinforce the key messages from the live event. Following up provides an opportunity to address any questions or concerns that viewers may have had during the live event. This helps to provide clarity and build trust while building those relationships.
JUST DO IT!
Going live on social media can be intimidating, but it's essential to just do it. Live videos are raw and unfiltered, which makes them more authentic and relatable. There will never be the perfect scenario for you to go live. Something small will always try to hold you back. "My workspace isn't pristine", "I don't have a full face of makeup today", "I don't have 3 solid hours to commit to it"... Stop letting these trivial things hold YOU and YOUR BUSINESS back. Just do it - no excuses! Even if you feel like it was a total fail... you can breathe knowing that your first one is out of the way.
We have been going live at least 3 times a week for the last TWO YEARS! I can't tell you how many times I've cut off that camera and told Becky "Dang, I sucked today" - still to this day, it happens. But you know what, we showed up! We put it out there, we learn, and move on!
Let us be your cheerleaders.
When you are finally ready to dive in - let us know! Send us an email and let us know when you are going live. We would love the opportunity to jump on and send you love and encouragement! We want to be your cheerleaders in your business! Even if it's only us hanging out with you in the live - and no one else shows up for that first one - you got your feet wet, and your Okie Girls will be there to high-five you!
Feel free to hang out with us during out weekly lives on TikTok. We go live Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 10:45(ish) central! Come say hi and hang out with us!