Live streaming is a powerful tool for engaging with your audience. And on LinkedIn, that means access to more professionals looking for solutions to problems for their businesses.
This blog post is all about how to use LinkedIn live to generate leads. I’ll cover why you should be using the platform, how to become a live broadcaster, how to plan your live stream, and later use it to fuel your content calendar. Plus, I’ve also included four helpful tips to increase your chances of success with LinkedIn Live.
Why LinkedIn Live?
While most marketers are aware that LinkedIn is filled with professionals, there’s a little more to just how valuable the platform is. Currently, LinkedIn has 706 million users worldwide. While it’s not Facebook, 4 out of 5 people influence business decisions and wield 2x more buying power than the average web audience. Add to this, LinkedIn has seen tremendous growth, boasting at least 50% YoY engagement growth.
LinkedIn is, therefore, the platform to use to engage professionals who have the power to move the dial on your sales figures. And with the added benefit of live streaming video, you’re able to get in front of professionals in real-time and accelerate your lead-to-sales cycle.
How to Get Started With LinkedIn Live Lead Generation
LinkedIn Live is a little different from most other live streaming platforms. It’s still in beta and to get started you’ll need to apply to become a LinkedIn live broadcaster. The application process includes an online form and a review process that takes a few days.
Once approved, you’ll also need to choose third broadcasting software as LinkedIn doesn’t broadcast directly.
Sign-up and software out of the way, let’s plan your approach.
Step 1. Plan it out
Lead generation is always going to rely on effective planning. For you to leverage LinkedIn, you’ll need to get a few pieces in place, starting with planning your live stream.
To effectively plan your live stream, you need to create an outline and a stream guide to help you stay on track when you go live. Let’s break each of these down:
Create an outline
Be clear on what you’re going to cover during your stream. Create an agenda and hash it out into talking points. While there is no hard and fast rule for the amount of detail you need to include, be sure that you note the most pertinent points of your topic(s).
Create a stream guide
Stream guides are helpful outlines of what you’ll be covering, including calls to action. Create one and add it as a post on your live video stream. This is helpful for viewers who may not know you or your brand and just stumbled across your live stream. It speaks value and helps them quickly see what you have to offer. Also, if they can’t watch it now, they can always come back later because they see the value.
Step 2. Promote your live stream
Whether you’re offering a tutorial or marketing consulting services, think about your promotion cycle like a major blockbuster. The goal is to get the word out in advance, making sure people share the event date, get excited about it, and attract the largest audience possible.
Focus on sharing your event at least a week out, but two-to-three weeks helps. The window gives you an opportunity to create a complete social media and email marketing campaign to drive as much attention to your event as possible.
Adobe understands the importance of drawing as large a crowd as possible. Before their event went live on March 31, 2020, the brand took the time to share updates well before the event day.
Here are two ways to reach a wider audience:
Use other social media platforms
And don’t miss the opportunity to use other social media platforms and outlets to pull your crowd. Some followers or buyers may follow you on one platform and not the other, so promote to grow your audience.
Leverage email
Use email broadcasts and regular email newsletters to spread the word. If your reach is not as broad at present, test the waters with influencers and partner brands who have access to your ideal audience. If they share your message on social media and via email, you’ll attract a larger audience.
Step 3. Setting up lead capture
With your event planned, it’s time to set up your lead magnet, build out your landing page, and create your email sequences. The goal is to offer value that viewers jump at.
Create a lead magnet that will act as your offer. According to DigitalMarketer, it’s important that your lead magnet satisfy three criteria:
- Provide instant gratification: the most effective lead magnets deliver quick solutions, which is why they generate more downloads. Instant gratification is also closely linked to ease-of-use and specificity. So, create lead magnets that target specific customers with specific problems.
- Deliver unique value: The web is filled with tons of competitors, each offering their own version of the value. To make your lead magnet stand out, you’ll have to make it as unique. This could mean approaching a problem with an unconventional solution or sharing research that no other brand has.
- Hold high perceived value/high actual value: Free doesn’t mean it shouldn’t contain useful and valuable information. Make your lead magnets powerful by taking the time to create well-prepared and valuable content. Offer your audience something they would otherwise pay for and they’ll return the favor with their contact details.
Once you have your lead magnet in place, you need to build your landing page. Landing pages are meant to convert. Period. And while there are many long checklists that you can use, here’s a basic and effective way to ensure yours gets more leads:
Use a benefit-focused heading
People visit landing pages to solve problems. Offer up the solution in your headline and communicate that your lead magnet will help.
Show and tell
Showing and telling people what they’ll get is important. It connects the dots between their current state (lack) and their desired end state (satisfaction). By showing a hero image of the lead magnet, your audience gets a clear image of what they’ll receive.
Describing the value of the lead magnet using text and bullet points spells out how the guide will help, making it easier for people to appreciate what’s on offer.
Include a form
Forms are must-have, but don’t make them too long. Lead generation is the start of a relationship between your brand and a potential buyer. Ask for too much information and you’ll introduce friction. People will feel like you’re selling to them before they are ready to buy. Nobody likes a pushy salesperson.
Moz shows how eliminating a pain point can inspire action. Also, note how Moz shares the benefits of taking the free audit directly below the landing page header.
With your lead magnet and landing pages ready, it’s time to create your email sequences. Email is still a powerful marketing tool. Before you host a LinkedIn live streaming event, have an email sequence in place for leads. This helps keep the brand-buyer engagement cycle going, nurturing buyers over time.
Test it all
While technology has become increasingly easier to use, it can fail at a moment’s notice. Test your live stream platforms, audio, internet connection, lead capture tools (think links to landing pages, thank you pages, email sequences.etc) before going live.
Step 4. Get Streaming
Hosting a live stream can feel a little daunting. Even when you have a clear and fast internet connection, the idea that something might go wrong can make it a little more challenging to deliver the good.
Here best practices for making your live stream as engaging as possible:
Ask closed questions
Engage viewers by asking closed questions to get people to react. You can ask questions like, “where are you watching from?”, “do you know what I mean?”, or invite new viewers to comment with a hashtag to introduce themselves.
Important: be sure to make these closed questions so you’re not distracted by longer open questions.
Share your agenda
While you can pin the agenda to your post, it’s a great idea to share it and where you are as you move through the live stream. Doing so helps your audience keep up and also makes late attendees easily feel connected to the rest of the audience as they join.
Call viewers out by name
Live streaming is all about delivering an engaging experience. Calling out audience members by name is one of the most effective ways of getting people to react. It’s personal, draws positive attention to a supporter, and makes the live stream feel like more of community engagement than a cold one-sided event.
Step 5. Repurpose live stream content
Repurposing content isn’t a new idea but don’t miss the chance to use your live stream for content. Grab a-ha moments where you demystify a concept, powerful quotes, stats and figures, stills, create smaller video snippets, and convert them into audio, too.
Repurposing these gems will help you carry the conversation for months to come, generating more awareness for your brand. It also allows you to continue to promote your landing page and drive traffic to your offer.
Bonus: tips for generating better results
You’re well on your way to delivering a powerful LinkedIn Live event and can only improve with time. But if you’d like to shorten your learning curve, here are four tips to help elevate your live streams.
Think long-term
Video is the new norm, but strategic marketing isn’t. It’s been around for ages. Your goal is to generate momentum with your messaging and create a world that makes it easier for buyers to discover, learn from, and engage with your brand. Think about live video as a long-term solution that fits into your overall marketing strategy. Use it as a tool to connect to guide buyers to the goal of solving a problem with your solution.
Value first, sales later
While it is possible to monetize LinkedIn Live streams, if you’re planning on generating leads, forgo the opportunity to sell, and focus on delivering value viewers can clearly identify. For your live stream to be valuable, consider using the before and after grid. It was introduced by DigitalMarketer and helps marketers develop powerful marketing content based on the states their buyers are before and after engaging with a brand.
If you’re able to identify your ideal customers’ before and after states, you’ll deliver the kind of value that leaves buyers wanting to learn more.
Be conversational
LinkedIn is a professional network but that doesn’t mean you need to be stiff. Share your personality, passion, and enthusiasm for what you do and what you’re sharing. This will all rub off on viewers and they’ll want to watch for longer.
Step 6. Track your success
Live videos can be successful but your success will be a product of smart work. Track metrics to gauge your success. Here’s a list of metrics available from LinkedIn to track your live event success:
Engagement:
How people respond to your live streams. Key indicators include:
- Likes
- Comments
- Shares
Awareness:
How many people tuned in and how long they spend watching your live stream. You can track:
- Live viewers at peak
- Lifetime views
- Lifetime viewers
- Lifetime watch time
Lifetime refers to how long your video remains online for people to view.
Audience Demographics:
Demographics share who viewed your live stream. You’ll see:
- Top pages
- Job titles
- Locations
Your turn
LinkedIn Live is a must-have lead gen tool. It offers direct contact with your audience and can help you shorten the sales cycle by addressing buyer challenges early on. Plan your events the smart way. Create a strong agenda, produce an enticing offer, spread the word far and wide, and use your stats to build more successful events over time.
Author’s Bio:
PJ Taei is the founder and president of Uscreen, an all-in-one video monetization and live streaming platform that empowers video entrepreneurs and creators to monetize their content and build thriving businesses around their videos.
0 Commentaires