Video has been touted as the latest and greatest marketing tactic for many years now, and last year it took a big leap: from pre-recorded video to live streaming. Both on a person-to-person as well as a marketing level, live video is surging in popularity as Instagram Stories, Snapchat and Facebook Live take off.

Live video has the potential to supercharge your marketing efforts, connecting you in a more instant, meaningful way to your audience. Here are some reasons why you should consider it for your next B2B marketing campaign.

Live video marketing: statistics

Not convinced that live video is right for your B2B marketing mix? Here are some facts and stats that show just how effective it can be:

• Facebook prioritizes live video over pre-recorded video. Facebook started ranking live videos higher while they are live (as opposed to after they have aired) in March of 2016.
• People spend 3x longer watching Facebook Live videos than a video that is no longer live.
• Users comment 10x more frequently when a video is live compared to pre-recorded.
• Live video on Twitter that is centered around an event increases brand favorability by 63 percent.
• People would rather watch live video from a brand than read a blog post (80 percent) or read a social post (82 percent) according to a recent survey from Livestream.

Ideas for B2B live video content

If you’re ready to jump on the live video train, here are some tips you can start incorporating today:

• Record at conferences and speaker events. Tying with concerts for the second-most watched type of live video at 43 percent, live streaming at a conference will engage not only those attending, but all of those who follow you on social but who couldn’t physically be present at the event.
• Be interactive. One benefit you get from live streaming video is the chance to talk directly to your audience. Take questions and answer them live, in real-time, to show just how engaged your brand is.
• Promote before, during and after. Let your entire network know well ahead of time when you will be broadcasting live, and be sure to continue to remind them during the broadcast. You can also leverage a pre-recorded live video for future campaigns.
• Plan, but don’t be rigid. One of the reasons why live video is so popular is that it feels authentic. You need to walk the fine line between over-planning and having nothing important to say.
• Get the technical details right. Nothing is worse – for you or your audience – than starting a live broadcast only to be kicked off your wifi network. Be sure that everything is in place before you start your broadcast.
• Analyze your results. Most platforms will offer you statistics to help you understand how well your live video performed. Facebook, for instance, will show you how many people watched at least some of your live video, and how many viewers you had at any given time. This information can be used to make future live streaming better.