Kim Garst joins us on the Guided Goals Podcast, and we’re going to talk about Live Video.
Kim is the best -selling author Will The Real You Please Stand Up; Show, Up, Be Authentic and Prosper in Social Media. She is the CEO of Boom Social, a social selling training and consulting agency, and her blog, kimgarst.com, is one of the top social media resources in the world.
Kim talks about Periscope and Facebook Live, the value of live video, how to get started, and more.
Why Live Video is Awesome
Kim never thought she would embrace live video, because she hated “video day,” prior to live video. She always felt video had to be perfect
There are two things she loves about live video.
- You have the opportunity to (with no advanced notice) press the start button and connect with your community
- You can connect with people and engage in real time. For instance, your community can ask question and get answers immediately
The Players
- Meerkat was the first and has fizzled.
- Periscope, which is owned by Twitter, has a lot of legs.
- Facebook Live is recently rolled out.
- Blab is a different platform.
I asked Kim which was her favorite, and she said that would be like trying to pick your favorite ice cream.
Pick the platform where you can build a community for your business or brand.
Going Live
Facebook Live and Periscope are easy to use, because all you need is a phone and the courage to hit the start button. You do need Facebook Live on your business page or else use it through the Mentions app. (Recording on your personal profile and repurposing on your business page is against Facebook’s Terms of Service.)
If you do not have Live yet on your page, be patient. Another option is to use Facebook Live inside your groups and on events pages.
The Basics
Mistakes for live video include lack of focus – being on and rambling or doing so without a plan – and waiting for a crowd. Saying you want to wait for more people to jump on your stream devalues the audience you already have.
When recording, use some sort of tripod, so you are not making your viewers dizzy. Also have good sound and decent light.
Facebook gives you tons of reach when you are live. That means you have more of an opportunity to get your content onto the feeds of your fans. You should live stream longer, rather than shorter. You don’t want to jump on and jump off, so 15 to 20 minutes is a good length.
Note: Kim keeps her lives on both platforms to 20-30 minutes. She addresses business owners, and her intent when she shares content is to make it snackable and action-based.
Both platforms have comments, so be aware and interact.
Also, if you are considering doing live video, pop out there and see who is doing what. Take notes and try and incorporate the thinks you like into your system.
Personal Streams
If you have access to Facebook Live on your personal profile, you can do personal streams.
For instance, Kim’s nephew is graduating from high school. For personal streams, you have the ability to choose your audience, so Kim’s sister is choosing specific family members to live stream it to.
It allows us to selectively share things we don’t want everyone to see, she explains. It’s like we do with photo privacy. It helps people be a part of our experiences.
Plus
The neat part of Live Video, Kim says, is it cannot be ignored. It’s the fastest way to build the know, like, and trust factor with your audience.
There’s a time lag and a time investment on any social platform. However, community building with live streams goes a lot faster.
This is the future of social media. We’ll continue to see the evolution of live streaming, which is why a lot of businesses are going all in.
Work-Life Balance
For years, Kim’s office was in the home, and she says it was tough to have the division. She was never disciplined enough to close the office door and walk away. About three years ago, they opened a physical office. That has really helped her to leave work at the office.
If she could do it over again, Kim says she would be more present with her family when she worked from home.
Personal Goal of the Week: Have separation from work and life. If you don’t have an office out of the home, go work at a coffee house or a coworking day.
Bonus Personal Goal of the Week: If you find yourself thinking about work during family time, shut it down. Be as present as possible.
Professional Goal of the Week: Find five live video streams, make notes, and then try it. Don’t be afraid to go live.
Want to learn more about live video? Listen to the entire interview on iTunes or Stitcher.
Watch the video: (NOTE: Pardon the technical difficulties. The audio is good, but this video freezes intermittently.)
The Guided Goals Podcast gives you the tools, direction, and resources you need to pursue your passion project. Thanks for tuning in.
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About Debra: A project catalyst, Debra Eckerling works with individuals and small businesses to create a strategy, set goals and manage their projects. Follow Debra @GuidedGoals, Like Guided Goals on Facebook, Subscribe to YouTube.
