5 Tips for a Better Instagram Live Event

Instagram Live Tips

Instagram can be one of the most useful tools for managing your business’s online presence. Planning and executing a successful Instagram live can be daunting at first, especially if you’ve never had any experience with the platform before. That’s why, we’ve listed our top 5 tips to maximize your business’s Instagram live success.

• Silence your phone/tablet beforehand from notifications and any calls

  Nothing disrupts the flow of an Instagram live like getting a phone call or text message notification every five minutes. Fumbling around with swiping away your notifications can also make for a messy video. Make sure you put your phone on Do Not Disturb before you start your broadcast to avoid any awkward message notifications popping up.

• Use a Tripod

  Don’t have a cameraman handy? Not to worry. Using a tripod is the best way to ensure that you can be completely handsfree during your Instagram Live. Whether you’re interviewing a guest, hosting a virtual Wine Tasting, or just chatting with your followers, a simple tripod can be a great help to any social media influencer.
  

• Incentivize your broadcast 

  Gaining attention can be difficult when it seems like everyone on Instagram is going live. That’s why it’s important to know your audience and incentivize them with either a new release, behind-the-scenes view, or sneak peek at a new project you’ve been working on. This gives them a reason to tune into your live video and maybe even snag a deal or discount that you only offer to your live viewers. 

• Gain your audience’s attention early 

  Advertising your Instagram Live date & times (with the save the date countdown that members can follow) as much as possible in your posts and stories is another essential step. If your audience doesn’t know when to tune in, they’ll be caught off guard when you suddenly go live without any warning. To ensure a large audience, start previewing and announcing your event as early as possible, and keep the energy up until the day of. We promote our IG Lives 2 weeks in advance on emails (as a save the date) then the week of on stories and a final reminder the day of. People are busy so the more you remind them the more likely they’ll join in on the fun!

• Continue advertising with the recorded broadcast afterward on IG TV and/or YouTube

  Once you’ve successfully hosted your first Instagram Live, you can choose to save the recorded video so that your followers have access to it even if it’s not live anymore. This means that you can redirect your audience to catch up or re-watch any of your broadcasts without needing to worry about missing any of it. For even better usage, save the video for publishing on other social platforms or cross-post linking back to your Instagram with a link to drive traffic. Plus, your videos make for an excellent portfolio when you want to entice a new guest to join you live or show the events you’ve completed in the past.

  For example: For Emily’s JetSetting Fashionista Instagram Lives, they’re all posted to her Instagram TV Channel here and also her YouTube Channel here for those who missed it to watch later!

Once you’ve mastered these keys to hosting a successful Instagram Live event, you can start personalizing each broadcast with your own flair or brand style. Before you know it, you’ll have thousands of viewers tuning in to each one of your Instagram Live streams.

If you need some extra help on how to maximize your Instagram Live strategy, let us help. Emily Martin Events has hosted many virtual wine tasting, culinary chats, and media & influencer events online.