Video has long been a vital part of the employer brand.
Today, the collision of advances in smartphone tech and data availability, combined with the increase in the proportion of our audience who are enthusiastic about social media makes this the ideal time to incorporate live streaming into your marketing mix.
“When you interact live, you feel connected in a more personal way.
Inbound marketers love live streaming. The stats show time and time again that people engage more with it – especially younger consumers who are adept at avoiding traditional (outbound) advertising.
Using live streaming to demonstrate a product or talk about your brand values feels intimate, exclusive and highly personal.
Periscope was arguably the first breakthrough video streaming platform. It was conceived in 2013 and acquired by Twitter in 2015.
Facebook is another major player in live streaming.
When the feature was rolled out to all Facebook users in April 2016, CEO, Mark Zuckerberg said that “When you interact live, you feel connected in a more personal way.” He described live streaming as “a big shift in how we communicate” which would “create new opportunities for people to come together”.
Other platforms have been quick to launch their own similar options. Snapchat, WhatsApp and Instagram have all added live streaming capability over the last couple of years.
Around 200 million people use Instagram Stories every day and not just for peer-to-peer video; a third of their most-viewed stories come from brands and businesses.
A key driver for engagement and that’s something that employer brand experts can take inspiration from.
So how are businesses using live streaming in their marketing?
Well, Airbnb has used Instagram Stories to build awareness of Airbnb Experiences, a product that they launched in December 2016 where local experts give travellers their curated recommendation of a town or excursion. SOURCE: Marketing Week
e-tailer ASOS has trialled ads on Instagram Stories to raise brand awareness among teens and millennial customers in the US and in the UK. SOURCE: Marketing Week
UK newspaper The Independent uses Facebook Live to stream their analysis of Prime Minister’s Questions.
Buzzfeed UK also used Facebook Live for its coverage of the 2017 general election. SOURCE: Alpha Media Events
BMW used Periscope to give fans a first look at their new M2 Coupe in action at their Spartanburg driving centre. They attracted over 5,000 viewers for the 10-minute live reveal, resulting in 48,000 social engagements, 16.6 million social media impressions and 3,000 new Periscope followers.
Financial services business Experian hosts live video chats about financial matters including debt, credit and student loans to position themselves as thought-leaders in their field.
So, it’s clear that live streaming isn’t just a brand-building tool.
Large businesses are using it as a key driver for engagement and that’s something that employer brand experts can take inspiration from.
Live engagement via real-time chat is something that our clients already know boosts candidate engagement but live video is the next essential tool to help to speed up your application process, improve the quality and quantity of the connections you make, and drive the best candidate experience.
If you’re interested in seeing how live streaming can help you, click here to visit our live streaming product page and request a free demo.
