Technology Matrix: How to Use Instagram Live to Generate Leads

social media how to Interested in using more live video for your business?

Wondering how Instagram Live can generate leads?

Using Instagram Live stories as a lead generation tool will help you stay one step ahead of your competitors.

In this article, you'll discover three ways to use Instagram Live video to generate leads for your business.

How to Use Instagram Live to Generate Leads by Ana Gotter on Social Media Examiner.

When you broadcast live video on Instagram, it appears in your Instagram story and viewers can watch and interact with you in real time. The catch? While other platforms allow you to share a live video afterward, an Instagram live video appears only while it's being broadcast.

Because people need to watch your live video now if they want to see it, Instagram live video has a sense of urgency. Live videos can get special attention because of this. Your followers will receive a notification that you've started a live video, and they can see you're live in the Stories section.

Users are notified when someone they're following goes live; you can also see who's live in the Stories section.

Instagram also features live videos from public profiles in the Explore section, which can boost your visibility beyond your followers without you having to pay for it.

If there are enough live videos happening at once, Instagram will have a section of "top live videos" that users can choose from in the Explore section.

Here are some ways to use Instagram Live video to generate viable leads for your business.

Because Instagram Live video isn't permanent, you don't go live to give information you want users to refer to later. (Facebook Live, which can be saved, is a better platform for that purpose.) Teasing new products, information, or big announcements, however, is another story.

For example, an artist under the profile whenwewake used Instagram live video to give a sneak peek at his new paintings.

Artist profile whenwewake used Instagram live to give a sneak peek at some of his new paintings.

The urgency of Instagram Live video makes these teasers more exciting and engaging, because users don't know when the video will end, and they know they have to watch now for all of the information. The sneak peek also makes viewers want to know more.

After the teaser, ask viewers to sign up for more information on your website or pre-order the product. This approach gives your live video an element of exclusivity, which can encourage people to act immediately, increasing the number of leads you get.

A sneak peek in an Instagram live video automatically makes people want to know more.

Social contests are a fantastic lead generation tool, especially when you use contest software to help capture lead information. When you have a contest, use Instagram live video to promote your contest and drive engagement.

Contests, like the one below from cutest_kiddies, are often promoted in Instagram stories. But Instagram live video can increase results thanks to its natural sense of urgency and extra visibility.

With Instagram live video, you can promote social contests in a number of ways:

Preview prizes before and during the contest to generate excitement and boost entries.Showcase entries after the contest is over. To share entries, you might read comments out loud or take a video of the photo entries on another screen.Simply talk about the contest and remind people it's happening.

Instagram stories are a common way to promote contests, but Instagram Live video has extra visibility and creates urgency.

If you want to go all out, make Instagram live video part of the actual contest. For example, to be eligible for a daily prize, have users answer questions you ask in a live broadcast. Or use Instagram live video to share clues for a scavenger hunt.

You can keep the broadcast times spontaneous and sporadic so users have to watch their phones for a notification that you're live. You could even offer to give additional clues or details of when the video will be broadcast if people subscribe to your email list ahead of time.

Q&As are a popular subject for live videos; they offer value and can drive customer participation. When you promote a Q&A before the broadcast (especially if an influencer or expert is involved), request that users submit questions ahead of time.

Let users know ahead of time what the discussion will be about and why your expertise matters.

Let users know ahead of time what your Instagram live discussion will be about and why your expertise matters.

While most businesses ask for questions on Facebook as a source of engagement, you can use email instead to generate leads. If you send users to your site (or even a Google form), you can ask for their emails in exchange.

To collect questions and emails, you can use a Google form, which is easily shareable on social media, to encourage people to submit their questions and lead information.

You can use a Google form, which is easily shareable on social media, to encourage people to submit their questions and lead information.

If you promote your Q&A widely enough ahead of time, you can generate a large number of relevant leads who are genuinely interested in your business.

Also consider offering to email people before the video goes live as an incentive for submitting a question, increasing the likelihood they'll watch. If newer leads are still a little unfamiliar with your business, this email can make a big impact in pushing them towards converting.

Live Video Best Practices

To get the most leads from your Instagram live video, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:

Announce the live video beforehand. Instagram live is there and then it's gone. Although plenty of users do opt into push notifications that let them know you're broadcasting, you should still announce the live video on Instagram.

Increase viewership of your live story by cross-promoting it on multiple platforms before it starts.

Use relevant hashtags to boost visibility and make it easier for a relevant audience to find you. Also announce it on other platforms to increase viewership.Test sound and video quality before you go live. Record a brief (regular) video through the Instagram camera, watch it, and then delete it. Check for background noises. Also, make sure the background itself is clean, with no clutter or anything you don't want viewers to see.Keep the content exciting and upbeat to match the platform. Choosing content that's upbeat and fun to watch keeps people tuned in. This is essential because you can't share the video later. If you have valuable content, make sure someone else is recording from another device so you can reuse the content.Go live at peak activity times. This is extremely important. Since your Instagram live content only exists as long as it's actually being broadcast, be sure the largest number of people will see it. Afternoons and early evenings are often times when plenty of users are online.

Final Thoughts

Instagram Live video is still a new feature. Right now, everyone is focusing on how to use it and looking at it purely as a tool to drive engagement.