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In these times of coronavirus and with all the cancelled lives, you have to keep on pleasing your fans! More and more artists are doing lives online, it's a good way to stay connected and make people talk about you. It's also the best time to occupy your fanbase stuck at home but also to make a lasting impression and attract new fans. With this article, you'll see that it's easy to organize a live event for facebook, but it's the same for other social networks. If you can't get your whole band together, do an acoustic session instead, which will allow you to show that you have many strings to your bow while offering intimate music that will allow your fans to feel closer to you and your band. At the same time you can make the most of your isolation. You can then readapt your songs to offer a different experience. You will also be able to take advantage of the opportunity to answer questions from your live audience. Obviously, it's easier if you're a singer or if you play an instrument like guitar or drums but it can also work for keyboardists, bassists... Use your imagination to propose an original and interesting live show that will change from the traditional experience! Alternatively, you can broadcast a concert video that you haven't shared with your audience yet if you can't do it on your own from home!
FACEBOOK LIVE
It's been a while since Facebook created its own live video system and, as you may have noticed, live videos on the number 1 social network are often a success!
Facebook Live is a great tool that allows you to broadcast live video and reach a wide audience. Video is the most powerful medium for communicating on the internet, and even more so when it's live. These kind of videos have become very popular, and are also highlighted in your audience's feed thanks to the new algorithm of the American firm.
But how can you make your live video more effective?
Before the live
Thoroughly prepare the live feed
HOLISPARK setting his Facebook Live
Begin by making sure that your group's editorial line meets the needs of your community and invites them to share with you.
For example, Deezer regularly collaborates with artists from everywhere to organize private concerts, record special sessions or conduct interviews. The use of live performances is then extremely interesting to involve your community and give them the opportunity to ask questions to musicians like you. It should also be taken into account that Facebook's publication sorting algorithm favours live performances to the detriment of other types of content (videos, photos, texts).
In order to optimize your strategy and increase the engagement of your fans, it is essential to take certain precautions before going live:
• Choose your type of internet connection carefully. If you're connecting via wi-fi, make sure you select a location with a strong signal to avoid the risk of transmission interruption. If this happens, the video will pause and resume as soon as the signal returns. But you may have lost viewers in the meantime!
• Carefully determine where you will set up your broadcast location. Check the light, the elements visible in the background (it's best to avoid revealing compromising posters) and the noise that is likely to bother Internet users (open window, noisy family, crisis meeting in the room next door...). It may also be a good opportunity to use your backdrop or amp screens to display your logo, but it's also an easy way to create a decor.
Don't start your live show without thinking about how your presentation is going to unfold. Remember to prepare your setlist, write down all the topics you want to talk about so that you don't risk forgetting them, or talking about them without coherence and structure, before you start playing music!
Prepare before the broadcast
Before you even think about doing your live show, practice! Live broadcasting admits no mistakes and there's no turning back. If you're not used to speaking in front of a camera, let alone with people commenting and reacting in real time, it's best to have a well-rounded speech.
Facebook has thought of everything and offers you the opportunity to test yourself under live conditions. Before activating the live feature, activate the "Me only" parameter. This allows you to record your rehearsals in complete confidentiality and then watch them without anyone else having access to them.
To launch your live video, open the Facebook application and select the account you want to go live on. This can be a personal profile or your band page.
Open a new post and click on the "Live Video" (on iPhone) or "Broadcast Live" (on Android) button at the bottom of the screen.
When you're ready to rehearse (and later, actually launch your live feed to your community), click the blue "Broadcast Live" button.
Communicate about your video
Facebook Live is a real interactive plateform for your communication (comments, remarks, questions...), so it is very important to make a promotional effort to get a good visibility. For example, you can broadcast a teaser on your page to create a little suspense and create expectation.
DEAR DEER has created a Facebook Event to invite his fans
Do you have a blog or a website? Think about informing your visitors via an article or a banner that sends on a page presenting your future live. Same for Bandcamp and other music sites. You can also publish all the information related to your live performance in a facebook event.
Internet users who intend to participate will be able to indicate it and share it with their community. They will also get a notification, in the form of a reminder, which will more or less guarantee their presence in front of your live event.
Of course, don't hesitate to promote your stream on your other social networks, such as Twitter, Linkedin or Instagram.
All of these publications are designed to create impatience and play on expectations, to make sure you have a maximum number of subscribers in front of your screen when you go live.
The best time to do your live is potentially in the early evening: think of all those who are still working or teleworking and who will be delighted to be in front of their computer at the end of the day to watch you do your live! This is the time when you have the best chance to gather a large number of spectators.
As far as communication is concerned, it should be announced maximum four days before and minimum the day before, so that people have time to prepare and "block" their early evening, but no more, otherwise it takes away the spontaneous side and your fans might forget it! If your band has instagram, don't hesitate to put a little counter in your story, your audience will also be able to use it in their stories and thus relay the information !
During Facebook Live
Be yourself !
You are ready to go live? Start by relaxing, get comfortable. Your goal is to keep your audience occupied, not to give them the best production. You have to look natural and if you miss a note or get the lyrics wrong, it's not the end of the world. Unlike a live concert on stage, live on the internet creates a sense of intimacy with your fans, which gives another connotation to the little mistakes you might make.
HOLISPARK streaming live
Introduce yourself and your band quickly. Then explain to the audience how much time you will spend with them. Unlike pre-recorded videos, they have no idea how much time they'll need to spend watching your performance.
Make sure to end your live feed with a call to action to your merchandise site, you can even tell them a little bit about the different items you offer there. After all, this live-stream is also about merchandising! Finally, let your audience know about the next videos you plan to make and invite users to subscribe to your page if they don't already have done it. Don't worry if your live-stream doesn't gather a lot of people, if you're a small band developing your fanbase, it's a sure way to develop a real, lasting and sincere relationship with your fans! They will feel privileged and included in the life of your band, as well as close to you.
Share a moment with your viewers
New features in Facebook Live allow viewers to make comments and ask questions during the live show. They can share their feelings by sending "Live Reactions" that are displayed for a few seconds on the screen. This allows broadcasters and other viewers to get an idea of how the video is perceived.
Chat with your fans after the live stream
Get as close as possible to your fans and get them involved as much as possible! For example, let them choose one or two songs they want to hear, or change the order of your setlist according to their comments.
You have to value the human side of the live show and play on the proximity with your fans. To do this, favour interaction and exchange. Don't hesitate to tell them that you appreciate their participation. This brings your band closer to your community, builds loyalty and encourages them to attend your future live-streams.
Finally, when it comes to the length of your live-stream, it's better to make a short one several times than a long one all at once: people might lose interest or have other things to do.
So ends our article about the best way to make a live on social medias, to satisfy your fans in these hard times. Don't hesitate to ask us for advice on the subject! Share this article on social networks if it was useful for you or if you think your musician friends might need it too.
