It seems that recently, going live ‘is the new black.’ Countless creators, brands, and even big celebrities are hosting lives as if their lives depend on it (get it?). If you don’t understand the phenomenon or want to start doing it yourself but don’t know where to start, this is the blog post. We’ll tell you exactly why – and how – you should join the hype.

Just like the rest of the internet, Instagram is a fast-paced environment. Thousands – nay, millions – of people and brands are constantly competing for attention.

If you want to stand out, you have to have a solid strategy.

Follow the leader

Instagram frequently changes how they prioritize content, so you should always keep an eye on their algorithm and then go with it. Remember how stories were ‘it’ a couple of years ago? More recently, it’s all become about Reels (/wannabe TikToks), but even more so: the Instagram Live.

Why? An ‘Instagram Live’ lets users stream/broadcast live videos to their followers. The live factor makes it possible to connect with your audience more than any other way. This makes it an engagement powerhouse.

Photos and videos can be edited, but live is live: it’s all authentically you. It makes the audience feel like they can get to know you even better.

On top of that, it can be a two-way interaction as well. You can literally interact with your followers, ask them questions and reply to theirs. All in real-time. It’s the closest thing to actually having a real conversation with them.

Only benefits

If you do commit to IG Live, you get more benefits than you can count.

An Instagram Live is displayed in the Stories, which already makes it very visible. On top of that, your followers will get an alert if you go live (if they allow notifications).

Clearly, Instagram prioritizes this type of content right now.

So if you’re having trouble with organic reach and you’re looking for a way to get noticed, this is your solution. It’s great for visibility, relationship-building, and increasing your engagement rate.

And if you’re thinking, ‘does anybody really watch those?’; according to studies, 82 % of audiences would rather watch a livestream than see a social post. Safe to say: Instagram Live is not only a trend; it’s here to stay.

How to host a good Live

The sooner you try it out, the better. Here are some tips for a well-prepared Live:

  • Have a purpose

A Live should offer some added value, something special that makes your followers want to tune in. Generate a bit of an exclusive feeling.

For example, you could host a Q&A, invite another influencer for an interesting talk, reveal some news, announce an exciting giveaway, show some behind-the-scenes, ask for feedback, give a tutorial, or even just talk about your day.

Whatever it is: make it personal! Allow your viewers an extra look inside.

Tip: involve your audience. You can ask them beforehand what they want to see through a Question sticker. Free ideas and some extra engagement 😉

  • Map it out beforehand

Every Live video session should be full-circle: it should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. So before you start, make sure you know all the pit stops along the way: map out the outline of your video and write down everything you want to cover.

If necessary, prepare for the questions you don’t necessarily want to answer.

  • Promote your Live in advance

You can always host a surprise Live, but if you promote it a bit in advance, chances are even higher that more people will watch. For example, add a CTA to a post or make some dedicated stories about it so your followers know when to tune in.

  • Test everything before you start

A good Live session includes great video quality, crisp audio, and fast internet as well. But, of course, you want to make sure that everything is right before you start, so test it all beforehand.

Also, make sure that the lighting is good and you’re visible.

After you press ‘Go Live,’ give your audience a few minutes to join in.

Tip: the waiting part doesn’t necessarily have to be awkward! You can use this time to greet people, which will make them feel special personally. Don’t just spend the whole time staring at your screen, do interact and answer some questions.

  • End on a clear note

Like anything: end with a CTA. Your audience has been paying attention – use this to your advantage and end with a clear ‘to do’ for them.

Tip: you can also use the pinned comment feature for this. That way, it will stay visible for the entire time you’re live.

  • Download the end result

Always save the video file to your camera roll; it’s great for safe-keeping and evaluating, but if it was a great live, you could do so much more with this piece of content. Make it into short episodes or Reels, post it to your timeline, highlights, etc.

Are you feeling inspired to host a live? Follow us @influo_app on Instagram and invite us. We’d love to join you!