I started using Instagram Live last spring, shortly after the feature first rolled out. I didn’t have a large audience… like at all. It was pretty common for my Instagram Lives to have 4 people watching (and one of those people was my mom). The reason I tell you this is that you’re never “too small” to use this tool. Now, after almost a full year of doing weekly Instagram Lives, I want to share everything I’ve learned (and wish I knew before I started doing Instagram Lives).
Why You Should Be Doing Instagram Live Videos
The world of social media is “perfect” – it’s a beautiful, curated collection of content. In other words, it’s a highlight reel. Instagram Live is a tool that allows us to be real, to show up as we are, and to create connections. Social media is about being social, and that means building relationships. Instagram Live creates a space where you can do just that. It’s like sitting down and having coffee with a friend, versus just texting them a photo. It’s a powerful tool that allows you to truly speak into the lives of others and create a positive impact by being vulnerable, sharing your knowledge, and showing up.
What to Talk About
A lot of people get caught up on what to talk about. I always recommend choosing a topic, because unlike a Q&A or “Ask Me Anything”, choosing a topic means YOU are in control. You don’t have the risk of no one showing up (and waiting for a question only to hear crickets), and you also won’t be blindsided by a question that you weren’t prepared to answer. So what should you talk about? Here are two easy places to start:
- The most frequently asked question you get. If people are already asking you about something, whether it’s social media, Etsy, or anything, you know that they are already interested in it AND that they value your opinion because you’ve shown that you have the experience or knowledge to answer the question.
- The thing you’re most passionate about. If you’re excited about something, it will show in the way you speak about it and that’s the best way to get others excited about it too.
How to Prepare & Set Up
There’s a lot of things that go into preparing and setting up for an Instagram Live. Sometimes it takes me a week of brainstorming before I’ve fully formed a topic! The more you do, the easier it gets, but here are the things I do to prepare before I go live:
- On the day of your Instagram Live, announce on your stories the topic you’ll be speaking about and what time you’ll be going live. (And don’t forget to include the timezone!)
- Make notes. When you’re writing up your notes, focus on the concepts you want to cover and don’t worry about writing it out word for word. My notes are just a bulleted list of concepts that trigger my brain and keep me moving throughout my topic in a way that’s logical and cohesive.
- Find great lighting (or at least semi-decent lighting). If you’ve got daylight, use it! Set yourself up facing a window and that will be the most flattering light you can get. If that’s not feasible, find a light source in your home that has white-toned light (I like to use my computer screen because it creates a nice diffused light on my face).
- Charge your phone (and keep it plugged in). Instagram Live takes up a lot of battery and you don’t want your phone dying in the middle of your video.
- Make a cup of tea (or whatever you like)! It’s obvious that talking can make you thirsty, but even more than that, a beverage will give you a moment to take a sip and collect your thoughts. If you get distracted or need a moment to breathe (let’s be real – sometimes I get out of breath!), it’s so nice to be able to grab a sip of tea before moving forward.
Going LIVE!
This is the scary part! Hitting the “Start Live Video” button is the worst part, and I promise everything after that is not as intimidating as you think. Once you’ve got your notes in front of you, take a deep breath, and get ready to roll:
- Do NOT sit and wait for people to join. This is awkward and useless. Remember, most people will catch your Instagram Live on the replay so you want to captivate them right away. If you want to burn a little time before you wait to jump into your topic, start with an icebreaker and ask a question like, “Where are you from?” to get people engaged right away.
- Introduce yourself and your topic. Don’t assume anyone knows who you are or what you’ll be talking about. Your introduction doesn’t have to be complicated; I usually go with something like, “Hi! I’m Melissa and tonight I’ll be talking about _____.” It’s simple but effective.
- Anything can happen during Instagram Live. Technology issues can and will happen. You may experience pausing, or people not being able to see or hear you. One time, I had food in my teeth (so embarrassing). Just remember that the purpose of an Instagram Live is to be real, so it’s OKAY to show that you are human. Just roll with it!
- The End. When you’re ready to end your video, give your audience a takeaway. It’s always nice to wrap up with an overview of what you covered, any announcements your audience should know, and anything they should do as an action item from your video.
Responding to Comments & Answering Questions
It’s totally up to you how to decide to answer questions during your Instagram Live. Comments are one of the best parts of Instagram Live because you get to interact with people in real-time, but they can also completely throw you off track. For me personally, I enjoy staying focused on my topic and responding to comments at the end of the video instead of as I go. This keeps me from getting distracted and creates a more cohesive experience for those watching (especially if it’s on the replay).
- Stay focused. If you decide to answer questions as you go, make sure you’re not straying too far from your topic. If you’re not sure if you’ll get distracted, just tell your audience that you’ll open it up for questions at the end.
- You don’t have to answer everything. I know it’s hard because you’re on the spot, but if a question or comment is completely unrelated to your topic, don’t answer it (or answer it quickly and move on). It’s going to be confusing for viewers if your Instagram Live is about one thing and then you start talking about something totally off topic. An easy way to deflect question without being rude is to say, “Great question! I’m going to stick to my topic of ___ tonight but stay tuned and I’ll be doing another video on your questions soon” or “Hey! I’m not going to answer that question this second, but feel free to send me a DM and we can chat more about it!”
- Open it up for questions. I always give the opportunity for questions before ending my Instagram Live (after all, the whole point is to interact with people)!
I absolutely love using the Instagram Live. It has allowed me to help others, grow relationships, and create a positive impact. That’s what I’m all about and this tool has been key to making that happen. If you haven’t yet, give Instagram Live a try and tag me on Insta beforehand so I can come and cheer you on!