The live event card is a powerful new addition to many social media platforms that allows creators to promote and broadcast live events directly to their followers and subscribers. In recent years, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have rolled out tools to make it easier than ever for individuals and brands to go live and interact with their audiences in real time.
Live video streaming has become an extremely popular way for influencers, businesses, organizations, and everyday users to connect with their followers and customers. According to one report, 82% of people prefer live video from brands over other types of content. The live event card allows you to capitalize on this interest in live content by providing an easy way for your followers to discover, join, and engage with your broadcasts.
With the live event card, you can promote an upcoming live stream to generate excitement, notify followers when you are going live, display information about the event such as date, time, and description, and direct viewers to take action like tuning in or sharing with friends. This gives you a powerful, native tool to increase reach and viewership for live videos.
Benefits of Using the Live Event Card
There are many benefits to leveraging the live event card for your business or brand:
- Build hype and anticipation – Promoting a live stream ahead of time increases awareness and gives followers time to schedule and plan to attend the event.
- High visibility – The live event card benefits from prime placement in timelines and feeds, making it easy for your followers to see.
- Native feature – As an integrated tool, the live event card provides a seamless, intuitive experience for viewers compared to third-party services.
- Improved engagement – The card makes it simple for viewers to tune in, set reminders, share with friends, and participate in the live stream.
- METRICS – Platforms provide metrics like views and comments on the card to help you measure promotion success.
Overall, the live event card can be a powerful promotional tool to boost viewership, engagement, and interactivity for your live streams and events.
Types of Content to Promote with the Live Event Card
Many different types of live content can benefit from promotion with the live event card. Consider using it for:
Product launches or announcements
Generate buzz for a new product release or big company announcement by announcing it ahead of time on the live event card and doing the reveal live.
Q&As or AMAs
Promote an upcoming live Q&A with followers or AMA (ask me anything) event where they can get their questions answered in real time.
Interviews or panel discussions
If you are doing a live interview with a special guest or hosting a panel discussion, the live event card allows you to promote the speakers and topic to your audience.
Workshops or trainings
For educational live streams like how-to lessons, workshops, or professional trainings, promote the skills listeners will learn or topics that will be covered.
Conferences, talks, or events
Let your audience know about live streams from conferences, meetups, talks, and other events so they can tune in remotely.
Gaming or gameplay
Gamers and streamers can promote a new game or gameplay schedule to their followers using the live event card.
Performances or concerts
Musicians, bands, artists, dancers, and other performers can announce upcoming live shows or concerts on their live event cards.
Behind-the-scenes
Give your followers a sneak peek behind the scenes by promoting and streaming behind-the-scenes footage from sets, studios, offices, or locations.
Sports or competitions
Promote live broadcasts of sports games, tournaments, competitions so fans know when and how to tune in and cheer on their team.
Best Practices for Using the Live Event Card
To get the most out of the live event card, keep these tips in mind:
- Promote early – Create your live event card up to 30 days in advance so followers have time to plan for it.
- Include details – Fill out info like the title, date, time, description, and image to provide context.
- Use attention-grabbing visuals – Choose eye-catching photos or graphics that fit your brand and topic.
- Craft intriguing copy – Use brief, compelling text to generate interest and intrigue.
- Provide value – Make sure the content you are streaming delivers on the promise of your promotion.
- Remind viewers – Share the live event card again leading up to the broadcast as a reminder.
- Make sharing easy – Encourage viewers to share and invite others using the options built into the card.
- Analyze results – Review metrics after the fact to see how your card performed.
Maximizing Viewership
The most effective live event cards convert promotion into actual live viewers. Some tips to maximize viewership include:
- Promote across channels – Share your live event card on all your different social platforms.
- Tag relevant accounts – @ mention industry partners, influencers, or relevant organizations to spread the word.
- Use hashtags – Include relevant hashtags so your content surfaces in searches.
- Run ads – Consider running paid ads targeting your audience to amplify reach.
- Send notifications – Remind followers again right when you are going live.
- Go on consistently – Stick to a reliable live streaming schedule so viewers know what to expect.
- Interact and engage – Respond to comments, answer questions, and poll the audience during your event.
Live Event Card Features and Options
While options may vary slightly by platform, most live event cards include the following features:
Title
Clearly state what the live stream event is and any key details like names of speakers or performers.
Date and time
Let viewers know exactly when to tune in. Some platforms allow you to indicate the timezone.
Description
Briefly describe what the live event will cover and what viewers can expect to see.
Image or graphic
Add a visual like a logo, photo, or graphic to represent the event and make the card eye-catching.
View button
The call-to-action button lets viewers easily access the live stream when it starts.
Sharing tools
Give viewers the ability to share the event with friends across different platforms via built-in share options.
Notifications
Followers can opt-in to get reminded when the event goes live.
Analytics
Track metrics like views of the card, shares, and comments to measure performance.
Measuring Success
Key metrics to watch when using live event cards include:
Views of the card
How many impressions did the card itself receive leading up to the live stream? High reach indicates you successfully promoted the event.
Shares or retweets
Did viewers share the card with their own audiences? High sharing activity grows your potential live viewership.
Comments
Are people engaging with the card and asking questions prior to the event? Comments show you generated buzz.
Notifications enabled
How many followers opted in to be notified? Notifications help drive viewership.
Peak live views
What was the highest concurrent viewer count during the actual live stream? The peak demonstrates reach.
Average live viewers
What was the typical or median viewer count during the stream? This helps gauge ongoing engagement.
Viewership relative to followers
How did total or peak viewers compare to your overall follower count? Strong percentages indicate you likely surfaced the event well in feeds.
Conclusion
The live event card gives content creators a powerful, native tool to effectively promote and manage live video events and streams on leading social platforms. Strategically leveraging the card can help attract and engage bigger audiences for your business or brand.
To maximize results, promote events early and consistently, provide enticing details, make sharing easy, and analyze metrics after streaming. With the live event card and compelling live content, you can deepen connections and interactivity with your target viewers and followers.