Instagram Live presents a tremendous opportunity to engage your audience in real-time and grow your business. But broadcasting to an empty room can be discouraging. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore proven tips to dramatically increase views and engagement on your Instagram Live videos.
Contents
- What is Instagram Live and Why Does it Matter?
- 9 Ways to Get More Instagram Live Views
- 1. Purchase Guaranteed Live Views
- 2. Promote Your Live Videos Across All Channels
- 3. Analyze Your Analytics to Find Peak Times
- 4. Host Interactive Q&A Sessions
- 5. Run Contests and Giveaways
- 6. Partner With Nano and Micro-Influencers
- 7. Share Valuable Exclusive Content
- 8. Keep Viewers Engaged with Interactive Elements
- 9. Review Metrics and Optimize
- Key Takeaways
What is Instagram Live and Why Does it Matter?
Launched in 2016, Instagram Live allows users to broadcast live video that disappears after the broadcast ends.
Here are some key stats on Instagram Live usage:
- 80% of Instagram users watch Live videos [1]
- Videos receive 6x more engagement than regular photos [2]
- Over 5 billion Live videos are shared monthly [3]
It‘s clear that Live represents the future of social media engagement. Successful brands are increasingly incorporating Live into their Instagram strategy.
More live views can lead to:
- Increased reach and conversions
- Deeper connections with your audience
- Viral growth from shares and highlights
- Valuable feedback for better content
But getting views takes effort. Let‘s look at how you can maximize viewership.
9 Ways to Get More Instagram Live Views
Based on proven social media marketing techniques, here are 9 methods to get more eyes on your Instagram Live broadcasts.
1. Purchase Guaranteed Live Views
The fastest way to create social proof and trigger the algorithm is by purchasing high-quality live views. Services like UseViral can help you get views from real accounts, starting at just 100 up to 10,000+.
The benefit of buying views is it quickly builds momentum. UseViral‘s views are drip-fed naturally over the broadcast, making them look authentic. Prices start from just $2.99 for 100 views.
Research by Forrester shows that as live views increase, organic participation rises by up to 70% [4]. Purchasing views can kickstart this viral effect and maximize your reach.
2. Promote Your Live Videos Across All Channels
You can‘t go live spontaneously and expect an audience. Effective promotion is crucial for driving live viewership.
- On Instagram – Post on your feed, share in Stories and highlight in your bio.
- Other social networks – Promote on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok etc.
- Email – Alert your subscriber list. Segment and target if possible.
- Direct messaging – Personally text and remind followers.
- Influencer networks – Share in relevant Telegram or Discord groups.
- Paid ads – Run promotions on Instagram and Facebook. Geotarget if it makes sense.
Start promoting at least 3 days in advance and ramp up momentum leading up to broadcast.
3. Analyze Your Analytics to Find Peak Times
When you go live plays a major role in viewership. Use Instagram‘s analytics to identify days/times when your audience is most active and engaged.
Some trends to look for:
- Weekends – Engagement is 30% higher on weekends [5]. Avoid Fridays.
- Evenings – Prime time is 7-9pm when people are winding down.
- Lunch break – Quick noon broadcasts can capture viewers at work.
- Morning routine – Some niches align with morning coffee.
You may also see spikes around events, launches, holidays etc. Plot your findings and consistently go live during natural peaks.
4. Host Interactive Q&A Sessions
Live Q&As are incredibly effective for engagement. Ways to structure an engaging session:
- Ask for questions – Prompt viewers to ask questions in comments or direct message.
- Involve experts – Bring on guests like influencers or specialists.
- Offer prizes – Give away gifts for best questions or most views.
- Make it visual – Display questions on screen and answer verbally.
- Pick a theme – Focus your Q&A on a specific topic.
A Q&A format gives followers a chance to connect. Responding to their questions also keeps them invested longer.
5. Run Contests and Giveaways
Contests are proven to boost views and comments. Some ideas:
- Give away your products or services
- Raffle gift cards to popular brands
- Provide discount codes or exclusive offers
- Reward viewers who invite the most friends
Promote your contests extensively before going live. Hype up the prizes and make entering as frictionless as possible.
Consider collaborating with sponsors or brands to provide higher value prizes. Contests turn viewers into evangelists for your Live videos.
6. Partner With Nano and Micro-Influencers
Collaborating with relevant influencers gives you instant access to their engaged follower base.
Focus on nano and micro-influencers in the 1k to 100k follower range. Their fans are proven to be more engaged and receptive to recommendations.
Provide incentives like:
- Monetary compensation
- Free products/services
- Shoutouts
- Shared giveaways
Work out cross-promotional deals where you also promote their content. Finding synergistic partnerships leads to more authentic collabs that drive higher engagement.
Giving viewers content they can‘t get anywhere else incentivizes them to tune in.
Some ideas for exclusive value:
- Behind-the-scenes – Show processes and team access
- Previews – Reveal upcoming products, content, events
- Launches – Make important announcements on Live first
- Limited deals – Special discount codes and promotions
- Experts – Bring on guests to share insider tips and tricks
- Polls – Get audience input and feedback on key decisions
Think through what unique perspective or inside knowledge you can share to pique viewer interest and loyalty.
8. Keep Viewers Engaged with Interactive Elements
Simply talking at your audience leads to drop-off. Keep them engaged by:
- Asking questions – E.g. have you tried X? What do you think of Y?
- Polling – Run quick polls and reviews to spark discussion.
- Q&As – Continuously ask and answer relevant questions.
- Visual aids – Show images, videos, slides to reinforce talking points.
- Shoutouts – Read and reply to comments in real-time.
- Challenges – Give viewers missions like sharing with friends.
- Countdowns/reveals – Build anticipation and intrigue.
Getting viewers actively participating keeps them hooked and boosts satisfaction.
9. Review Metrics and Optimize
Analyze your live metrics to spot trends and opportunities:
- When are peak viewer times? Plan accordingly.
- What topics get most engagement? Make them your focus.
- What causes viewer dropoff? Improve weak areas.
- Who are your regular viewers? Target them with promotions.
- How are viewers finding you? Double down on those channels.
Consistently review performance and double down on what works. Retarget engaged viewers from past broadcasts.
Key Takeaways
- Promote your Lives extensively across all channels to build hype and urgency
- Analyze metrics to find your audience‘s peak days and times
- Collaborate with influencers to tap into their engaged followers
- Add interactive elements like giveaways, Q&As and polls to boost participation
- Provide exclusive value and access to incentivize viewership
- Keep optimizing your approach based on data and feedback
Driving Instagram Live views takes effort but pays dividends in engagement and growth. Apply these tips to take your viewership to the next level!
