Are You Afraid of Doing Live Video?

What’s stopping you from experimenting with live video for your business? I’ve been asking this question on various networks.

It puzzles me that more people aren’t jumping onto the live video bandwagon. It’s never been easier to shoot and stream video. The only equipment required is your smartphone. 

You could go one step further and use a webcam on your desktop, and you could invest in a desktop tripod, but you don’t need any of those things to shoot live streaming video.

Do any of these reasons for not doing live video resonate with you?

1. I don’t have a good location or backdrop
2. I don’t look good on video
3. Tools/How-to/Laziness/Time Constraints 

I do not want to be a time-waster if I’m going to go to all the trouble of doing this. Finding something I can talk about intelligently is highest on my list for moving forward with this challenge.

4. I don’t want to be visible, and I’m not sure anyone is interested in what I’d like to say

5. Fear that the video will not look good (here’s my answer to that)

Kick those fears to the curb

1. I don’t have a good location or backdrop

The beauty of live video is that it can be spontaneous and doesn’t require a “studio look.” Sure, you don’t want a big mess in the background because that can be distracting. But, you can create a live experience anywhere you’ve got a wifi connection so the background may be somewhere outdoors or at an airport, in a hotel, anywhere you happen to be.

The beauty of live video is that it can be spontaneous and doesn't require a 'studio look.' Click to Tweet

2. I don’t look good on video

I’ll let you in on a little secret:  Pretty much nobody (except maybe George Clooney) likes how they look on camera.  We all tend to be our own worst critics! The “don’t look good on video” fear is mostly unfounded.  We’re usually being way too self-conscious.  Live video is not a “red carpet” moment, it’s a casual, informal, “on-the-fly” moment. And, I’ll never forget the advice I got when I first was experimenting with video and hated the way I looked: no one cares what you look like, most people want to see people who look like them. It makes you more relatable.

3. Tools/How-to/Laziness/Time Constraints 

Another cool feature of live video is that it doesn’t take a lot of time!  Think of it as a quick “video selfie.”   You can use your mobile phone and do your video from anywhere, on the go and in the moment.  The “no time” excuse simply doesn’t hold up when it comes to live video.  And going live on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is literally a few taps on your phone. It can’t get any easier than that.

4. I don’t want to be visible, and I’m not sure anyone is interested in what I’d like to say

Believe me, I can relate to not wanting to be visible. I’m an introvert and being on camera is not my first choice for expressing myself. However, the reality is, LIVE video has become so important that you can’t ignore it. With hundreds of millions of people on every social network competing for attention, the content that stands out above all others is live video. I’ll be blunt. If you’re not doing some live video, your message isn’t being seen and heard by many people. Is that what you want?

5. Fear that the video will not look good

Here’s my answer to that. If your content is great, but the video is not up to snuff, all is not lost. There are numerous ways you can repurpose the content without the video so your time hasn’t been “wasted.”

How are you feeling now? I know I sound like a broken record, and I believe that you – the entrepreneur, the solo business owner – are in a unique position to take chances, experiment with new tools and tactics and embrace change. What have you got to lose?

Need a pep talk? Here’s my journey to “just say yes” which I apply whenever I feel reluctant about trying something new.

Want more? Here are The Video Godfather’s Top 10 Proven Video Marketing Tips.

If you have questions or concerns I haven’t addressed, please post them in the comments or here, on Facebook.

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