3 Ways To Engage an Audience with Instagram Live

A lot is said about audience engagement on Instagram. The higher the engagement on your content, the more the algorithm will push your posts to the front of the line, so to speak.

So, if your followers do not engage or respond to your post, your campaign is in trouble.

It does not matter what type of campaign you run, for a business or yourself; it must attract interest and eyes if you want it to succeed.

This means using reels, stories, carousels, and more to get people interested in what you say and sell.

If you are struggling to find a way forward on Instagram using these methods, you should consider a more direct approach: Instagram Live.

This Instagram feature offers several ways to connect with an audience in real-time. This way, you can build a community on the Instagram platform and get the engagement you want.

If you have never used Instagram Live, here are a few strategies to get going.

1. Use Instagram Live To Generate Interest In Your Content

If your followers have not been interacting with your content, chances are they do not know much about you or your business.

You can use Instagram Live to change that and create a bit of hype around your profile.

First of all, you must outline the goal of your first live session.

Do you want to reintroduce your brand? Do you want your followers to ask questions about a product or upcoming event?

The answers to these questions will help you think of the right topic.

Speaking of topics, you must choose one that people will want to hear about. And, more importantly, that they want to talk about.

Choose something that relates to your brand but is still relevant to your audience. For example, if you are an artist, you can speak on ‘painting methods for beginners.’

This will attract people who have dreamed of painting their first canvas but do not know where to start. It may also attract art buyers, especially if you use the right keywords in your promotional content.

You can use a live session to speak to beginner artists while promoting your art non-intrusively. It depends on how you approach the topic and interact with your audience.

Always schedule a live session at a time when your existing audience is most active on Instagram. Doing this will ensure you have at least a handful of viewers for your first attempt.

Do not be discouraged if you do not attract more people. Creating your first Instagram Live session is guaranteed not to work out how you want it to.

Give people a chance to choose your content and to choose to want to watch you in action.

However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot promote your live sessions for a few days in advance. In fact, you should do this for all your live sessions.

Create sneak peeks on Stories, Reels, and static posts to create anticipation ahead of time. For subsequent live sessions, you can reel in an influencer to help you expand your reach.

2. Use Instagram Live To Talk and Listen

Your Instagram live sessions are not about you or your business. It is about your audience.

Your viewers must feel like they are making a difference to your success on Instagram. They must be part of the conversation you are having. So, don’t just talk but take the time to listen too.

You can keep the talking to a minimum if you want to increase the engagement factor. Make half of your live session a Q&A discussion.

Doing this will help you address potential audience concerns about your products. It will also allow you to get an insight into what Instagram users want to see on your profile.

Start a poll during your live session to keep people talking. This will drive engagement even more.

You can partner with an expert or special guest to keep things interesting. While you converse with your audience, allow the conversation to flow naturally.

Also, reply to all comments as they appear, and try to give intermittent shoutouts.

3. Plan Excellent Content for Instagram Live Sessions

Instagram Live is not just about talking and answering questions about products. You can use this feature to give your audience a glimpse into what it takes to manufacture these products.

You can also use it to show your sustainability efforts to minimize your brand’s carbon footprint. Or take some time to show your followers the faces behind your brand’s creativity.

If you are a one-man show, use a live session to introduce yourself and your work to the Instagram world. Instagram users are constantly on the lookout for new and exciting content.

You will enjoy increased engagement if you plan your live session content just right.

You can also deviate from talking by hosting tutorials and product demonstrations.

This type of live session works well when explaining IT software or the steps of a complicated recipe. It also increases the engagement factor because viewers can give their own unique input and advice.

To drive even more engagement, you can arrange interactive live events like virtual workshops or poetry readings.

Instagram users love beautiful content, and book or poetry readings fall square into that category. This also shows that it does not matter what type of content you create, you will find an Instagram audience for it.

You just need to know how to present the content well. And that is where Instagram Live shines.

Learn From Each Live To Build Instagram Success

Analyze your Instagram Insights after each live, to see how much your viewership grew and during which parts of the session your audience engaged the most.

You can also ask for reviews from participants to get more detailed information. Use this data to improve your strategies for the next live session.

By doing this and adapting the above three strategies to your brand, you can turn a live session into an open communication channel for your target audience.

So, get going on that first session and watch as your audience engagement skyrockets to another level.