If you’re a content creator and business owner going live will be a huge part of social media marketing for 2024. I’m going to dive into 4 reasons we will see the rise of live streaming over the next year and what this means for you as a creator or business owner.
The art of connection with your audience quickly
Instagram and TikTok are heavily pushing the idea of livestreaming to content creators and businesses, and for a good reason. As humans we are wired to connect with other humans and going live allows us to do this.
It cuts through the boundaries and walls that general posting on social media brings. It feels more like a them and us situation, whereas live streaming feels like we are experiencing something together, or like we are hanging out.
It breaks down boundaries. When we cut down boundaries we can connect quicker, building that bridge of 'know, like, and trust' which enables more authentic connection between brands and creators.
We have already seen a rise in the term parasocial relationship, but I think we will be hearing about it more in 2024 as we spend more time online consuming content from our favourite creators and businesses, enabling us to have this close bond on a much deeper level.
Connection and loneliness
Although we are virtually connected more than ever before there are higher and higher levels of loneliness being recorded, as well as anxiety about socialising in real life. Being an introvert my need for social connection isn't as high as other people's but I experienced how livestreaming can provide levels of comfort in times of loneliness.
The other weekend I was home alone, I live rurally, so there was literally no one to talk to other than the dog. I was scrolling through TikTok, as one tends to do. I stumbled across a livestream of the Australian creator 'Alrighty Hey,' who was livestreaming as he got ready for a Sam Smith concert.
He showed the process of doing his makeup, picking his outfit, while answering questions from people's comments in the livestream feed. The feed then continued where he made dinner before the show, showing him opening the fridge, trying to figure out what to have with the ingredients that he had.
I questioned why I was watching such mundane tasks, but although it was through watching the everyday tasks, it felt like I was there with him, like two pals getting ready for a night out, and this connection cured my need for companionship, although only temporarily. But it gave me insight into why this type of content is growing in popularity especially as we see a rise in loneliness and anxiety about connecting in the real world.
It fills a void, creates connection, and a shared experience of completing an everyday task. And like I said I didn’t follow this creator beforehand, but after sharing this experience alongside him, I went and pressed the follow button.
So if you are a business owner or creator live streams don’t need to be this big planned event, just pick up your phone and go about your daily tasks/business and use it as a chance to have an unfiltered conversation with your community, or new people who discover you and learn really quickly whether they gel with your content or not, and they might go and connect with you and become one of your biggest raving fans.
Why Nostalgia Content Signals a Rise in Live Streaming.
Two of my favourite creators did a deep dive into Nostalgia content on Youtube recently and raised a similar point. In these uncertain times, as we are still recovering from and navigating the aftermath of this post-COVID era and are grappling with a cost of living crisis. With all this uncertainty there's a natural pull toward predictability and companionship.
What was highlighted by Coco and Nicky in their latest YouTube video was how over the last 18 months there has been a whole lot of redeveloped ideas and content within the media. You only have to look around at the current movies that are out that are giving deep nostalgia vibes, we’ve got Barbie', 'Willy Wonka', 'The Hunger Games', 'Mean Girls', not to mention the Marvel movies that have come from comic books.
And I completely agree with what they were saying in the Youtube video, that this trend mirrors our collective need for predictability, comfort, and the familiar.
Livestreams embody this same essence as this nostalgia content. They fulfill a need for familiarity. When we join a livestream, it's as if we're right there with the person, engaging in everyday activities. This 'FaceTime effect' creates a sense of companionship, reminding us that we're all part of this world together. And in a time where a loneliness epidemic seems to be developing, livestreams offer this temporary, yet meaningful, solution to a longing for human connection.
What this means for Businesses and Creators.
The era of blatant commercialisation on social media is fading. For businesses, you can no longer just throw up a static image of your product pushing people to your website to purchase.
For creators you can’t just be giving some robotic review of a product you are advertising on behalf of a brand. Content needs to be developed around a deeper, more genuine connection with your audience. Brands can embrace this trend, showcasing real faces and stories.
For creators, and actually businesses as well, livestreaming is the pathway to transform your role from entertainer or advertiser to companions and community, and during the process, sure you can use products or mention services, but not from a selling point of view, just like how you would tell your friend over coffee about this amazing dress you just purchased, or this delicious food you tried the other day.
But I also think that the rise in livestreaming will bring people together in person, and allow social anxiety to ease. If your audience has built such a relationship with you and your brand, have seen the physical store, and what they can expect when they interact with you, they will be more likely to translate this online connection into the real world, visiting stores, attending events and meetups with their favourite brands and creators.
If you’re anything like me jumping into a livestream seems terrifying, but so did posting anything on social media the first time. Like anything, just start, get some reps on the board, and it will eventually become second nature. If you need help implementing social media marketing trends for 2024 flick me an email hello@anna-kirkwood.com
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