Utilizing LIVE Video with Facebook & Instagram with Jenny Melrose
Episode 203: Show Notes
Today on the podcast we welcome Jenny Melrose. Jenny is a former reading specialist who retired from her teaching career and started blogging. She is the owner at jennymelrose.com, the lifestyle blogger over at The Melrose Family and has worked with brands that are nationally recognized, such as Neutrogena, Smuckers, Glad, Costco, Stanley Steamer, Sarah Lee and many more. In this episode, we are talking to Jenny specifically about live video broadcasting and how to utilize this fantastic new tool for Facebook and Instagram.
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We briefly touch on topics like sponsored posts and sponsored live content, but for the most part we are talking about how to get over the fear of live video, how to get started, how to create engaging content and how to get people to interact with you so that you can increase your organic reach, which ultimately leads to sales! We will also be discussing how you can pitch to brands and how this has been crucial to Jenny’s business success – and the good news is, it’s easier than you think! If you have been on the fence about live broadcasting, are not sure how to structure your video or what topics to cover – no matter what industry you an in, this episode will help you find your voice.
How Jenny Overcame Her Fear And Got Started With Live Video
Over at Jenny’s lifestyle site, The Melrose Family, she does a lot of posts on food. It would take her hours and hours to create, edit and upload a beautiful video and so when Facebook started pushing live video more, she decided to take the plunge and try it. She was petrified. She was not very comfortable being on camera. So what she did is she brought in a crutch. Her crutch at the time was her chatty four year-old daughter. Because of that, Jenny became more focused on her daughter and less focused on the camera. The videos with her daughter became time for them to spend together and create recipes together and Jenny’s audience loved it. They loved the relationship. They were interested in what Jenny’s daughter was going to say next, how Jenny was going to parent and how the recipe was going to turn out. It became real, authentic cooking and Jenny’s audience connected with her because of it. But how can we be real in front of the camera if we don’t have a four year-old to co-host with us? Let’s see.
How To Be Real In Front Of The Camera (Without A Four Year-Old)
At Jenny’s business site, jennymelrose.com, she takes a more formal approach with her live videos where it is just her in front of the camera. What she did was start a closed Facebook group where there was a small audience. A small enough audience for her not to be petrified hosting a live video in there. She used this group to get her “feet wet” with live video; to get more comfortable. Once she was comfortable there, going onto her Jenny Melrose Facebook page, which is open to the public, was no big deal anymore. She was able to iron out the kinks of her video presentation in the closed Facebook group, before going live on her public group. Jenny recommends getting a bit of practice in this type of way and using this practice to get some feedback to warm you up and build up your confidence before hitting the main stage.
Finding Your Voice: How To You Know What To Say In A Live Video
In Jenny’s case, taking an audience through a recipe is a pretty clear agenda. But what if you sell jewelry or offer a digital course? How do you figure out what to say in your live video? Jenny recommends that we always try to figure out what our audience is looking for. We know, based on the algorithm change, that Facebook wants us to have authentic conversations with our audience. So talk to them, ask them questions, see what they’re interested in, what are their pain points? Once you have that information, come up with a topic and outline where you want to go with it. It is very easy to lose your train of thought on live video because you have people popping in asking questions, or commenting. If you have an outline, you can utilize it to bring you back. So perhaps you could look at identifying a problem your audience is having and give them a few solutions. But it really comes down to what your topic is and what your niche is. If you are an artist, or a crafter, walk your audience through a project or a craft and how to do it, perhaps. One of Jenny’s clients, for example, did a live broadcast every single day for thirty days on how to sew with zippers. Her reach and her page number shot through the roof in those thirty days and it’s because Facebook is really looking for that live broadcasting aspect.
Getting Your Audience To Interact Without Derailing The Conversation
Jenny has a live broadcasting starter guide that walks you through the ways to have your video set up with this in mind. When you go and do a live broadcast, it shouldn’t only be about the reach and pushing it out – you also want to be growing your list. Jenny recommends always starting your live broadcast by having an idea of how you are going to get them on your list. Perhaps it’s something that you are giving away for free in exchange for their email? Then the topic can naturally be guided around that. Jenny always starts by introducing herself and letting people know who she is, because it is likely that Facebook is not pushing it out solely to your audience anymore. The introduction is crucial. From there, Jenny lets them know about the lead magnet right at the beginning. Tell them what the video is about and hit on those pain points. You don’t have a ton of time to catch their attention, so let them know what problem you will be solving in the video as soon as possible. Jenny then takes a moment to remind people how they can interact with her. Live broadcasting is new, remember, so you need to tell them! Jenny also makes sure that she asks questions throughout her broadcast to get them to comment and to get them involved, so that you can give them true feedback and help. These points are so crucial to building a connection and to building trust with your audience.
What Is The Difference Between Facebook Live And Instagram Live?
Instagram Live is definitely a bit of a different beast because you don’t really feel like people are there! So what Jenny started doing is she is getting people to go on Instagram Live with her. She uses this feature as an opportunity for people to do a consult with her, where they can just join in and ask her any questions that they have. She uses Instagram primarily for her jennymelrose.com site, but for her Melrose Family site, she hasn’t really used Instagram Live a ton. Whether you are using FB Live or Insta Live, Jenny advises that you always try to be consistent. Pick a time and pick a day that you can commit to and your audience will come. With the way the algorithm is working right now; if you are not giving people a reason to go to your page then they are probably not seeing your content. Live broadcasting gives people a reason to go to your site. Jenny lets the questions come in organically, because you don’t want your live to feel too scripted. There is definitely a balance between planning and over-planning. And that brings us to the topic of perfection... (Which we know you all struggle with!)
How To Plan Your Live Video Without Over-Planning Your Live Video
When videos are planned too much, they can appear in-genuine, too scripted and just unnatural. But how do we plan without planning too much? Especially when we are perfectionists and are nervous in front of the camera! For Jenny’s recipe videos, she makes sure that everything, all of her tools, are laid out in front of her, so that she doesn’t have to go running around her kitchen looking for them in the middle of a broadcast. She also normally tries to pick something relatively easy to cover because you don’t want your live to be a 45-minute cooking show. People are not going to sit there and watch that. Jenny feels that 10-15 minutes for a live is your best bet. Don’t go beyond 20-minutes. If questions pour in and you’re going over time, that’s fine, because you have engagement. As far as setting up goes, have the materials that you need set up within reach and just let it be! Jenny’s personality is just very much, jump head first in. She is not a perfectionist and is able to feel fine if her video is not perfect. But if you are a perfectionist with control freak tendencies, Jenny advises that you do edited videos rather then, because with Facebook Lives, questions come in that you may not know even how to respond to! But if you can stay with and interact with what your audience is giving you, they are going to value that so much more. So try to relinquish some control and go with the flow (with a small plan in mind of course).
Monetizing Live Video: How To Jump To The Sale And Find Sponsors
Jenny has an evergreen product called, Pitch Perfect Pro, that teaches bloggers how to pitch to brands for sponsored content. But before Jenny goes promoting that product she does a five day challenge that is done live ahead of time. When people participate in her challenge, her conversion rate at this point is 40%. People are so invested after the five day challenge that purchasing her product is just a logical next step for them. Because of the reach that live broadcasts have given Jenny’s business, sponsors are now paying for her to do the live broadcasts! And they are paying a minimum of $500 dollars. So she may be doing a recipe video, but is now using an ingredient, say a type of flour, from a particular brand. For Jenny, a live broadcast is one of the easiest ways for her to do sponsored work. Everything that Jenny is doing with brands she has reached out for. She has contacted the brands, sent in her pitch and for The Melrose Family, at least 50% of the income comes from sponsors. Food is one of the easiest ways to explain how sponsors and brands are used, in terms of ingredients, but it can work for fitness, crafts, parenting bloggers, health, make-up – you name it. You can reach out to these brands, you are not too small and they very well might want to work with you! So go for it!
Quote This
If you can interact with what your audience is giving you, they are going to value that so much more.
—Jenny Melrose
Highlights
How Jenny Overcame Her Fear And Got Started With Live Video. [0:02:45.1]
How To Be Real In Front Of The Camera (Without A Four Year-Old). [0:05:15.1]
Finding Your Voice: How To You Know What To Say In A Live Video. [0:07:00.1]
Getting Your Audience To Interact Without Derailing The Conversation. [0:10:43.1]
What Is The Difference Between Facebook Live And Instagram Live? [0:15:45.1]
How To Plan Your Live Video Without Over-Planning Your Live Video. [0:22:09.1]
Monetizing Live Video: How To Jump To The Sale And Find Sponsors. [0:25:20.1]
#TalkStrategyToMe [0:34:20.6]
Put a deadline on it and commit!
Set up an event for your Facebook Live.
Start talking about it, build a hype and promote.
Work on an outline for your video and prep.
Cross-promote your live video broadcast.
Have an accountability partner.
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Jenny Melrose
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Jenny is a former reading specialist who “retired” from her teaching career when her blogging income far exceeded her salary. Through hard work and dedication, her lifestyle blog, The Melrose Family, became regularly sought out by nationally recognized brands such as Neutrogena, Smuckers, Glad, Costco, Stanley Steamer, Sara Lee and many more. The unique pitching process she developed for working with brands, transformed an empty editorial calendar into one that was completely booked months in advance. Now, she’s combining her passion for teaching with her extensive experience working with brands to help other bloggers do the same over at JennyMelrose.com and through her podcast Influencer Entrepreneurs with Jenny Melrose.
KEY TOPICS
Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Live broadcasting, Sponsors, Working with brands, Sponsored content, Video recipes, Pitching to brands
