Get “Live”: Using Instagram Stories, Facebook Live and Snapchat for Audience Engagement

Snapchat. Instagram Stories. Facebook Live. More and more often, our social media platforms are demonstrating that a more in-person feel can be beneficial for connection—and taking an audience relationship to the next level.

Many fashion bloggers use these “live” tools for instant benefits. Followers have the ability to watch and respond in the moment with an immediacy that feels more authentic and intimate than an everyday post.

Live video can help put a face (yours!) with your brand and helps humanize your blog even more—a deeper connection and foundation to grow your relationship with your audience. Brilliant!

Open App, Filter, Action!

Fashion bloggers often load up their Instagrams or daily posts with fab fashion finds and noteworthy style must-have or must-dos. But what if you took your audience along with you as you made those dressing room or store checkout decisions?

Hit the stores and show some product! Dumping too many photos on your Instagram doesn’t necessarily work well. With Facebook Live or Instagram Stories you can create a narrative and take audience shopping with you.

Facebook Live gives audience the ability to comment in the moment too—which means potential added content-generating ideas for you. You can have an actual conversation with your followers which may prompt questions leading to future topic ideas and posts. Again, deeper engagement and connection benefits!

All Together Now

An added bonus of live social tools is you can weave their reward with your current model of sharing content. An Instagram Story or Snapchat session now can produce a whole blog post later with what you actually bought. Changing room yays or nays, anyone? Have them comment, vote and later, show them your picks on an enhanced, more-engaging post.

You can add reviews later to the store, the brand, the actual product on you, etc. In reverse, reference the previous FB Live (now archived on your Facebook page) or Instagram Story (if within 24 hours) from the day before.

You’ll teach audience it all works together, and they’ll follow across the board. One big, happy content-sharing, loving family!

On-the-Fly (or Planned) Bonus Content

An additional bonus to “live” social media tools is how wonderfully organic it can be throughout your day. If you’re not carrying your laptop or preferred writing device around with you, your smartphone is out and at the ready, so you can aid your blog on the fly. Of course, you can also plan out this content, but the option is there for spontaneity and audience interaction 24/7!

The Power of Connection

Your audience is everything. If treated appropriately, you’ll learn from them and they from you. Live social sharing tools help reader get to know you on a more intimate level. You have the power to share snippets of your life in a way that doesn’t feel intrusive and doesn’t distract readers from your main content.

Depending on your fashion or style angle, the more you show, the more they know—and live elements serve to enhance that personal relationship.

If you’re showing them an additional side to you—what you eat, when and how you travel, how you do your hair and makeup to complete a look—it’s all added value for them getting to know you and your brand, even if it’s not directly fashion-oriented. It serves to inspire and continue to build that foundation of trust.