3 Ways to Make Your Live Stream More Interactive in 2021

Regardless of which live streaming platform you’re using, making your live video more interactive is a must. According to Facebook, live videos on average get 600% more engagement than pre-recorded videos. Are you looking for ways to get more interaction from your live stream? Or are you planning to go live for the first time and are looking for ideas? Either way, here are three ways to make your live stream more interactive in 2021.

Use Facebook Live Polls

Using polls in your live stream is one of the best ways to get more interaction. Why is a poll so effective on social media? People love to voice out their opinions. Plus, they like to get involved but without putting in too much effort. Polls are hugely popular no matter what the platform is. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn have poll options.

You can integrate polls within your live streams using Facebook’s Live Producer. Here’s how:

Choose the “Go Live” button to open the Live Producer page.
Go to “Polls.”
Create your poll.

If Live Producer is too overwhelming, you can also use external tools, such as Type form or Google form. Share the link in the comment section once you’re live. Learn more about creating polls on Facebook Live here.

Highlight Viewers’ Comments

In the ’90s, people tuned in to FM stations. To make the radio shows interactive, DJs would ask their listeners to text a shout-out. There’s nothing more exciting than when the DJ reads your message and mentions your first name. It makes the listening experience more interactive. Plus, it makes people tune in longer because they have to wait for the possibility of getting mentioned.

The same effect happens when you mention someone’s name in a live stream. On your next live stream, make sure to dedicate a section for shout-outs. Here’s how to do it:

Ask your viewers where they are watching from.

Once they answer, put their comment on the stream.

Mention their first name and read a part of their comment.

Mentioning your viewers’ names and comments achieves two things:

You will get more comments from the viewers. They will most likely comment, “Thank you!”

The more comments you get, the more chances for your live stream to reach more people. Facebook prioritizes content that gets more likes, shares, and comments on the news feed.

Thanks to live streaming platforms like Be.Live, it’s easy to highlight viewers’ comments on your stream.

Ask Engaging Questions

What is considered an engaging question? For one thing, it needs to be specific.
Vague: What’s your favorite movie?
Specific: What was the last movie you watched?

When things are vague, people are less likely to take action. In the first question, it’s hard to choose which one is your absolute favorite. But if you simply asked someone to remember the last movie they watched, it’s easier to answer.

Add Gamification Elements

According to Gamify.com, “Gamification is the addition of game elements to non-game activities.” How can you gamify your live stream?

Giveaways

You can never go wrong with a giveaway, especially during the holiday season. Give away simple but fun prizes, such as a digital Amazon gift card. You can set the mechanics of how someone wins the prize. It can be as simple as answering a question. You can choose the winner based on the quality of the answer, or you can pick the winner randomly. Make sure to stay within the platform’s guidelines when doing a giveaway. For example, on Facebook, you can’t ask people to share a post in exchange for a prize.

Fun Games

You can take concepts from classic games and integrate them into your live stream, such as memory games. For example, you can add one new thing–let’s say a new book–in your background. Ask your viewers to guess which book was added. You can also encourage viewers to keep tuning in every week knowing that they have another puzzle to solve. And of course, make sure to mention viewers who are always tuning in. You can reward them by promoting their Facebook Page or their work.

Summary

Making your live stream more interactive is both fun and effective. Try to implement one of these three ways, or try them all. Remember to experiment with different strategies and pay attention to your viewers’ reactions.