Your Social Team Guide to Host Instagram Split Screen Lives Like a Pro
Did you know that 80% of the people would rather watch a live from your brand than read your blog posts?
Besides that, there are a lot more advantages to start doing Instagram LIVES:
They are easy to do (once you apply our tips below!)
They convert a lot more than a social post when promoting a service or product
When you're live, Instagram notify your followers (and your guests’ followers) to come watch it, so they help your account grow
Now Instagram allows you to share your lives on IGTV with a click of a button, so they no longer go away
They are totally free!
So now that I have your attention, let's get to it!
Here’s How to Plan an Instagram Live with a Guest (AKA split screen Live)
Decide on a theme. It can be a general Q&A, an announcement, an interview or just talk about a relevant topic in your niche.
Pick your guest. Reach out to your guest in advance, send them a calendar event and check in with them the day of the live to confirm. I also reach out to them 10 minutes prior via DM to make sure they are ready to go. Once you’re live you will not be able to reach them.
Write down your questions and share them with your guest. Even if you are doing a Q&A, it's important to prepare enough topics to talk about, in case you don't get enough questions or they don’t come fast enough.
Run a test. Whether you do this from a separate personal account or from the main/business account, you should jump live real quick to be sure that your mic and camera both work.
Before your Instagram Live
Promote it on a post - Create a post for the morning of your Live to tell people to tune in at a certain time
Promote it in stories - Create a story and add the countdown sticker so people can save it and be notified when it’s time for the Live
Create Posts and Stories to send to your guest so they can promote it, too - that way you get more of their audience to tune in, which means more exposure to a new audience.
Put a note about it on your newsletters - You could even offer an incentive for people to watch it live, such as giving away a discount code live.
Create slides to use on the background - you can add your guest’s name and handle, add topics, photos and even video to blow your audience’s mind.
During your Instagram Live
Find a good set up for your live video.
Make sure you look well lit, the background looks good. Use a tripod so your phone is not moving. Alternatively, you can add some books under your laptop for ideal height and prop your phone against the screen. Also pick a quiet place.
Add a title to your Live.
Before going live, write a title and add to the left side title button.
Start speaking right away.
Most people wait for others to join, but if you do that, you will have an awkward start once the live is shared on IGTV, so just start and people will catch up.
Have an intro prepared while you wait for your guest to join the live.
Say hi to some of the people joining, promote your latest offer, give updates, talk about the guest and what you will be covering in your live broadcast.
Make your live last at least 20 minutes.
Instagram will be notifying people you're live and you want to give people time to join, so don’t have lives that are too short. Sounds like a lot but it goes by fast.
After your Instagram Live
Share the live to IGTV with the preview on your Instagram feed to get more views. You will see an option as you click on end live. You will also have a chance to upload a cover, which I recommend you have one already saved on your phone with a graphic with the title of your live in the center square of the image, and any other info you would like to add.
Take some screenshots of your live before it goes away. You can use that later for a story mentioning the live or to promote a future live.
Send a thank you message to your guest. Make sure they know you appreciate their time and leave the door open to the next collaboration.
Reuse the content. If your live adds a tone of value, which I am sure it will, link it to a blog post and send it out on a newsletter.
More Importantly...
Don't worry too much if your Lives aren't perfect!
If you're having problems or technical difficulties, you can tell people what's going on and even finish your live sooner (in which case you don't need to share it in stories).
Even Instagram themselves have funky lives, so just go for it!
If you enjoyed these tips, check our post on how to use slides in your Instagram lives.
Xoxo
Manu,
Founder of @YourSocialTeam