The risks and rewards of live streaming
[1] If you have ever had a go at "live streaming" and made your own real-time video on Facebook you'll know it can be tricky to make it look good.
[2] Filming with your smartphone, the resulting images are often more than a little shaky, and if you are speaking to the camera, you quickly run out of things to say.
[3] Given live streaming's potential for such pratfalls, you'd imagine that large businesses would give it a wide berth. Shouldn't they stick to spending money on slick adverts rather than risk possibly embarrassing - and brand damaging - time on Facebook Live or Twitter's Periscope?
[4] As it happens, a growing number of firms are indeed trying their hand at live streaming. According to experts, it is helping firms to better connect with customers who like the fact companies are showing a more spontaneous and down-to-earth side.
[5]" We want to go where the people go," says Scot Cottick, senior manager in charge of digital and social media for Nissan.
[6] The carmaker has run more than 26 live streamed videos over the past few years, mainly on Facebook Live.
[7] Mr Cottick adds that the company aims to live stream from as many car shows as possible, and that during the videos "we want to have product specialists educate the public on what they're seeing".
[8] He regards Nissan's live streaming investment as another building block in its social media strategy.
[9] Live streaming is also a pillar at Japanese sportswear and footwear company Asics.
[10] It regularly live streams from events it sponsors, such as the New York Marathon, or beach volleyball tournaments.
[11] Instead of getting sports reporters or Asics employees to present the broadcasts, it employs sports stars, such as US Olympic hurdler Queen Harrison, to guide viewers through the events, often providing behind-the-scenes peeks.
[12] Mia Mendola from marketing agency Red Door Interactive, which is employed by Asics to run the live streams, says it is helping viewers to feel more involved in the sporting events.
[13] "The millennial generation has FOMO - the fear of missing out," she says. "We want to ensure we tap into those audiences to give them an experience they can't get themselves."
[14] She adds, though, that to prevent potential errors brands shouldn't live stream for hours on end, and instead should go for short segments.
[15] But what about the concern that too many live streaming videos from companies look amateurish?
[16] Jeff Bullas, an Australian digital media blogger and speaker, says it generally doesn't matter.
[17] "People like to see authentic content on Facebook," he says. "People don't want stock images or polished stuff. So sure, the risk is a faux pas by an employee on air, but the pros are a lot stronger than the cons."
[18] UK digital marketing consultant Naomi Timperley also says that companies shouldn't focus too much on having the best quality videos.
[19] "If you want something to look polished, Facebook Live is not for you, but I would bet that most brands who have a customer base that use Facebook wouldn't be bothered by the amateur look."
[20] Some brands do, however, work hard to ensure that their live streams are as high quality as possible, such as US business Benefit Cosmetics.
[21] It has now broadcast more than 31 live videos on Facebook, and they often feature a talk show format.
[22] Offering tips on cosmetics they can garner up to 60,000 live viewers.
[23] Claudia Allwood, Benefit's senior director of US digital marketing, says they decided to go into live streaming to help them answer customers' questions more quickly.
[24] "From a content standpoint we want to ensure it's fun and engaging, but it can also get serious," she says.women undergoing chemotherapy, on how to best apply cosmetics, and that's when the show might pull at the heartstrings."
[26] However, while experts say that viewers can cope with a less-than-perfect live stream, even the biggest companies can get into difficulties, more often due to a technical problem.
[27] Earlier this year a fault meant that thousands of people couldn't view US media group CBS's live streaming of the 2016 Grammy Awards, while technology firm Apple had a similar problem in 2014 when it was unveiling the iPhone 6 and its watch.
[28] Even the White House was hit by a live streaming glitch back in May during a speech by President Obama.
Points：
glitch [ɡlɪtʃ] 小过失，差错
Reading guide :
Eg——奥巴马在白宫的演讲中，也出现了这样的技术错误。
[29] Another problem that politicians or businesses have to watch out for when streaming is people posting mocking or malicious comments beneath the videos. French President Francois Hollande found this out to his cost in March when people accused him of being overweight, and worse.
[30] The comments section on Facebook Live and the like can of course be disabled but that rather negates a main point of live streaming - the opportunity for increased interaction with voters or consumers.
Points：
1. disable 使无能力; 使残废，使伤残; 使无资格;
2.. One bomb can disable a ship.
一颗炸弹就能炸毁一艘船.
2. negate [nɪˈɡet] 使无效; 否定; 否认
interaction 一起活动; 合作; 互相影响; 互动
[31] Yet despite the risks, large companies such as Benefit and Nissan now have entire teams at their disposal to run their live streams.
Points：
1. disposal [dɪˈspoʊzl] 处置；处置权；清理；排列
2. at one's disposal 由其支配；由某人做主；供任意使用，可自行支配;
[32] An increasing number of sole traders and small firms are also trying their luck, without many overheads - often they just need to buy a tripod to keep their smartphone steady, and an external microphone.
Points：
1. sole 单独的; 惟一的; 专有的，独占的
2. overhead [ˌoʊvərˈhed] 天花板; 管理费用，经常费用; 开销
3. tripod [ˈtraɪpɑd] 三脚架; 三脚凳; 三脚桌; 三足鼎
[33] Amanda Rivera, a PR strategist and live streaming expert from New York, says: "I think it is an excellent opportunity to build up the know/like/trust factor with your community.
Points：
1. strategist [ˈstrætədʒɪst] 战略家; 军事家
2. factor [ˈfæktɚ] 因素 ; 因子; 代理人
Reading guide :
视频直播被业内人士认为是和社区之间建立知情权，喜好，信任等等因素的绝佳机会。
[34] "You don't have to do an hour-long Facebook Live or Periscope every day, you can do five-minute sessions."
[35] But does live streaming directly lead to an increase in a company's sales? As firms invariably do other marketing work, it is very difficult to say.
Points：
1. invariably [ɪnˈveriəbli] 总是; 不变的; 无不
Eg：1. He was invariably willing to discuss the possibilities hypothetically.
他总是愿意谈论各种假设的可能性。
2. Summer clothes are invariably less kind to fuller figures.
体形较丰满的人穿夏装总是不那么好看。
[36] Naomi Timperley says firms have to take a longer term approach.
Points：
approach 方法; 途径; 接近
Reading guide : 【35】 【36】
视频直播带来的好处： 能直接影响公司的销售量吗？目前尚不明显，因为一个大公司所作的营销工作不仅仅是视频直播，所以还不能直接下定论，但是企业要做好长期布局的规划。
[37] "A lot of [live streaming] campaigns on social media have more to do with brand awareness than with bottom line sales," she says.
Points：
have more to do with与...更有关;和谁更有关系
Eg : 1. ... But that may have more to do with Japanese life-stvles.
但是，那也许与日本人的生活方式关系更大。
2. You may have more to do with children this week; keep an open mind.
本周你可能得在孩子上多花心思；要保持开明的思想。
2. brand awareness 品牌知名度
3. bottom line 底线，最终效益
Eg : 1. The bottom line is that it's not profitable
最重要的一点是它无利可图。
2. These small promotions were costly and they did nothing to increase his bottom line.
这些小规模的促销活动成本很高，而且对增加他的最终效益没什么贡献。
3. The bottom line is that it did not get the best out of everybody.
最关键的问题是这不能使每个人充分发挥自己的长处。
4. Why did you give the bottom line right away?
你怎么一下子就亮了底？
5. There is no civilization, there is no basic moral bottom line.
没有了文明，就没有了基本的道德底线。
[38] "Revenue comes after. It's not a quick win. You have to invest a lot of time in social, experiment, and see what works for your business."
