Open Access

Kea Abrahams

• Times in which you could communicate and build a strong brand solely through classic advertising are over. Digital media, such as social media platforms, are increasingly gaining momentum as a result of digital change and are increasingly used by companies as a platform to distribute their own media products. One way of sharing their own media products is the use of live-videos on social media such as Facebook and Instagram. These implemented live-streaming on their platforms in 2016/2017. Through technical development, live-videos can be streamed directly via smartphone and shared with followers. The aim of this research is to find out how companies can use live-video on social media as a tool for brand communication and customer retention, what opportunities and risks this new feature brings, and how consumers would use this feature. In order to answer these questions, basic information about social media marketing and content-marketing is explained, as well as an insight into the function of videos as a communication tool. This is followed by an examination of expert interviews and an online survey of consumers, to review the hypothesis that by using live-videos in content-marketing, a perception increase of the brand as well as an added value for customer loyalty can be achieved. The results show live-videos can be used by almost every business. Thereby, many advantages and risks are associated with the application. If live-videos meet the needs of customers it can lead to a better perception of the brand and increases its authenticity.