i On 2017: Live Video Means Business

Chewbacca Mom. Chances are if you are a user of social media or own a television, you most likely had the uncontrollable laughter of Chewbacca Mom make its' way into your life early last summer. For consumers, this was just another hilarious viral video. For businesses, this was a wake up call.

Customers are no longer solely focused on the product. A higher importance has recently been placed on the experience that comes with these products. This is where one of Facebook's newest additions comes in - live video.

We as consumers want to see what joy using a certain product can bring us. We want to see firsthand how this can change our lives if we decide to make the purchase. In the case of Chewbacca Mom, the mask brought a smile to the faces of millions of people around the world, including Chewbacca Mom herself. Sales for the mask skyrocketed following the popularity of this video because we were able to see what owning a product like that would do for our lives.

Consumers no longer want to feel like we are constantly being sold to. We don't want our social media feeds inundated with just advertisements anymore. We want to see people, people that are just like us, interacting with products in their everyday lives. Live video can truly help break down the business/consumer barrier in 2017 if used properly.

In 2017, more businesses need to not only be aware of live video, but they need to take advantage of it. It is time to focus on the experience. This year is the year to make business more human. The year to make it more relatable. Live video can help achieve this. So next time you see a notification pop on in your live video tab on Facebook, don't ignore it. Take the time to check it out and see just how impactful something like this could potentially be in the coming year.