What’s so great about live video? Everything, according to research by Livestream.

The study revealed brand audiences prefer watching live video over reading a blog by 80 percent, and 82 percent prefer live video to a social post.

The dominant live-streaming channels include Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

By definition, live-streaming is real-time video broadcast to an audience on the internet. Live video has the opportunity to humanize a brand, making it more approachable to consumers.

If you’re not yet using live video content, here are three techniques to integrate in your marketing plan.

Conduct live interviews with thought leaders. Savvy advice from industry leaders is a must-have in business today, and live expert interviews about thought-provoking industry topics are a hot commodity.

Start with an expert on your team. Consider interviewing your director of marketing, for example, on Facebook Live and inviting questions from viewers.

This two-way communication creates an immediate connection between the viewer and your brand. Mashable has done a great job with their live daily show, ‘Mash on This.’

The host delivers trending information that appeals to busy viewers who have no time to spin through the trend sites every day, and he invites participation through questions.

Broadcast live behind the scenes. What you believe is boring behind-the-curtain fluff, your customers may find fascinating. Let them see your team working on new product launches, or one member of your team speaking at an important conference.

Something as simple as a 24-7 live-cam constantly feeding live activity can make viewers feel a part of the brand.

Elvis fans worldwide connect via the website’s GracelandCam to see what is happening outside the Graceland mansion anytime.

Engage your audience with a live how-to video. There’s perhaps no better way to present your product to potential customers than by demonstrating it.

Cooking and crafts extraordinaire Martha Stewart hosts magnificent tutorials on Facebook Live. A couple of wins for Martha’s tutorials that beg mention and imitation are:

• Her focus on craft projects that feature her products

• Her plugs as to where customers can buy them.

Before you do anything live, however, make sure you know what the intended takeaway for the audience is and above all, keep the video short.

Also, you’ll likely need a host or hostess for a ‘how to.’ It can certainly be a member of your team; just make sure they are well-spoken and can roll with the punches of live broadcasting.

Engaging customers in real-time is an exciting opportunity for marketers. If your video campaign doesn’t work, just pivot. Customers find imperfect brands endearing and relatable. Perfection is not the goal.

Tricia Warren, Marketing Strategist at RedRover Sales & Marketing Strategy, can be reached at redrovercompany.com.