Best Practices for Hosting LinkedIn Live with Influencers

LinkedIn Live events with influencers can boost your brand’s visibility, engage a broader audience, and create meaningful connections. But success depends on the right preparation, collaboration, and follow-up. Here’s a quick summary of how to get it right:

Choose the right influencers: Focus on audience alignment, engagement, and experience with live events. Don’t just look at follower count.
Plan ahead: Ensure LinkedIn Live eligibility, test your tech setup, and pick an ideal time (weekdays, 8–10 AM or 12–2 PM EST).
Collaborate on content: Build a clear agenda with your influencer, but leave room for natural discussion.
Promote effectively: Use LinkedIn event pages, hashtags, and influencer networks to create buzz. Start at least two weeks in advance.
Engage during the event: Interact with attendees in real-time through comments, polls, and direct questions.
Follow up: Thank participants, share the recording, and track performance metrics like views and conversions.

LinkedIn Live Video Event Strategy for Entrepreneurs

Pre-Event Planning and Setup

When it comes to LinkedIn Live events, preparation is everything. Careful pre-event planning ensures a seamless experience, delivers value to your audience, and strengthens your collaboration with influencers.

Finding the Right Influencers

It’s not just about the numbers. Focus on audience alignment rather than follower count to find influencers whose followers match your target demographic. Look for those with engaged communities and a content style that complements your brand. Take the time to review their recent posts to gauge authentic interactions.

Experience matters, too. Influencers who have previously hosted or participated in LinkedIn Live events bring familiarity with the platform. They’re skilled at engaging with live comments, troubleshooting on the spot, and keeping discussions lively and natural.

Don’t overlook time zones. If your audience is primarily in the U.S., choosing influencers in compatible time zones ensures better participation and engagement during the live stream.

Once you’ve identified the right influencer, it’s time to ensure your technical setup is ready to deliver a polished event.

Technical and Platform Setup

Start by confirming LinkedIn Live eligibility for both you and your influencer partner. LinkedIn requires public profiles, at least 150 connections, and two-factor authentication enabled. Make sure your account is in good standing with no recent policy violations.

Next, decide on your streaming method. For casual, conversational events, LinkedIn’s mobile app works well. For a more professional setup, consider third-party tools like Restream, StreamYard, or OBS Studio, which offer advanced production features.

Test your internet connection - a minimum of 5 Mbps is recommended - and have a mobile hotspot ready as a backup. Use a dedicated microphone for clear audio, ensure proper lighting, and position your camera at eye level for a professional appearance. Run speed tests at different times of day, especially during your event’s planned time, to account for potential network slowdowns.

With your tech in place, the next step is selecting the ideal time to go live.

Choosing the Best Time to Go Live

Timing can make or break your event. Schedule your live stream during peak U.S. hours - weekdays from 8–10 AM and 12–2 PM EST. These windows align with the workday across time zones, catching East Coast viewers during lunch, West Coast audiences in the morning, and Central time zones during mid-day breaks.

Avoid conflicts with major industry events or holidays. Check for conferences, trade shows, or other busy periods that might compete for your audience’s attention. Similarly, steer clear of major U.S. holidays or the surrounding weeks when professional engagement tends to drop.

Sync with your influencer’s schedule and their audience’s activity patterns. Their followers might engage at different times depending on factors like industry or geographic location. Analyze recent posts to pinpoint when their audience is most active.

Finally, give yourself enough time to promote the event. Schedule it at least two weeks in advance to allow for effective promotion across your network and your influencer’s channels, ensuring maximum visibility and registrations.

Content Creation and Collaboration

Craft engaging LinkedIn Live sessions by partnering with influencers who bring authentic perspectives to the table. The most impactful events combine the strengths of all participants to genuinely connect with the audience. Start by working together to build an agenda that offers real value.

Building a Value-Driven Agenda Together

Start by setting clear objectives for the event and analyzing the combined audience demographics. Are you aiming to share insights on industry trends, provide career guidance, or tackle emerging issues? Defining specific goals helps shape the agenda and keeps both you and your influencer on the same page when delivering impactful discussions. Dive into the overlap between your audience and the influencer's community - consider their industries, challenges, and interests. This shared understanding helps pinpoint topics that will strike a chord.

While it's important to outline key themes, give your influencer room to bring their own creativity and voice to the conversation. Instead of scripting every detail, focus on laying out the main points and letting the discussion unfold naturally.

Lastly, clarify each participant's role, from opening introductions to managing audience interactions. This structure ensures the event runs smoothly, keeps the conversation balanced, and maximizes the value delivered to your viewers.

Promoting the Event and Building Engagement

Once your event is planned and set up, it’s time to focus on creating buzz and driving engagement. Start promoting about a month before the event. This timeline allows you and your influencers to generate excitement and reach a broader audience. With technical details sorted and a clear schedule in place, it’s essential to activate your network and influencers through a well-rounded promotional strategy that leverages LinkedIn's tools and influencer outreach.

Using LinkedIn's Built-In Features

Start by creating a detailed event page that includes a clear description, speaker bios, and eye-catching visuals. Tag your influencer speakers in the event description and promotional posts - this simple step increases visibility as their networks engage with the content.

Incorporate industry-specific hashtags that align with your audience’s interests. Stick to three to five relevant hashtags per post to keep it focused. Write shareable content that highlights key details, such as speaker profiles and the value attendees will gain. This approach encourages your audience to spread the word organically.

While LinkedIn’s tools are powerful, your influencers are equally critical in amplifying your event’s reach.

Getting Influencers to Promote the Event

Influencers should be more than just speakers - they should be active partners in promoting your event. Start working with them at least a month in advance, and set clear expectations for their role in the promotional efforts.

Collaborate with them to create engaging promotional content throughout the lead-up to the event:

Encourage guest speakers to share the event on their social media platforms.
Provide them with ready-to-use assets, such as bios, headshots, and customizable social media copy.
Work with them to produce short video promos, which can significantly boost visibility and engagement.

You can also offer exclusive perks to incentivize their participation. This could include early access to event materials, special discounts for their followers, or behind-the-scenes content.

When influencers post about your event, amplify their reach using LinkedIn's Thought Leader Event Ads. With their permission, promote their posts through Campaign Manager. These ads can deliver 1.6× higher engagement compared to standard image ads, making them a highly effective strategy.

Using Tools Like LiSeller for Engagement

LiSeller

Automated tools like LiSeller can streamline promotion and ensure consistent engagement. Its post monitoring engine allows you to track mentions of your event, speakers, and related keywords across LinkedIn, so you never miss an opportunity to connect with potential attendees.

Set up monitoring campaigns to track when your speakers post about the event. LiSeller can automatically generate personalized, human-like comments on these posts, boosting engagement and sparking conversations - especially helpful for events with multiple speakers.

The platform’s AI filtering features help you focus on the most relevant conversations about your event’s topic. Instead of broad promotion, you can join discussions where your LinkedIn Live event provides genuine value, building authentic interest.

LiSeller also integrates with CRM tools, enabling you to track engagement patterns and identify highly active prospects. By creating targeted lists of people interacting with event-related content, you can make follow-ups more personalized and strategic.

For events featuring multiple speakers, LiSeller’s ability to connect up to 10 LinkedIn profiles (depending on your plan) allows you to coordinate engagement across all participant accounts. This unified approach strengthens your event’s presence across multiple networks.

Additionally, its Boolean search capabilities let you zero in on organic conversations related to your event’s topic. This allows you to contribute meaningful insights while naturally mentioning your LinkedIn Live event as a resource, further driving interest and participation.

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Running a Smooth Live Event

Your planning pays off when you deliver an event that captivates your audience and keeps them engaged from start to finish. LinkedIn Live videos, for example, generate 24 times more comments than standard native videos, making real-time interaction your golden opportunity to connect with viewers.

Introducing Speakers and Setting the Tone

Kick things off with a warm, energetic welcome. Greet viewers as they join and mention them by name whenever possible - it adds a personal touch that builds connection. Start by introducing yourself briefly, then move on to your guest speakers. Highlight their credentials and expertise, but keep it concise and focused.

Within the first two minutes, set clear expectations. Let viewers know what they’ll gain from the session, how long it will last, and when you’ll address questions. This roadmap helps your audience decide to stick around and gives them something to look forward to.

Foster a welcoming vibe by letting viewers know you’ll be monitoring and responding to comments throughout the event, not just at the end. This approach encourages early engagement and shows that their input is valued right from the start.

Managing the Discussion

Keep the conversation balanced and ensure all speakers have equal opportunities to share their thoughts. This is especially important when collaborating with influencers. While you guide the discussion, avoid dominating it - your role is to facilitate, not overshadow.

Be ready with transition phrases to keep the flow smooth. Phrases like "Sarah, earlier you mentioned..." or "That’s a great point, Alex. What’s your take on..." help connect ideas and maintain a natural rhythm between speakers.

Stay on track by gently steering the discussion back if it veers off-topic. Your audience is there for specific insights, so honoring their time is key. If an interesting tangent arises, acknowledge it briefly and suggest revisiting it in future content.

Pacing is everything. Keep the energy high by engaging the audience consistently throughout the event. This prevents viewers from losing interest and ensures they feel involved every step of the way.

Interacting with the Live Audience

Real-time interaction transforms your viewers into active participants. Assign a team member as a comment moderator to keep an eye on the chat, respond to questions, and relay key comments to you and the speakers. This allows you to focus on hosting while ensuring no audience input gets overlooked.

Ask specific, direct questions to spark meaningful responses. Instead of a general "What do you think?", try something like "What’s your biggest challenge with LinkedIn content?" or "Have you tried this strategy before? If so, how did it work for you?" These targeted prompts encourage thoughtful engagement.

Use LinkedIn’s native tools like polls and surveys to get viewers involved. Share poll results immediately and invite speakers to react to the findings. When responding to comments or questions, say the commenter’s name and repeat their question before answering. This not only makes the person feel acknowledged but also ensures other viewers stay in the loop.

Encourage participation by asking viewers to share their experiences or tag colleagues to join the conversation. For example, Automation Anywhere’s LinkedIn Live event saw a surge of 400 comments in just minutes, ultimately reaching 1,000 by the end. This shows how real-time interaction can create momentum and amplify engagement during your live event.

Post-Event Follow-Up and Measuring Results

The impact of a LinkedIn Live session doesn’t end when the broadcast wraps up. A thoughtful follow-up strategy can turn a single event into lasting connections and measurable growth. Here's how you can thank participants, maximize the value of your session, and track its success.

Within 24 hours of your event, post a thank-you message. Tag your influencer co-host, highlight their contributions, and mention active attendees by name. This personal acknowledgment strengthens the connections you’ve built and encourages continued interaction.

LinkedIn automatically saves your live video as a post, but you can make it even more viewer-friendly. Edit the description to include timestamps for key topics discussed during the session. This allows new viewers to easily navigate to sections that interest them. Add relevant hashtags to boost visibility and extend your reach to those who missed the live event.

Don’t stop at just LinkedIn - share the recording across various platforms. Post it in LinkedIn groups, create short highlight clips for social media, and send the full recording to your email subscribers. Include key takeaways to entice recipients to watch and engage.

Tracking Event Performance

LinkedIn provides basic analytics for live videos, but you can go beyond these to gain a deeper understanding of your event’s impact. Begin by monitoring immediate metrics within the first 48 hours, such as total views, comments, shares, and new profile visits. These numbers establish a baseline for assessing performance.

Look at both quantitative data (views, shares, comments) and qualitative feedback to refine future events. Additionally, track connection requests and follower growth in the days following your broadcast. LinkedIn Live sessions often lead to increased profile visits, which can translate into valuable new connections.

If you shared website links during the session, use Google Analytics with UTM parameters to track traffic and conversions tied directly to the event. This data can help you calculate the return on investment (ROI) for your influencer collaboration. Request performance insights from your influencer partner - such as follower growth, engagement rates, and new business inquiries - to showcase the mutual benefits and support future partnerships.

Following Up with Attendees Using LiSeller

Effective follow-up is essential to turn engagement into meaningful relationships. LiSeller’s AI-powered tools can simplify this process and keep the conversation going long after your live event.

Set up LiSeller to monitor posts from attendees who interacted during your session. Its AI filters identify when attendees discuss topics related to your event, opening up opportunities for personalized follow-ups.

With LiSeller’s customizable comment templates, you can craft responses that reference your live event. For instance, if an attendee posts about LinkedIn marketing challenges after your session, an automated comment can link back to your discussion on influencer collaborations.

LiSeller’s CRM integration ensures engaged attendees are added to your sales pipeline or email list automatically. By setting triggers based on specific actions - like asking questions during the live event or sharing your content afterward - you can ensure no potential lead is overlooked.

If your event featured multiple speakers, LiSeller can connect multiple LinkedIn profiles to maintain engagement. This allows your influencer partner to stay connected with the audience while ensuring follow-up efforts are coordinated and not repetitive.

Use LiSeller’s dashboard to track the results of your follow-up efforts. Monitor increases in profile views, connection requests, and engagement from attendees. This data isn’t just helpful for refining your follow-up approach - it also highlights the long-term value of your LinkedIn Live sessions and strengthens your influencer collaborations.

Key Takeaways for Hosting LinkedIn Live with Influencers

Hosting a LinkedIn Live event is more than just going live; it’s about strategic preparation, meaningful partnerships, and smart follow-ups. Live videos on LinkedIn generate 7x more reactions than standard videos, making them an excellent way to connect with your audience and drive real business results.

Preparation is key. Start planning your LinkedIn Live event at least 2-4 weeks ahead of time. This allows you to create buzz and attract more attendees. Events that are well-promoted in advance see a 19% higher engagement rate after they’re over. Plus, LinkedIn Live Event Ads can cut your cost per registration by up to 40% compared to other methods. Early planning doesn’t just boost attendance - it sets the stage for a smooth, successful event and better long-term results.

Partnering with the right influencers can amplify your reach. Collaborating with influencers not only boosts your event’s visibility but also turns it into an ongoing source of leads. A well-chosen influencer can help you connect with a broader audience and keep the momentum going even after the event ends.

The value of your event doesn’t end when the live stream stops. Engaging with your audience after the event extends its impact. Using tools like LiSeller for personalized follow-ups ensures you stay connected with attendees. Features like AI-powered monitoring and automated comments make it easier to turn initial interactions into lasting professional relationships. This kind of thoughtful follow-up helps you get the most out of your LinkedIn Live efforts.

When done right, LinkedIn Live events consistently outperform the platform’s average engagement rates of 1-4%. To achieve this, treat your event as part of a larger strategy that includes pre-event promotion, live interaction, and post-event engagement.

FAQs

How do I choose the right influencer for my LinkedIn Live event to connect with my target audience?

When selecting an influencer for your LinkedIn Live event, it’s crucial to find someone whose audience matches your target demographic. Consider factors like their followers’ age, location, and professional interests. The influencer should also have proven expertise in your industry and show genuine interaction with their audience.

Take time to review their previous content and how they engage with their followers. This helps ensure their style and values align with your brand. Clear communication about your goals and what you expect from the event can lead to a more engaging and relatable experience for viewers. Partnering with influencers who genuinely connect with your message builds trust and strengthens the bond with your audience.

What are the best technical and setup tips for hosting a seamless LinkedIn Live event?

To pull off a smooth LinkedIn Live event, start by selecting a trustworthy streaming tool such as Restream or StreamYard. Before the big day, test your camera, microphone, and lighting setup to ensure everything looks and sounds great. A strong, stable internet connection is also key to avoiding interruptions.

Once you've chosen your streaming software, link it to LinkedIn and carefully review your stream settings - things like region and stream key - to sidestep any technical problems. Running a test stream beforehand is a smart way to catch and resolve any issues, helping you deliver a professional and polished live broadcast.

What are the best follow-up and engagement strategies after hosting a LinkedIn Live event?

To get the most out of your LinkedIn Live event, start by sharing the event recording along with highlight clips. This approach helps you connect with a wider audience, even those who couldn’t attend live. After the event, follow up with attendees - thank them for joining, ask for their feedback, and share key takeaways to keep the conversation going.

Keep the momentum alive by posting testimonials, creating content inspired by the event, and using consistent hashtags to increase visibility. Don’t forget to take advantage of LinkedIn’s analytics tools to track engagement and fine-tune your strategy for future events. These steps can help you strengthen relationships and extend the impact of your event.