Today, gaining recognition and keeping the attention of your audience for long enough is a real challenge. It doesn’t matter if you’re an up-and-coming business or a creator: you should find ways to impress people and build a genuine connection with them.
And that’s where streaming comes in. If previously, you thought that streaming was something related to the world of gaming, now it’s a full-on marketing tool to promote your brand. In this article, we dive deeper into the definition of streaming and a run-through of the first step in your live streaming journey.
What is Streaming?
Live streaming is a broadcast of your media content online as it happens. Rather than pre-recorded and edited video content, steaming exists in the moment you’re sharing the content with the audience.
Great examples of live-streaming events include Q&A sessions, webinars, various events, and live shopping. Their purpose is to connect with people, creating an atmosphere of exclusivity and genuine communication at the moment.
Over the years, especially since 2020, when all events had to be virtual, the sphere of live streaming went beyond gaming and sports and made its way into businesses and personal brands.
So, why do people actually include live streaming in their strategy?
Why is Streaming So Popular?
Being one of the most challenging types of content creation (just imagine handling the stream, equipment, and knowing exactly what you’re going to say at the same time), live streaming becomes more popular each year.
Here are some of the reasons why people are willing to put in the time and effort for content streaming:
- Real-time interaction with viewers. With social media taking over traditional communication and generations like Gen Z feeling lonelier than ever, promoting a genuine real-time connection with a creator, brand, and other people interested in the topic becomes a game-changer.
- Authenticity. In a world where everything is pre-edited and “perfect” online, humans crave something real, relatable, and barely scripted. That’s why streaming has become a new social currency for exchanging emotions and information.
- Engagement. Live streaming helps businesses and creators encourage and handle engagement with the content at the moment: you capture people’s moods and intentions and tailor the call to engagement to make it more relatable.
- Community building. Frequent real-time communication nurtures loyalty and commitment. Apart from accessing your exclusive content, users also have a chance to communicate with a like-minded audience and promote your brand online through lively discussions.
Deciding on Your Content
While many creators decide to live stream first and find their content direction second, the only correct way to start live streaming is to begin with research.
Determine Your Streaming Goals
Successful content takes a lot of ideation, effort, and consistency. If you don’t know why you’re in it, you might burn out at the very start.
To make sure you know your goal, think of what you’re trying to achieve after several months of streaming. Is it:
- Building a loyal community of like-minded people?
- Finding new qualified clients for your business?
- Signing up more people for events you’re promoting?
- Growing the fanbase for your creative work?
The only limit for motivation is your imagination. The only thing you should consider is how you’re going to measure the success of your streaming efforts in the long run.
Choose a Niche or Theme for Your Content
First and foremost, focus on the topic you’re passionate about: the more interested you are, the more resources you have to commit to streaming.
Once you’ve chosen a general idea for your content, think of what makes your content unique. Look at similar creators in the industry, and look for the gaps you can close with your content.
Then, define if there’s a demand for such content online: talk to people who are interested in the topic, search online communities and user’s comments.
Now, if you’ve found the niche that has both your interest and user demand, it’s time to get to know your audience.
Consider Your Target Audience
Your audience is your key to gaining recognition and maintaining the success of your content.
So, to keep their attention, find out:
- Your viewer persona. Think of their location, age, and other demographic characteristics to define where to talk to them and what time would be optimal for streaming.
- Your audience’s interests. What trendy topics do they care about enough to commit to your live content?
- Your audience’s desires. Think of what they’re trying to achieve and tailor your content to help them get there. Whether it’s pure entertainment or gaining new skills, find the idea that will encourage the audience to show up to your stream.
Gathering Necessary Equipment
Once you know what to stream and who to target, the next step is learning how to stream. And it starts with your gear.
Here’s a list of streaming equipment you need to start creating content:
High-Quality Camera
Even the most interesting and relevant content may lose its viewers simply because the picture is not it.
Depending on the goal of your streaming and your budget, choose among:
- Webcams. Both cost-efficient and easy to use, webcams will improve the quality of your video without too much hassle.
- Mirrorless and DSLR cameras. Although these cameras require an additional set-up, they will step up your video quality game through higher resolution and a smoother image.
- Camcorders. These are great for filming pro-level longer videos so you won’t have to worry about the quality and time (these cameras can handle 2-12 hours of filming depending on the memory)
No matter the type of camera you choose, aim for high resolution and a good frame rate so your videos are appealing and don’t freeze.
Reliable Microphone
Another aspect to take care of is sound quality. Some great options include:
- USB microphones that plug directly into your computer or laptop
- XLR microphones, similar to professional studio gear, offer top-notch audio quality
- Lavalier microphones that are small, light, and easy to attach close to your or your guests
Aim for proper polar patterns, wide frequency range, and background noise isolation.
Lighting Equipment
With extra lighting gear, you won’t have to stick to a specific time or location to have a high-quality stream.
The most common and cost-efficient lighting tool is a ringlight that provides light directly to your face.
Other, more complex methods include installing softboxes to provide softer and more professional lighting.
Powerful Computer or Laptop
Handling video streaming while maintaining speed and high-quality images is a task for powerful hardware that handles the pressure. Although you don’t necessarily need to upgrade immediately, as you start using a high-quality camera and more complex software, consider:
- A powerful processor
- 16 GB+ RAM on your computer or laptop
- Graphics card for better quality
Friendly reminder: You don’t need thousands of dollars worth of gear to start your journey. The first steps are all about testing and finding your audience. Later, you can ask your loyal viewers to support your journey with various fundraising tools in exchange for exclusive content or gifts.
Choosing the Right Streaming Software
Think of a streaming platform as your opportunity to turn all your existing assets into one functioning streaming session that connects your hardware and video with the audience.
With numerous software options available, you’re free to choose the right one based on what functions you need in the software.
What to Look For in Streaming Software?
Let’s make up a scenario where you’ve never worked with streaming platforms before. In this case, what you’re looking for is:
- Intuitive and easy-to-understand interface
- Affordable pricing
- Easy setup and automation of the streaming process
- Built-in features for communicating with the audience
- Efficient resource- and storage-wise
As you grow and require more functionality to keep up with your streams, you can switch to more advanced platforms that require some background expertise.
Top 4 Streaming Platforms
Be.live is a great option for both beginners and experienced streamers. An easy and intuitive interface combined with interactive features, branding customization, and multi-guest capabilities result in many opportunities for creators.
OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)
OBS is a free open-source software that allows you to stream on different platforms and customize the process. However, it might be a bit challenging for newcomers as it requires some time and learning time to get used to.
Image Source: OBS Homepage
XSplit
XSplit is another beginner-friendly streaming solution that focuses on the streaming process and customizing your layout on the go. The solution would be more suitable for users with more powerful computers or laptops that don’t mind extra resource usage.
Image Source: XSplit Homepage
Riverside
Riverside.fm is a video recording and streaming solution that allows you to stream live events and then repurpose the recorded content for your social media through a built-in video editor. Works best for marketing teams and entrepreneurs with a personal brand.
Source: Riverside.fm Homepage
Setting Up Your Stream
With all the tools in your hands, the only thing left is to plan your first streaming session. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Create a Streaming Schedule
There’s no magic answer to how many streaming sessions you need per month to gain an audience. What you should focus on is how much time you’re ready to dedicate to streaming and how often you can do it to build consistency.
If you’re a creator building your own audience, the pace and schedule are up to you. And if it’s a part of a company’s marketing strategy, look at your competition’s consistency and try to keep up. For maximum efficiency of everyone involved in a live stream creation, you can create a Jira template inside the Jira project management tool. It’ll help you track your streaming setups. You don’t need to fill in the same information every time you plan to livestream, just use the template with pre-created tasks.
Learn How to Use Streaming Software
Find out all the features of the software you chose and learn how to use the most important ones beforehand so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Most solutions have a demo video or guides on how to set up streaming software.
Customize Layout and Graphics
If you use external software, it doesn’t mean you have to use their logo and design for your streams. Most solutions provide you with a customization feature that lets you use logos, branded colors, and other editing tricks that help you get associated with a specific brand. However, for a more tailored and professional touch, consider partnering with a design agency to create a unique visual identity that resonates with your audience.
Customized stream example.
Image source: Lala Ina Enriquez using Be.Live for Online Marketing Presentations
Build Strategies to Attract Audience
The premise is simple: the more people see you, the more popular (and profitable) your streams become.
But, the “getting people to see you” part is actually far from simple, as you should invest resources to promote your streams.
Live Streaming Promotion
- Social Media. Social media platforms are a great and free way to talk about your content. Choose the platforms your audience loves and post snippets of your streams or just share posts on similar topics to gain a following. Make good use of the link in bio tool to promote your most important content.
- Newsletter. A newsletter is a great way to build a more personal connection with your audience. If they share your email, make a regular newsletter with the latest news, recommendations, and reminders of your live events.
Reminder: Don’t make the newsletters too promotional. Key to a good marketing strategy is the combination of value you give to the audience and the incentive to get even more value from your offer.
- Online Communities. Online communities are a goldmine for finding new viewers because you’re sure they are interested in the topic you’re talking about. Take your time to get to know the community and share your upcoming stream reminder as a bonding and learning opportunity which helps in building a thriving community.
- Email. If you can’t wait for the audience to come to you, you can make the first step by strategically collecting email leads. Email marketing is a great way to tell more people about your content when done right: find the audience potentially interested in your streams and take the chance to connect with them while utilizing email marketing trends that work.
Create exclusive content
In the age when virtually any information is at your fingertips, knowing something others don’t is very exciting. That’s why creating a sense of exclusivity is a great way to promote your streams.
Make sure you tell potential viewers you’ll be sharing something they can’t access otherwise. As an additional incentive, create a giveaway among people who signed up for a live stream.
Partner with other content creators or influencers
Collaboration with other creators is a great way to show yourself to another audience. If you don’t have the resources to invite an influencer to the stream, create joint streams with similar creators to exchange active viewers.
Engage with your audience
The more loyal viewers you have, the more potential for your growth. Once you start growing, it’s important to keep track of people watching and engaging with your content, so consider using customer success software to know exactly where you land in terms of cooperation.
Most platforms are equipped with real-time collaboration tools where you can see the chat and communicate with your audience. Here are some of the tools to consider:
- Polls
- Q&A segments where you answer questions from the audience
- Software interactive features like comment assistants
- Comments and feedback sharing using customer feedback tools
Wrapping Up…
Video streaming is not an easy task. But it’s definitely a rewarding one.
People love genuine connections, and live streaming is as close to real-life collaboration as a virtual tool can be.
Today, to start streaming, you need to have basic equipment and an idea. Everything else can be easily handled with the help of software.
If you’re passionate enough about your video content, this might help you understand where to begin your journey. Keep going and share your vision with more people! ♥️
FAQ
What is live streaming?
Live streaming is broadcasting video and audio content in real-time over the internet, allowing viewers to watch and interact as the content unfolds.
How do I start live streaming?
To start live streaming, choose your niche, select a platform, set up your account, install and configure streaming software, test your setup, and then go live.
What equipment do I need to start live streaming?
You’ll need a camera, microphone, proper lighting, a computer, streaming software, and a stable internet connection.
Do I need a powerful computer to livestream?
A mid-range computer is sufficient for basic streaming. For high-definition or resource-intensive streams, a more powerful computer with a strong CPU, sufficient RAM, and a good graphics card is recommended.
How can I interact with my viewers during a livestream?
Interact with viewers through live chat, appoint moderators, use interactive tools like polls and alerts, and give shoutouts to new viewers, subscribers, or donors.
