The Ultimate Guide to Live Streaming Events

Entertainment and advertisement have irreversibly been changed. What we thought will never go hand in hand is now merged into a completely new way to reach a vast amount of people. We are talking about streaming, a method of reaching out to people, in a very personal way. Forget the old ways of advertising as all people have adjusted to filter them out. TV commercials, radio, newspaper and internet ads are a thing of the past. Word of mouth is golden when recommending any good or service streaming comes to fulfil that role. Without further ado, we will present all the benefits this exciting new feature offers.

1. Interaction and engagement

When you do a live stream, all people present want to be there. This is incredibly important to distinguish as these people have voluntarily chosen your channel/stream to enjoy their time online. Instead of forcing and showing down advertisements to your users, which naturally raises their defences and filters, you are providing a live streaming service where they have an option to attend or not. Those people that are present become your core target audience. When you do a live stream, you have their undivided attention and can interact with them via comments, chat or live conversations. Different platforms offer different ways to reach out to the desired target demographics, and we will cover that next.

2. Tools of the trade

Different platforms attract different users. Streaming on Twitch is completely different from doing a Facebook live stream. What you need to identify is where your user base is or where you want them to be. When you have an established brand, then some market research is in order, so that you can find out where your customers spend their time while online. Adapting to their schedule and habits is taking an extra step to accommodate their needs.

People who spend plenty of time on Twitch are less likely to watch your streaming on a different platform. Plan B is when you don’t have a strong online presence and want to build one. While many would argue that this is a disavowable position to be in we think differently. Being in such a position only opens new doors and creates fresh opportunities for you to utilise. With being tied to a single platform, you are as free as a bird to choose where you wish to land and start building.

3. Effective cost investment

Sending out mass emails has about one or less than one per cent open rate. Their effectiveness is even lower than one per cent. Think of the email spam settings and how near impossible it is to bypass them. Now, apply that same filter to people as they have developed it over time. Intruding on someone’s free time and forcing them to consume content is an uphill battle. In come live stream conferences, which completely change how you can do live presentations, engagement and drive sales.

The human touch was missing this whole time in the corporate and advertising business. When you do a presentation for your service, company or product through pamphlets, ads, commercials and so on, people easily get disconnected and distanced from the message you are trying to convey. But, when you open for a direct live presentation, you are actively connecting and interacting with your user base. No longer is your brand something faceless, and now people can associate your face, voice and appearance with the brand, which is an incredible added value that not many have.

You can drive engagement by answering or looking for questions and suggestions from your community. Or you can have some live giveaways and viewer goals. What you can do is only limited by the options on the platform you are streaming, so choose accordingly what best suits you.

4. Content is king

So far, we mostly listed the positives and general guidance of streaming, but the question remains “How does streaming work?” In a practical example, think of it as any live presentation that you’ve done in high school and college. Or at any board of managers or directors when you pitch a new product idea or innovation. The stage is you, your camera, and the audience in the chat. You are talking directly to your user base, so it better be worth their time. Prepare in advance with crucial info about your product/service/company, prepare for any questions that may occur and try to incentivise your audience with rewards.

Streaming is not a one-time activity, and continuity is what drives your channel, sales and profits. Each video stream could be one product or service. Or you can dedicate an entire stream to answering questions of your customers. You can make a weekly calendar and share it on the social network, so people will know when you are up (again, in time you stream for customer convenience) and what the theme will be. With constant appearance and presentation, you will start to build up your audience and will gain regular viewers.

From there, it is all about consistency and being there for your user. Trust builds up over time, and when there is a friendly face on the screen that’s willing to help and inform, people tend to flock to such a positive event. Once you start to view yourself as the spoke person for your company it becomes that much more humane, and people can relate to what you are trying to create. All it took was a bit of human touch and interaction, sprinkled with constant content, and you have a winning recipe for success!

Streaming as a social and digital platform is still in its infancy, with plenty of green field opportunities for individuals to grab. The entire field is ripe with opportunity, and getting in early and ahead of the competition can make all the difference in the world. Establishing yourself early on is important as people can only watch one stream at a time, and it better be yours. With some dedicated work and quality content, success is sure to come. We wish you all the best.