Live streaming is big and is only getting bigger. We’re in the middle of a live-streaming revolutions. If you’re a broadcast or video professional, you’ll have been hard pressed to miss it. The evidence is everywhere from the businesses, sports teams and other organizations making it happen through to the analysts, bloggers and publications talking about it.
Not so long ago live productions were the preserve of major broadcast networks ones with significant resources and major-league budgets. But now, more people than ever before can cost-effectively turn their ideas into compelling shows and live stream them to a global audience.
Lesson 1 – Think About Your Viewers
The first thing to say about live production is: This is the stuff viewers value the most. We’re talking about the kind of programs that reward live viewing – sports fixtures, corporate events, the latest outing for an up-and-coming singer etc. These are the events people value the most and the next best thing to being there in person is to watch it live on screen.
Lesson 2 – Getting a Post-Production Look During Production
Every video professional wants to deliver a great product. With the equipment now available, anyone with a creative vision and the requisite core skills can deliver productions every bit on a par with far larger broadcasters. The secret is in the planning.
Lesson 3 – Drive Greater Engagement with Social Media
In an age of ever-increasing social media engagement, it’s crazy not to take advantage. Failing to join in means you won’t be able to take part in conversation about your programs. As a result, you’ll always be at least one step removed from the active, engaged audience that every sponsor and rights owner values.
Lesson 4 – Build Your Community
Every producer wants a passionate audience of repeat viewers. People who’ll come back time after time, pay for subscriptions and evangelize content to others. A community of viewers who’ll form the foundation for a powerful content brand whether for a local sports team or a series of business conferences.
Lesson 5 – Measure More to Monetize More
Traditional programs have always relied on ratings as a measure of success (and a way to ensure future sales, sponsorship and advertising revenue). But these ratings are at best imprecise, giving simply an averaged overview. Traditional ratings won’t tell you what’s working, what’s not and how to improve your shows. Yet this is vital if you’re to build a loyal, engaged following that will watch more and pay more for your content.
Lesson 6 – Can You Deliver?
A professional live-streamed broadcast will be greatly diminished if you cannot ensure high quality delivery. No one wants stuttering video plagued by dropouts. Likewise, you won’t want your connection failing just as your presenters open their mouths. Fortunately, for the most part, these are no longer insurmountable problems. The traditional reliance on broadcast networks as the gatekeepers of airtime has been replaced with a range of partners who have built businesses on getting your contest in front of your audiences.
Lesson 7 – Expand Your Horizons
In the traditional world, many businesses are trapped in their local markets. They have a sports team with a local following, they have an event in a certain city, they have a program restricted to an individual station. While this is great for a production of strictly regional interest, it leaves a lot of value on the table if your viewers are widely dispersed. Of course, the Internet is global by default. Everything is available to anyone with a connection no matter where they are in the world. For today’s producers, this means you can now expand your events, programs and sports matches to a far wider audience than ever before.
The truth is, there has never been a better time to embrace live streaming. Audiences are watching more streamed content than ever. Plus, the costs are within reach of even modest budgets whether for bandwidth, distribution or the equipment you’ll need to get started.
Ready to start live streaming? Contact MCC’s Audio Visual Solutions Division today to lean more!