For those who don’t know, a live streaming service allows you to share video content in real-time with your audience. It’s a great way to engage with your audience and give them a front-row seat to whatever event you’re streaming. Whether it’s a concert, a conference, or just a simple Q&A session, live streaming is a great way to connect with your viewers.

Live streaming services work by encoding video and audio signals and sending them over the internet to be decoded by media players on the receiving end. This allows for near-instantaneous viewing with no lag time. And because the stream is live, viewers can interact with the person or persons streaming the event in real-time.

Why Live Stream an Event?

There are numerous benefits to live streaming an event. For one, it’s a great way to reach a larger audience than if you were to host the event in person. It’s also more cost-effective since you won’t have to worry about venue rental fees or other associated costs. Additionally, live streaming an event gives you the opportunity to reach viewers who might not be able to attend the event in person (for example, if they’re located in a different country).

How to Live Stream an Event

Now that we’ve gone over some of the benefits of live streaming an event, let’s take a look at how you can actually do it. There are numerous live streaming platforms out there, but we’ll just focus on two of the most popular ones: YouTube Live and Facebook Live.

YouTube Live is a live streaming platform that is part of YouTube. You can use YouTube Live to stream anything from Q&As and interviews to vlogs and events. To get started, all you need is a YouTube channel. Once you have that set up, head over to YouTube Studio and click on “Create.” From there, select “Go live.” This will bring up a window where you can input your title, description, privacy setting, etc. When you’re ready to go live, simply click on “Start.”

Facebook Live is similar to YouTube Live in that it allows you to share real-time video content with your audience. The big difference is that Facebook Live is part of Facebook rather than being its own platform like YouTube Live. To start live streaming on Facebook, simply create a post and select “Go Live.” This will bring up a window where you can input your description and choose your privacy settings. When you’re ready to go live, simply click on “Start Broadcast.”

5 Reasons to Stream Your Next Event Live

1. You can engage with a global audience.
2. Live streaming is more cost-effective than traditional methods.
3. Live streaming offers flexibility and scalability.
4. You can generate leads and build your brand.
5. Live streaming allows you to create an interactive experience.

Live streaming is a powerful tool that allows you to reach a global audience in real-time. Whether you’re hosting a conference, launching a new product, or giving a keynote speech, live streaming is an excellent way to engage with your audience and generate leads.

Here are 5 reasons why you should stream your next event live:

• You can engage with a global audience: Live streaming gives you the opportunity to reach people all over the world in real-time. No matter where your audience is located, they can tune in and watch your event live. This is especially beneficial if you have an international audience or if you’re trying to reach people in different time zones.
• Live streaming is more cost-effective than traditional methods: Paid advertising can be expensive, and traditional forms of marketing can be even pricier. With live streaming, you can reach a large number of people without breaking the bank. All you need is a good internet connection and you’re good to go!
• Live streaming offers flexibility and scalability: One of the great things about live streaming is that it’s flexible and scalable. Whether you want to reach 10 people or 10,000 people, live streaming can accommodate your needs. Additionally, if you need to make last-minute changes to your event, live streaming gives you the ability to do so without any hassle.
• You can generate leads and build your brand: Live streaming is an excellent way to generate leads and build your brand awareness. By promoting your event ahead of time and including call-to-actions during the live stream, you can capture leads and bring them into your sales funnel. Additionally, as more people tune in to watch your event, they’ll become more familiar with your brand which will help increase brand awareness and loyalty over time.

Live streaming allows you to create an interactive experience: One of the best things about live streaming is that it allows you to create an interactive experience for your viewers. Whether you’re taking questions from the chat box or hosting a poll, live streaming gives you the ability to engage with your audience in real-time which helps create a more personal connection between you and your viewers.

What is a hybrid live streaming services?

A hybrid live streaming service is a platform that allows users to live stream content to multiple social media platforms simultaneously. The most popular hybrid live streaming services are Facebook Live, Periscope, and Meerkat.

How Hybrid Live Streaming Services Work

Hybrid live streaming services work by allowing users to connect their accounts from multiple social media platforms to the live streaming service. Once the accounts are connected, the user can then go live on all of the connected platforms at once with just one click.

The advantage of using a hybrid live streaming service is that it allows you to reach a wider audience with your content. For example, if you have 1000 followers on Facebook and 100 followers on Twitter, you can reach all 1100 of your followers by live streaming on both platforms simultaneously.

The downside of using a hybrid live streaming service is that you may not be able to give your full attention to each platform. For example, if you are focused on interacting with your Facebook audience, you may not be able to give your Twitter audience the same level of interaction.

If you’re looking to reach a wider audience with your content, a hybrid live streaming service is a great option. However, it’s important to keep in mind that you may not be able to give each platform the same level of attention when using a hybrid live streaming service.

Benefits of Event Live Streaming

The full potential of live streaming for events lies in the fact that it adds more value to experiences as well as to the experiences of in-person participants. The value of live streaming as a platform lies in the ability to share content in real-time and interact with hundreds, thousands, or even sometimes millions of people like never before. Some of the benefits of using live streaming for events include:

– Reach: Live streaming enables a greater number of people to attend events. Audiences from different geographic locations can participate in real-time.

– Cost-effective: Because expensive venues and travel are no longer required, live streaming is naturally more cost-effective.

– Engagement: Interactivity, such as incorporating live chat, polling, and Q&A functions, can enhance engagement and produce richer insights.

– Longevity of content: Once the live stream has concluded, an archived version of the content can remain indefinitely. The consequence of this is that the content will outlast the event itself.

– Branding and advocacy: Non-attending audiences are engaged and subjected to the brand. For both real-life and virtual attendees, events are valuable interaction platforms. Such activity should be used to expand one’s reach and gain more people as part of one’s advocate army at large via social media. Simply put, events, virtual or otherwise, can be taken advantage of as powerful marketing tools.

– Event management: Using a dedicated platform for live streaming can allow organizers to control the environment in which the event will be watched. A range of features are available including branding customizability and video control.

– Audience perception: Live streaming can reinforce the reputation of an organization. Also, live streaming an event implies that its content is perhaps at the cutting edge of one’s work or is considered to have broad appeal.

Technical Aspects of Event Live Streaming

One of the most fundamental requirements for live event streaming is internet speed. To stream in 4K, a minimum internet speed of 25 to 30 Mbps to 50 to 60 Mbps is needed. To avoid buffer time and interruptions, your internet speed should be double that of the streaming option you have selected. For 1080p (HD) streaming, you will need an average internet speed of 2 to 4 Mbps for streaming at 60 fps. However, for basic high-quality HD streaming, we recommend an internet speed of 5 to 8 Mbps. The uplink speed is also essential in ensuring stable streaming, and the Local Area Network (LAN) provides a more stable connection than Wi-Fi. For large events with many equipment connections, a connected LAN is more reliable and provides better connection speeds.

Several types of equipment are needed for a live stream, including a camera, a microphone, and an encoder. Carefully choose all equipment options because the cost of equipment will be an individual choice (quality of picture and sound versus the streamer’s budget for that equipment). The choice of streaming software or platform will depend on the individual user’s needs, technical capabilities, available internet speed, and budget. Streaming options encompass a range of budgets, from sophisticated systems with added capabilities and efficiencies to a basic phone app with limited concurrent viewer capacity. You should always expect that something can and will go wrong, regardless of your equipment, platform, or service in use. Run through a “Plan B” mentality. If this fails, what’s next? Remember to always prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Overall, event planners must understand the technical components involved in successfully and smoothly executing a live event. We cannot stress enough the importance of proper equipment and adequate networking. Whether you are experienced or experimenting for the first time, you may need to upgrade to suitable streaming equipment to avoid future frustrations. Every live stream may not be free from issues and bugs, but the fewer potential issues you have when you live stream, the more successful and professional your stream will be. Always plan to avoid common types of problems by setting up a list of tasks before the event.

Bandwidth Requirements

When it comes to setting up and using an event live streaming service, several factors should be kept in mind if issues are to be avoided. However, the most important thing to be aware of when making use of the available means of broadcasting is bandwidth and internet connection. To illustrate this, bandwidth is to the Internet what traffic lanes are to the roads. The speeds of the available lanes expectedly determine the amount of traffic that can pass through at any given time. Thus, the bandwidth can be seen as the determinant of the resolution of the broadcast available during an event. Depending on the quality of the video captured, live streaming can consume anything from SD (Standard Definition) to HD (High Definition) levels of bandwidth to deliver.

In light of this fact, streaming in SD is considered to be bandwidth-intensive. This is due to the fact that it requires as much as 1.5 Mbps of bandwidth to function. Stepping up a notch to ED levels of bandwidth brings us to 3.8-8 Mbps, with 3.8 Mbps usually being utilized for lower levels of ED, while 8 Mbps is used to stream ‘Full HD’. Test results show the former to generally be more common in and around a lot of the world. Bearing this in mind, the seriousness of the need for a functioning, reliable internet connection can be weighed. Despite the fact that at its core, live streaming makes use of it, a poor internet connection can only ensure that all the footage can be delivered. In the absence of suitable bandwidth, the space will not be used to the fullest and the other half of the job – ensuring that the audiences can comfortably watch the live stream – is not performed effectively. Bandwidth shortages can materialize in a wide variety of forms and ways. A few of these include buffering – which can be exemplified by continuous stop-starts that are usually the result of the server being overwhelmed or of inadequate bandwidth – and pixelation. If there is video loss during a live stream, this is generally due to an insufficient internet connection.

Once again, getting to preview or partake in an international event that is part of the caliber of the global population is an otherwise unique opportunity. A type of insurance to ensure the smooth running of the live streaming service that can either delay or expedite one’s involvement with the action is to test the available bandwidth beforehand. Internet connection speed test apps and websites are available in a number of versions to assist in conducting this test. The bandwidth results can be immensely different at different times. Therefore, it is recommended that these processes should be performed at a cut-off time of at least an hour or two. Given the unpredictability of events that may lead to insufficient bandwidth during a live stream despite an initially strong internet connection, another recommendation would be to have a backup recorded version of the live stream on the ready.

Essential Equipment for Live Streaming

There is a wide range of equipment that might come in handy while organizing a complex shoot. However, choosing the right tech stack could greatly affect the live streaming quality. In this guide, we will provide a categorized list of equipment so that you can build your tech stack for live streaming. In the section, we will present the scopes and types of event streaming, analyze the production process, discuss tech issues, and give tips on hiring the right experts.

Video cameras work as your vision. They help you capture what’s happening on board. The choice of a camera should depend on the task. There are digital cameras that are perfect for creating high-quality videos. The minimum budget for a suitable camera starts at $400 for camcorders and $500 for palm-sized models. By hiring videographers with equipment, you should think about connections. While large shoots usually work with SDI connections, it is more reasonable to use HDMI for a small number of cameras. At last, plan to provide a computer or smartphone connection, considering that the signal from some HD cameras is transmitted using USB. Encoders. As a rule, the cost of a good encoder starts from $500. Mini converters or capture cards can be an alternative for the most penny-pinching customers. There are also models created for computer-based broadcast.

Microphones. Good microphones are essential for the engagement of a viewer. Good audio quality affects your viewers no less than video streaming. The minimum budget for a suitable microphone is around $300 for camcorder models and $120 for shotgun mics. When considering the option to hire sound specialists, remember that they might come over with either XLR microphones or jack microphones. The XLR microphones generally provide better quality and allow extending cable length, whereas jack microphones are cheaper.

Key Software and Platforms

Event live streaming can be divided into two main categories: streaming platforms and software solutions. While a streaming platform is often web-based and offers a self-contained solution, software can sometimes be integrated into the customer’s website natively. Users should consider ease of use, scalability, and integrations when selecting a platform. One of the most important aspects of a platform is its ease of use, which can be improved through a well-designed user interface. Depending on the event, scalability may play a large factor, as certain events such as music festivals may require thousands of concurrent viewers. Finally, many organizations will need the platform to function with existing software or website integrations.

Popular platforms include various streaming services with a web-based front end composed of the front end, live streaming server, and playback infrastructure. While more technically inclined, some platforms have more of a focus on professional broadcasters by allowing for the integration of analytic services. Others take a different approach by presenting their audience with a clean, user-friendly interface. Some platforms started as a response to the pandemic as a streaming platform designed specifically for interactive live music events and experienced a surge in use as a result. These platforms are growing in functionality and presently function much like others, serving as general event streaming platforms suitable for a variety of events. A popular video conferencing platform supports features that are useful for large meetings and webinars.

For software, the most important components are solutions for encoding and production, which include streaming-specific software as well as professional-grade production software. After selecting the software that is right for their event, users must ensure that it is compatible with their existing equipment. A variety of plugins exist to interface platforms and scheduling services with streaming software. This includes a variety of free options, as well as proprietary solutions that may offer additional features. While some of these plugins may also include their own front end and streaming servers, potentially offering similar functionality to a dedicated platform, most are designed to integrate with software. Finally, user engagement can be improved through the use of real-time audience interaction tools. This can include direct integration with audience polling software or building real-time integration with user interactivity functionality. Afterwards, the success of the live stream may be measured through analytics services such as metrics or analytics tools.

In-Person Events vs Live Streaming

Live streamed events are accessible to a wider audience, while there were times when in-person events were simply not possible at all. People living in different locations were able to join and take part in discussions about different topics. They are, however, less personal: you won’t have the personal connection with your audience during a live streamed event like you would in real life.

With live streaming comes great flexibility, circumnavigating time zone issues and allowing audience members to join from anywhere. You can also reach more people per event than you could in a physical location. At the same time, in-person events offer face-to-face communication and interactions, which often lead to a more compelling experience due to the human connection. Additionally, live streaming can offer a recording of the event so people can watch later. While not being pre-recorded content, it loses some of the quality of experience but provides a good record after the fact. Both mediums have a role to play and can be used in conjunction, depending on the needs of your specific event.

Live Streaming vs Pre-Recorded Videos

Some people may claim that live streaming results in less quality because it’s a one-take-only product and it rests on the shoulders of the presenter. On the other hand, live content can often feel more genuine and engaging, with the audience watching knowing anything could happen. There’s something compelling about the inherent risk of livestreams and the chance they could go wrong. Pre-recording a video allows for scripts to be perfected and every take to be exactly as it should. This results in professional and polished content that has been crafted and perfected.

Advantages of Live Streaming

1. Location does not matter: Live streaming is beneficial for events that want to reach attendees or panelists where traveling to another location is not possible.
2. Easier and cheaper venue rentals: Much like eliminating travel expenses, the need to locate a large venue in order to host the event is also removed when live streaming. Any money saved by no longer requiring a venue to house the live event can be spent on producing and promoting the live stream itself. While gorgeous locations for live events are still very popular, there is now less dependence on location when choosing a venue, saving you money and broadening decisions.
3. Reach a wider audience: Events that are live streamed are likely to reach a much larger and broader audience given the online tendencies of people to view things and share content that is of interest. Even for an average person, the probability of having some sort of an online following is fairly good, and these followers might very well benefit from the content offered at a live event. Even though in-person conferences offer continued learning and face-to-face networking, they generally only reach the audience in attendance.

Best Practices and Tips for Successful Event Live Streaming

What are some best practices for a successful event live stream?

The best practices discussed in this guide all revolve around creating a more engaging experience during your live stream. This includes planning to ensure a smooth broadcast as well as coming prepared to make changes based on how it is going. View the best practices by topic below.

Pre-event Planning: The best way to ensure a smooth broadcasting experience is with thorough preparation. Successful event planners start planning as far out from their actual event date. This applies to live streaming as well. Key aspects of pre-event planning include:

Scheduling: Choose a time and date that is less likely to compete with other events your audience may be watching. Do your research on your audience and determine which days/times are likely to increase participation.

Test your tech: Before you even start promoting your live stream, test your workflow. Test your internet connection from multiple devices around the space you’ll be streaming from. Test your equipment and the settings for it to ensure you’ll look and sound great.

What to stream: Just because your event is only a few hours long (or even less), doesn’t mean you have to stick the whole thing into a live stream. Pick the sessions that are likely to make the biggest impact on the most people. Be sure to let presenters know beforehand.

Engagement: Engage your audience during the event to keep their attention. Offer interactive elements like a chat room or slideshow to encourage involvement. Polls: Encourage participation by asking viewers to vote in polls throughout your event. This can be done in advance or in real time as questions come up, such as “Where are you visiting from?” or “Which sessions are you most excited about?” Q&A: If your software allows, have someone dedicated to answering questions from the audience. This will help manage questions and keep the conversation moving.

Pre-Event Planning

The importance of comprehensive pre-event planning for a live stream is critical to the success of the broadcast as a whole. As an organizer of a live stream event, the first step in planning the live stream is to set clear objectives, goals, and a target audience. Following this, choosing where to broadcast online is important as this forms the platform of the live stream. The second digital step is to choose the technology that will be used to stream the event; this is dependent on the event itself and deciding if you want to integrate software, hardware, or if you need on-site production support. Furthermore, setting a schedule for installation and video calls is important and will play a role in the success of the live stream.

It is also very important to inform all co-workers of the plan. Live streaming can be complex work, so we should be well prepared for any situation. At a minimum, we must have good access to the internet. The use of a computer, external webcam, phone, microphone, and other necessary accessories are some of the guidelines you should choose from the beginning. A rehearsal of the work should also suffice to ascertain the clarity of the equipment selected and to rectify any mishaps. When the directors of the live stream are confident in all the technical checks, then the actual promotional messaging of the live stream event should commence. This includes creating promotional texts to be sent in newsletters and across the social media platforms. It is important to ensure that this messaging also includes a call to action, whether it be a sign-up or a request for questions to be answered at the time of the live stream.

Engagement Strategies

Driving audience engagement is one of the key pieces to delivering a successful event experience. If audiences aren’t engaged, then it can be challenging to deliver a successful viewing experience. Engaged viewers increase overall event satisfaction and drive more meaningful participation and benefit. Here are some tips for creating engaging live streaming experiences:

Use interactive elements: Encourage audiences to participate by using interactive elements during the live stream, such as live chats or polls to generate feedback. This can help to break up monotonous events with scripted content by interrupting with genuine audience responses.

Maintain visual interest: Keep viewers interested by introducing compelling graphics, visuals, and even camera angles as an added layer of depth in the event. While a speaker might be delivering a message, adding visuals that help reinforce a purposeful message or tell a visual story can help to keep viewers interested.

Keep the conversation going: Regularly check in on the chat and/or polls for the optimum audience experience. While an event might include potentially hundreds or even thousands of viewers, this technique can help to create a sense of community.

Address distractions: The typical attention span for an average viewer decreases during an online event due to an abundance of online data. Direct the viewer’s attention back to the lens by making the video feed the main point of focus for the majority of the time. Give periodic breaks to allow the viewer to rest and then quickly return to the high visual focus on the speaker to keep the viewer engaged.

Technical Troubleshooting

Technical troubleshooting is an element that every live event will have to account for. There are a number of technical issues that are common to live streaming events, such as: Disruption to audio and video Loss or disruption of internet connectivity Failure of technical equipment or tools. Given that there will very likely be unexpected issues directly related to technology and troubleshooting, it is important to prepare for as many potential pitfalls as is feasible. Prevention is always more reliable than a weakness. If any of these problems arise, there are a few things you can do to quickly resolve them: The key to trouble-free technical troubleshooting is prevention. Before the event, carry out a thorough testing phase. Consider recruiting a technical support specialist or another teammate. Acquaint yourself with the event site and the relevant troubleshooting procedures. Strive to have as many backups as feasible. Backup equipment, such as extra microphones, cameras, batteries, and so on, should be on hand and readily available. If necessary, have a contingency plan in place. Each of your panelists or live performers should have a backup plan, as should each of your staff. If a panelist’s internet connection fails, they will be required to drive to the location of an alternate internet connection or, if all else fails, they will be required to call in to the audio feed. Prior to the event, check for any unique considerations that must be taken into account. Double-check all cables and leads, particularly those connecting equipment to the internet. Plan in advance with the technical assistance staff for troubleshooting.