There are many benefits to live streaming an event. The most obvious one is that you can increase your audience. Since the inception of Singapore Live Stream, we have been able to reach people from all over the world. Many clients with family or friends overseas have elected to stream their events so that their loved ones do not miss out on the occasion. This is especially handy for international sporting events. With live streaming, even people who do not have the means or access to watch the event live on location do not have to miss out. This was the case for the University of Western Australia at the recent Australian University Games. They came to us wanting to stream their basketball games live so that their students on campus who were not participating could watch and support their team. With the recording feature, viewers can also watch a recorded version if they should miss the live stream. This is a convenient catch-up method for consumers and also a useful tool for clients who may want to keep a copy of their event. In addition to this, live streaming is a cost-effective way of getting the content to your audience. Many companies have meetings or presentations that involve a small audience. Instead of hiring a video production team and losing time and money creating DVDs, live streaming is an easy alternative.
Event live streaming is the broadcasting of an event over the internet as it happens live. Companies such as Singapore Live Stream provide this service to clients who want to reach a wider audience. There are various different types of events that can be streamed including, but not limited to, corporate meetings, concerts, weddings, sporting events, and news programs. Event live streaming can be useful in many different ways and brings many benefits to both the client and the consumer.
What is event live streaming?
Pre-recorded content is still ranked as the most common type of video content available today. While live streaming is a very small niche area compared to pre-recorded content, it has shown strong growth over the past decade. It is expected that it will continue to grow as technology improves and internet infrastructure becomes faster and more reliable around the world.
The duration for a live stream typically ranges from a few minutes to simulcast for a few hours for international events. The most common type of live streaming is “broadcasting,” which is a single-direction stream to an audience. However, interactive efforts like webinars allow for live bidirectional communication, which adds a new level of depth to internet engagement. Live chats, polls, and Q&A sessions are often integrated into the stream.
Event live streaming is transmitting live video footage online to an offsite audience with the help of the internet. First used in the early 90s, event live streaming is now accessible to anyone who has a laptop, smartphone, or tablet and is either cheap or free. Services such as Ustream, Livestream, Vimeo, and YouTube make it easy for anyone to do a webcast. More advanced paid services also exist, which include webcasting hardware and a dedicated webcasting platform to stream live video from your event.
Benefits of event live streaming
Archival and On-Demand Content These days, many internet users are accustomed to consuming media in their own time. This is usually in the form of on-demand content via services such as Netflix, YouTube and other streaming platforms. Live streaming is of course, real-time live content. However, it can also pave the way for future on-demand content. Many live video platforms offer the ability to save a broadcast or parts of it for future viewing. This gives a great opportunity for event content to be repackaged and reused in the future, creating more mileage out of a one-time event. A good example of this could be using recorded live stream content of a convention to create promotional material for a similar event in the following year.
Reaching a bigger audience Physical events can only accommodate a certain number of people dependent on the size of the venue. However, with live video streaming, you can vastly increase the number of people who can “attend” your event. Who has not experienced last minute problems that prevent them from attending an event? These could be solved by allowing people to view an event from their home or a more convenient location. Live streaming means that any number of people can view an event or “attend” it despite any obstacles they may have; be it travel costs, timing, health problems or distance. This opens up events such as product launches, music concerts to sports events to an incredibly wide audience many of whom would not be able to attend the physical event due to limiting factors. With greater exposure, comes an increase in the number of people who can potentially support an event. This is especially important for any events with a business intent. Live streaming provides potentially huge marketing opportunities for enticing new customers and supporters as well as providing new sponsor paths.
The rise of live video streaming companies
There has been a rapid growth in the live streaming market. In 2016, the Asia Media Digital report showed that the video on demand market in Singapore is expected to grow at an annual rate of 9.8%, resulting in a market volume of US$16 million by 2020. The forecast for streaming services market volume in Singapore is US$27 million by 2024. The demand for video content is higher than ever, and businesses are constantly looking for ways to put out content in different and innovative ways. Live streaming is considered the most innovative form of video content and currently the most popular. Facebook has reported that their users spend 3 times as much time watching live video compared to normal video. This enthusiasm for consuming video content, combined with the relative affordability for an effective live stream, has caused a sudden surge of live video services. With so many streaming companies emerging, the result is an overcrowded and divided market. This guide was conceived to help those looking for a live video service to make an informed decision on the numerous options available in Singapore.
Choosing the Right Live Video Streaming Company
When looking for live streaming services, it’s definitely important to choose the right one for your company’s needs, as using an unprofessional service could do more harm than good. It’s also important to do more research about the live video streaming companies you’re considering; a one-size-fits-all package often isn’t suitable, as each company will have different needs. This is especially important if you’re planning to stream an event, such as a conference or seminar. A more complex package with some specific features will be required, and it would be much easier to work with a company that has more experience with event streaming. Considering the technical side of things, do some research into the types of technology that are used by each service. You will need to ensure that this is compatible with your existing setup and that you won’t need to make any big changes to your system for it to work. For example, for businesses using Apple products, RTMP is not compatible with Mac firewalls, and so it would be a better idea to use RTSP. This just means that your viewers will have less trouble connecting to your streams, and less headaches for you!
Factors to consider when selecting a live video streaming company
First and foremost, the most important factor would be the company’s track record. Nowadays, this can be easily accessed via the internet especially on social media and also on the company’s website. Do a background check on the company and look at their previous works. Often, some providers list only the notable clients that they have served on their websites and this is also a good testament of their quality of work and reliability. This is important as for a one-shot event like a live stream, there is no room for mistake and it is essential to engage a reliable company to get the job done right. Always avoid start-up companies or freelancers looking to do it as a side income with no experience as more often than not, you will be taking a huge risk. Although it may be cheaper, but the trade-off between price and reliability is simply not worth it.
Most people encounter problems when they try to find a suitable live video streaming company for their events. Unlike other industries, the video streaming industry is relatively new and also the business landscape is quite different from other industries, hence it is hard to compare the current offerings with those from a traditional company. This makes things even more challenging for consumers when they are not able to make an informed decision comparing between various service providers. Hence, in this article, we would explore the different factors one should take into account when trying to find a suitable live video streaming company for their events.
Comparing pricing and features
Vemotion has a different approach having no client hardware and software setup costs, just a minimum 12 month contract and a recurring cost which includes the use of the Vemotion system, connection and unlimited streams to Vemotion servers with a full worldwide support and maintenance package. This service can cost from £280 – £400 per month depending on the level of service, on top of this a cost per channel can be applied, this can affect the level of service with Vemotion as it can consume more bandwidth compared to just one single channel. At Singapore live wire, prices are not stated and contact for the company is required to figure out pricing. E-peak has stated many different types of pricing options, having a 3 hour broadcast with 100 viewers at $450 and an unlimited broadcast with 1000 viewers coming in at $9800. This can be an easy decision based on how big your event is and the features you require.
When comparing pricing and features, it is important to factor in the cost of broadcast and the features that you will receive within the service. Studiocraft says a starting cost of $160 for streaming with 30 hours per month of broadcasting with overage charges of $6-$7 depending on the encoding rate. “Pricing is also based on the level of service and dedicated bandwidth.”
Planning and Preparing for a Successful Live Stream
The first step you should take when planning your live stream is setting clear objectives for what you want your event to achieve. Knowing what you want to achieve will help set the direction and tone of your event and provide you with a clear endpoint of knowing if your event was a success or not. This may seem obvious to some, but there are still many events that get live-streamed ‘just because it can be’. Identifying if the event is suitable for streaming is also important, as not all content is appropriate for a live stream or may not provide enough value to your viewers. If after comparing your objectives and the nature of your event you find the two do not line up, it may be worth reconsidering if you even want to stream your event.
When live-streaming an event, it is important to plan and prepare. While the content you will be delivering and how you will be delivering it to your viewers is important, what’s even more important is setting clear objectives for your event and identifying who your target audience is. As live streaming is a technology-dependent medium, it’s very important to evaluate if your technology is up to the task of streaming your content to a professional level.
Setting objectives and target audience
Setting objectives is important as they define the purpose of your event and provide direction to its planning and execution. A clear objective is also crucial in helping you determine your target audience as different objectives will attract different demographics. For example, a company launching a new product would want to target potential customers and create awareness and interest in the product. A clear objective would be to increase knowledge and awareness of the new product, with the target audience being the potential customers. The knowledge of the target audience is important as it also gives direction to the event planning. Using the same example, the target audience would most likely be using digital platforms to seek out information. This would then indicate that live streaming the event would be an effective strategy as the company would be reaching out to their audience via a platform that they frequently use. This saves time and effort as the company would not need to invite the target audience to a physical venue.
Technical requirements for a seamless live stream
The video and audio of the live stream are the two key elements that determine the quality of your live stream. Ensure to invest in a video camera or a DSLR to capture high-quality video. Smartphone cameras are becoming increasingly superior in quality, however they may not provide the professionalism that you desire for your event. Video sources can also include laptop screens or specific software applications. Audio sources can range from lapel microphones, USB microphones to a simple headset mic. For the best results, it is advisable to have a dedicated capture card that converts the video and audio into a digital format for live streaming on a PC or Mac. High quality audio and video will ensure that your viewers are not turned off by poor quality and will keep them interested in your event. Encoding and broadcasting software is an important consideration when relaying your live stream to an online platform. This software is responsible for encoding your video and audio into a format suitable for transmission over the internet. Some popular software includes free and open source software such as Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder and Open Broadcaster Software. Like video sources, the more professional the encoding software, the better the quality of your live stream. After encoding, the software is also used to relay your media to an online platform. This can be done through built-in browser uploading features of the encoding software, or by using online distribution platforms with the use of server details and stream keys.
Pre-event promotion and marketing strategies
A clear and strategic pre-event promotion can result in a successful live stream turnout as it creates anticipation amongst the target audience and explains the value of the event. The success of promoting your event prior to the live stream is increased awareness of the event and higher chance of attendance. The first touch point for the event would be an event teaser on the company’s social media postings and a save the date email blast. Starting with an event teaser is a great way to engage the audience as it is a sneak peek of what is to come and piques interest. The viewer is able to absorb what the event is about as they are a visual representation and often include pictures, audio, or both. Sending the event date out early is also essential as it increases the likelihood of the viewer to keep the date free. This is especially important for an overseas event or a full-day event as there is a higher chance that customers will at times double book themselves or forget to convert the time zone. Another promotion strategy would be to post multiple landing page posts within the company website. A landing page is the best way to explain to the audience what the event is about and what they can gain from it. It is more informative than other promotional material and should have a call to action. Twinning the landing page with a post would act as a reminder to the following as posts can be easily missed, reducing the chance of the viewer forgetting about the event. A blog interview with the presenter of the event is also beneficial as it adds a personal touch and shows what the presenter is speaking about is valuable to the viewer.
Executing a Flawless Live Stream Event
“Concentrated audience engagement, anticipation during events, interactivity, user-generated content, and creating the opportunity are the five elements digital marketers must focus on when creating the ultimate brand experience for their audience” (Cheong, 2016). New world digital marketing and programmatic trends will help shape how brands interact with consumers. Live streaming is the go-to marketing tactic to directly engage an audience on the brand’s story. It’s real-time, uncut, and unedited content requires a brand to truly know what they want to communicate to their audience. The longer and more frequent a brand live streams, the more likely they will attract and retain an audience (Hockenson, 2016). Social media today found in a study over 500 marketers that 78% believe effective live event content creation and streaming is crucial for brands to engage with their audiences. 82% of respondents to the survey said they are likely to watch a live video from a brand (SEOT, 2017). Live streaming is soon to become an essential marketing tool for brands to engage their audiences in their story.
Best practices for live streaming an event
A successful event live stream depends on an understanding of the requirements of the event, the needs of the online viewers, and the capacity of the technology to deliver the desired experience. Start by identifying the desires of the event organizers. What is the online viewership target? Is this a public or private broadcast? Will there be a need to repurpose the video for an on-demand audience later? Next, begin planning the necessary technology to fulfill these requirements. Dedicate time to prepare for this specific event; the extra preparation will make a huge difference. It is always best to test online broadcasts that involve live video streaming and the delivery of existing video content. This will help to identify the best way to deliver the live stream to the viewer and any potential issues that may arise. Run through the event exactly as it will happen. If there are plans to encode a live Skype session with a remote guest speaker, organize a test Skype call at a similar time of day using the same equipment to ensure quality of service. During testing, have an observer view the live stream from a remote location to gauge the end user experience. This will also provide an opportunity to test the recording of a live stream for later use.
Engaging the audience during the live stream
Audience engagement is a two-way interaction with a participant. Through this interaction, an individual is not just the audience. They actively or passively involved in the activity of an event. The idea of a live stream event is an interactive glimpse into an exclusive event. It’s essentially the most effective way to let your audience know that something big is happening. Here are some ways to engage your audience during the live stream: a) Implementing a chat system into your live stream: through this method, an audience is able to give direct feedback to the performer/presenter. b) A Q&A session at the end of the live stream: It allows the audience to question specific things about the event. c) Twitter: Allows the whole audience to get involved, by using a hashtag that is specific to that event, the audience can engage in a ‘global’ conversation. d) Competitions: This is a fun way to engage the audience, interact, and even give rewards as an incentive.
Post-event analysis and evaluation
Reach a wider audience Reaching a wider audience relates to the number of new and unique viewers that the stream accumulated throughout the event. One way of counting new and unique viewers is by the amount of traffic the live stream brought to the event website. This can be calculated by comparing the overall website traffic before and during the live streaming event with a web analytics program. In the case of the DOTA 2 international, holding a live streaming event exclusively on twitch.tv has the potential to reach out to new and unique viewers due to the website’s large viewer base. This can also be accomplished through viewer recruitment as they would be encouraged to invite friends to watch the live stream enabling the potential for wider audience reach.
A critical assessment of the effectiveness of the live stream is necessary to ensure that future live streaming events will be more successful. The evaluation process revolves around the three main objectives of the entire live streaming process, which are: reach a wider audience, establish a strong viewer to streamer relationship (branding), deliver a clear message. This is an analysis of the DOTA 2 international tournament held by Valve Corporation and their use of live streaming to reach out to their audiences.
