How Livestreaming Can Help During COVID-19
Live-streamed religious service. Photo credit: Kristine Gruwell
Stay-at-home measures caused by COVID-19 in the United States are leading to an increase in the popularity of livestreaming content for consumers and creators. Livestreaming is a powerful tool that allows for direct communication in real-time, giving users a much needed sense of connection. Recent weeks have been filled with heart-warming stories of virtual concerts, birthday parties, and weddings. Businesses like Mira Medals and Karolina’s Antiques have turned to livestreaming to engage their customers with a shopping network experience. In this blog, I share how to’s for individuals, professionals, and/or organizations who want to use livestreaming to adjust to life in this “new normal.”
Livestreaming Content Planning
It is not uncommon to feel anxious about being in front of the camera. One way to ease these tensions is to plan out your content beforehand and practice. Kami’s Smart Social Secrets shares that the most important part of livestreaming is having something to say. Think purposefully about your message and what call to action(s) you are asking of your audience. This includes actions such as: join an email list, visit a website, purchase a product, or send a donation. If you need inspiration to get started with the planning phase, use this script outline for your next video. While scripts can be helpful, they are not necessary, especially in more informal streams like live Q&A’s.
Top Resources for Livestreaming
Communities that Convert suggests that the key to building your community and (or brand) is having the right tools to deliver your livestream content. Our research found two websites were highly recommended — Restream and StreamYard. Choosing the best platform for your livestream will vary depending on what your call to action is and which features best serve that call to action.
Restream allows multistreaming live to 30+ social platforms at once, giving users the ability to reach a wider audience. One cool feature of Restream is having the option to show comments (or texts) as an overlay on your stream screen. The multicamera source capability is ideal for users who want to maximize production quality without breaking the bank.
StreamYard has integrated inbox capabilities and affordable packages that offer multistreaming for up to 5 platforms. Paid versions of StreamYard include customizable branding to give your livestream a more professional look. This is an ideal option for streams with guests or guest speakers since up to 6 on-screen participants are permitted.
Bonus: Each website offers decent free membership options.
We encourage you to try livestreaming during this time because the community appreciates connection over production quality. Timely and authentic content is more valued than late and perfect content. Livestreaming will alert social media followers to your video and gives you an archived piece of content when its complete. Getting seen is key. While we may be physically distanced, technology bridges some of the barriers to connecting with our audiences. Consumers are connected to the outside world online and want to continue to support the organizations that they love.
What are you struggling to communicate right now? Could hosting a livestream help meet that need? What fears or concerns are holding you back? Continue the conversation by sharing your questions or concerns with livestreaming in the comments below.