Going live for the first time is scary for most people. The thought of what could go wrong can be daunting. As with most things, the best way to conquer this fear is by giving it a try. In this blog post, we’ll go through valuable tips that you can apply to set yourself up for success and start live streaming.
Maybe you’ve never tried live streaming before or, perhaps you have, and it didn’t work as you expected, either way, the tips below are precisely what you need to start live streaming like a pro.
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Why should you start live streaming?
Live streaming done right can have incredible benefits to your business and personal brand. First of all, spontaneous live streams, live Q&As, webinars, and events can exponentially grow your online audience. It helps you be more visible online and, since it’s live, it plays on people’s fear of missing out (FOMO). Plus, viewers can share your content, which brings in a bigger audience.
The live interaction is another huge motivation for people to watch your live streams. Unlike any other medium, live videos give your audience a chance to talk to you in real-time. When you want to expand your online reach and build your viewership, live streaming can be your secret weapon to captivate your fans.
Other advantages of live streaming are:
- Cost-effectiveness
- No post-production
- Better ranking on social media
What type of live streaming video is right for you?
Before you go live, you have some important decisions to make. For starters, choosing the right type of live video according to your goals and capacity will set you up for success.
Spontaneous live streams are fantastic if you have already built an audience. Your followers get notified and can jump right on your live video to interact with you. But, if you’re trying to grow your audience and you want to increase your viewership, scheduled live streaming videos might be your best bet or even weekly live shows.
The content of your live stream also depends on your industry and audience. You can choose to do a live webinar, a Q&A, a live demo, an interview, or anything that might bring value to your audience.
How to start live streaming like a pro
Prepare your live stream
Once you have an idea of what kind of live streaming you want to do, it’s time to prepare your live video. Since it’s live and there are no “take twos,” preparation is key. Also, being prepared will give you more confidence to actually start live streaming.
- Define your topic and write an outline of your video
- Create the resources according to the ideas you want to cover (i.e., slide deck presentation)
- Practice your delivery
Get the equipment
When it comes to live videos, some people get stuck in the gear department. Unless you plan to live stream big events, chances are, you won’t have to invest much in live streaming equipment right off the bat. Many content creators go live with minimum equipment, such as:
- HD Webcam or mobile device
- Microphone
- Computer
- Internet connection
Even if you have to live stream on a budget, you can achieve high-quality streams.
Choose your platform
With your live streaming equipment in hand, it’s time to choose your live streaming platform. One of the easiest ways to start live streaming is through social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. Both networks have free live streaming tools.
Some businesses opt to stream via paid services like which might add more value to your production, but you can achieve fantastic results with the social media platforms. Plus, you can increase your production value using a live streaming software which will give you access to tons of live video features and allow you to stream to multiple platforms at the same time.
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Many people ask us which platform is better, Facebook or YouTube, and it’s hard to pick one. If your resources don’t allow you to go live on both, you can check out the advantages of streaming on Facebook and compare with the benefits of YouTube live.
Ultimately, you should be where your audience is.
Promote your live stream
A common fear that stops many people from live streaming is going live and having zero viewers. Even though you can’t control how many people will show up for your live stream, you can take steps to promote your live as much as possible.
Make sure you let your friends, clients, and followers know about your next scheduled live stream. To do so, you can:
- Send details via emails and place a reminder in your email signature
- Ask them to share the details with their contacts
- Create partnerships with social media influencers to get more exposure
Make the most out of your live stream
Once you’re ready to go live, remember to keep your goal in mind. Whether you want to get more followers or establish a stronger connection with your audience, you considered live streaming for a reason, and that needs to be top of mind.
Even if you’re a bit nervous, when you hit the “Go Live” button, don’t forget to enjoy your live stream and interact with your audience, regardless if you have one or thousands of viewers.
Like any other activity, every time you go live, you’ll get more comfortable with it and better at it. To speed up your learning process, you can:
- Record your live video
- Analyze your results
- Optimize as you go
- Watch successful live streams and analyze what they do
You can also maximize your returns by repurposing your live streaming content. Your live video can be chopped up into smaller clips for other mediums, while the audio can become a podcast or be transcribed into a blog post.
Key Takeaway
Going live for the first time is tough, but, with the tips we’ve shared in this blog post, it will be much easier. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the more you stream, the less daunting it will be. Plus, being prepared to start live streaming will give you a huge confidence boost.
When are you going live?
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