In the fast-paced environment we live in nowadays, we need to make the most out of the technology we have at hand, literally. Our smartphones are with us 24/7, or at least half the time. They are packed with apps and tools to help us share quality content with our audience. That’s why, in this blog post, we show you three ways to use your mobile camera on live streams, which will help you grow your audience and improve the quality of your live video.
1st Way to Use Your Mobile Camera On Live Streams
Live stream on the go
If you want to create a deeper connection with your audience, live streaming straight from your mobile can be highly effective. It makes the live video more personal, and the spontaneity appeals to viewers.
They get a chance to identify themselves with you because it feels natural. Even if you planned and rehearsed your live stream, it needs to feel natural for your audience to enjoy it.
Unlike more professional live streams, like live Webinars, mobile live streaming can be a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, you should strive for high-quality streams, which you can achieve with most smartphones nowadays.
Strive for quality
Mobile cameras can put out videos with good quality, but they might somewhat crop your image. To solve that issue, you can get clip-on camera lenses. The most important one is the wide-angle lens because it will open your shot and give your audience a better view. You can find kits with five free lenses for as little as $20.
Another crucial aspect of any live stream, on mobile or desktop, is the audio. If you want to go live straight from your phone, don’t rely on its built-in microphone. When we do mobile live streams, the device won’t stay close to our mouths, which means, the audio won’t be as clear. Plus, if it’s outdoors, the wind and background noise can interfere a lot with your stream.
To get high-quality or, at least, good-enough quality audio, you can have a lapel mic or a directional mic connected to your phone. The price range varies a lot, but it starts at around $15.
Though quality is important to live videos, when it comes to mobile live streams, content matters more. Even if you’re going live spontaneously, you need to have something to say. No one wants awkward silence on live streams; we have elevators and blind dates for that.
To learn more about equipment, check out this blog post: Best Mobile Live Streaming Gear for Low-budgets
2nd Way to Use Your Mobile Camera On Live Streams
Use your mobile camera as the main webcam
Your mobile camera is versatile, and you can use it as your webcam instead of buying extra equipment. Depending on the device you have, chances are it will be even better than your webcam. Also, your webcam would need to be connected through a cable, whereas your mobile is, well, mobile.
With the help of a gorilla tripod (around $15), you can position your device where your webcam would be and go live from your desktop. But you’ll also have the freedom to move it or change its place quickly, which is an asset in a live presentation.
When you use your mobile camera on live streams, you can find a balance between a more spontaneous live stream feel and a professional-looking presentation. Going live on your laptop or desktop computer gives you access to a lot more resources to enhance your live streams.
3rd Way to Use Your Mobile Camera On Live Streams
Use your mobile as the second camera
If your goal is to create professional-looking live streams, with high-quality video and a better structure, you should have a multi-camera setup. A multi-camera setup consists in having at least two cameras, with different points of view that complement each other. It gives viewers a more well-rounded experience of your live stream.
Having multiple cameras in place, and switching between them during your live video can help drive focus to you. When you only have one camera, and you’re talking directly at it, viewers might get tired after a while, because of the lack of movement, change, excitement.
Your main camera should be the one with the highest output quality, and the other camera can be just your smartphone. When you use your mobile as a second camera, you can choose between using a tripod, stabilizer or handheld. A tripod will give you more stability, and a stabilizer or handheld will give your video more style.
Check out the video below to learn more about Multi-camera Live Streams Setup:
ManyCam can help you use your mobile camera on live streams and get the best results. If you’re going live on the go, you can download the ManyCam App for iOS or Android. Or if you’ll use your mobile camera on live streams to deliver a more professional video, you can download ManyCam for free here.
With ManyCam, you can switch between different cameras, tweak the settings to get better results, insert Picture-in-Picture and a lot more.
Key Takeaway
Regardless of the way you choose to go, live streaming is all about good content and interaction. If you want to grow your audience, you should experiment with these ways of using your smartphone, as well as, various types of content and promotions. Finding the right balance between spontaneous live videos and scheduled ones isn’t easy, but it will have a massive impact on your online success.
So, make sure you give these ways to use your mobile camera on live streams a try and let us know which one is your audience’s favorite in the comment section below!
Here are other blog posts that you might like:
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