Professional live streaming videos come in many forms, some have the absolute best image and audio quality, while others deliver highly engaging content. In this blog post, we’ll talk about the different aspects of a professional live video and give you 9 actionable tips to help you create your own professional live streaming videos in no time.
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What are professional live streaming videos like?
Before we talk about the attributes of a professional live stream, it’s important to consider that, unless you’re a TV network, when it comes to live video, making compromises is part of the job. In other words, live streaming has its limitation.
Even on live streaming platforms, if you want it to be as real-time as possible, the quality of the video might suffer. The contrary also applies, if you want the highest possible quality, you’ll get more latency. Which is why, when it comes to live streaming videos, it’s crucial to have realistic expectations.
But that’s not to say your live stream can’t still be amazing and allow you to achieve your goals with your audience. You can create professional live streaming videos that WOW your audience if you focus on the most relevant aspects of live streaming:
Video quality
When we talk about professional live streaming videos, the first thing that comes to mind is equipment, right? Having the right gear plays a massive role in your live video. But keep in mind, professional live streaming equipment can be quite expensive, and you don’t necessarily need it. Depends on the kind of live stream you’re planning. The most expensive equipment usually is used in big live events.
Interaction
The audience is watching you live, which means, in most cases, they expect you to interact with them. Interaction is a vital part of professional live streaming videos. The professionalism shines through when the presenter allocates some time to answer the audience’s questions and asks them questions throughout the live.
High-quality content
Another essential aspect of professional live streaming videos is the quality of the content. Professional live videos deliver tons of value to the audience. It’s an opportunity for them to learn something new within their industry, interact with you, ask questions and find others interested in the same topics.
Engagement
Getting the audience engaged is a must on professional live streaming videos. Viewers can get easily distracted when watching videos online. It’s your job to maintain their attention on your live stream. Engagement relies on visual elements and how you address the audience.
Dynamic pace
Professional live streaming videos have the perfect pace. It takes some time finding the sweet spot between delivering the content too fast or too slow. When you watch a live video pro, you’ll notice that it’s dynamic and you can keep up without being bored.
Tips to create your own professional live streaming videos
With the attributes of professional live videos mentioned above in mind, these tips can help you create the best possible live stream.
1- Prepare in advance
Professional live streamers have a game plan. Even if they intend to do a spontaneous live, they still have a basic outline in mind. When it comes to a thought-out live stream, some creators prefer to write an entire script. Others work better with frameworks. Either way, you need to have an idea of the content and structure.
If you decide to wing it and then, you don’t have any material prepared, it will look far from professional.
2- Interact with your audience
Make sure you encourage your viewers to participate. There many audience interaction techniques to get them to interact with each other as well as with you. For starters, you can do that by:
- Creating polls
- Asking questions
- Mentioning their names
- Answering questions
Also, leave enough time to answer questions at the end of the live video.
3- Be dynamic
With technology on your side, you can create dynamic and engaging videos. Something as simple as a video switcher and two different camera angles can help you create professional live streaming videos. The transition between the two angles will make your video much more interesting.
Nothing says professional live streaming video like a multi-camera live stream.
4- Use various resources
Resources have a huge impact on your audience and can be the difference between an amateur and a professional. It also adds a lot of value to your content and shows your audience you care about them. What can you use as a resource on your live stream?
- Slide deck presentations
- Your computer screen or specific apps
- Images and pre-recorded videos
To learn more about adding resources to your professional live stream, check out this blog post.
5- Use picture-in-picture
Along with resources, a fantastic tool to keep viewers engaged with you and your content is picture-in-picture. Whenever you show a PowerPoint presentation to your audience or any resource, it’s essential for them to see you on screen still. With picture-in-picture, you can position your webcam view in the corner of the screen.
6- Test everything before going live
Live streams are prone to have some issues until you find the right adjustment. Since it’s live, it’s crucial to check everything before streaming. Have a live streaming checklist nearby, to make sure you have what you need, and it works.
7- Do a dry-run
Many live streaming platforms allow you to stream in private. This is perfect for a dry-run. You can do your live video and watch it before you’re actually in front of an audience. Doing a dry-run, allows you to test equipment, resources, and your video’s flow. You can tweak it before going live to create the best possible live streaming video.
8- Add graphic overlays
Another tip to creating professional live streaming videos is to add graphic overlays to your stream. It’s a practical way to increase engagement throughout your live video. You can add:
- Lower Thirds
- Draw on your screen
- Add more text
- Apply digital props
If you have a lower third with your name and topic showing up now and then on your live, it will look much more professional. Plus, it will allow viewers to keep up with you, which is especially important if they joined mid-stream.
9- Don’t be afraid to take chances
Most importantly, live streaming can be scary, even for professional live streamers. But the difference is, to create professional live streaming videos, the presenters need to take chances.
What makes a live video professional and successful has much more to do with the impact it has on the viewers than the camera you use. When you take chances, use different resources and deliver value to your audience, they will definitely come back for more.
Download ManyCam for free today!
Do you want to live stream like a pro with your single-camera live streaming setup? Check out these free guides:
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