If you are active on social media, you will know what the future is for video. Or, more accurately, live streaming video. But the very idea of ??streaming live video is enough to traumatize many people and begin lifelong therapy. What if you do something wrong?
If you are one of those people, you cannot be accused of being nervous. Since the live stream is well live, you can’t pre-record the video and fix all the mistakes later. Viewers will see you in real time, no clippings, no censorship, and if you do a good job they will love you for it.
Whether you’re selling a product or promoting a business, learning how to broadcast live can turn viewers into customers. But how do you start without making yourself a complete fool?
Choose a live broadcasting platform
There are so many streaming platforms out there these days that it can be very difficult to know which one to use. Facebook and Instagram are the two largest, followed by Periscope on Twitter. In addition, there are smaller platforms like Twitch, Vimeo, YouNow, Livestream and many more.
For the sake of simplicity, I will focus on Facebook Live in this article as it is the largest platform. But you can decide if you want to stream live with someone else.
IGTV Instagram is also becoming quite popular and there is nothing wrong with having a second camera pointed at you, running on a different platform. But if you’re just starting out, it’s best to keep it simple.
Get the right equipment
I recently discussed about suitable equipment for creating YouTube videos, and this information is the same as for creating live streaming video. Three things to focus on if you are learning to broadcast live for the first time are sound, lighting, and camera stability.
Instead of repeating everything here, I’ll just refer you to the article link in the previous paragraph. But I’ll just say one more thing about this – no video app is required as you will be using whatever streaming software the platform provides you.
But whether you use your computer’s webcam or smartphone camera to infiltrate people’s lives, you need to keep the image stable. Therefore, if you are using a smartphone or tablet, be sure to attach it to a tripod. I cannot stress this too much.
Decide in advance what your proposal is about
To get a consistent and reliable audience, you should only create a streaming show about one topic. Opening up a live broadcast to discuss any rambling topic will end up alienating people. People watch streaming video for information, education, and fun. The only way to do this is to create your niche.
Mine is about the books I write and publish, so I discuss this as well as industry news. My audience is very small right now, but I see the same people coming back to the next show and the next after it because they know my topic is something they want to hear about. So figure out what YOUR topic is and stick to it.
Advertise in advance and create some posts
As any good marketer will tell you, in order to reach your audience, you need to advertise and promote your event. The finished video will remain on Facebook for those who missed it, but the “live” aspect is only good if you have people watching it live, asking you questions, and liking you.
You can easily create a promotional image in Canva, GIMP, Photoshop or any other online editor. The one above is for a recent streaming. Keep it simple, but add something catchy (like a bullet hole!).
Start Your Own Live Stream
When you’re ready to start your show, go to the page where you want to show it. In the status update field, you will see Live. Click on this.
A window will open asking you to grant Facebook permission to access your camera and microphone. Say yes to both. Then fill in all the fields on the right side.
When you’re ready, click the blue Go Live button in the bottom right corner.
There will be a 3 second countdown, after which you will become alive to the masses. Good luck!
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