Live Streaming

What is it?

Live streaming is the broadcasting of live video and audio to an audience over the internet.

What can it be useful for?

Company Updates- Announcements, and Product Launches

Outdoor Events

Conferences or AGMs

Educating – Training, Tutorials and Live Demonstrations

Different types of live streaming

• Video Conferencing is usually from an office or board room directly to another office or board room but could, also include several other participants usually up to 12 others. Generally speaking, all participants will be contributing.
• Net meeting, this is when an organiser, usually in an office or board room will present to a small number of participants at different locations who will be participating in the meeting.
• Webinar is not unlike a net meeting but is more suitable for larger audiences and groups. For this reason, generally the audience will watch but not participate however, some platforms allow for questions to be submitted.
• On demand is when the content of a conference or webinar has been recorded, virtual attendees can then view online through YouTube or other secure They can also download the content to watch at a later date.

What equipment and services will I need for each of the above options?

Video Conference or Net Meeting

A subscription to a secure streaming platform such as Zoom, GoToMeeting, MicrosoftTeams and Skype is essential and will enable most laptops or desktops to utilise their built in cameras.

However, for a larger boardroom or conference space a USB camera, sound system and microphones will be required.

Mustard Presentations can assist with the smooth and private set up of your next live streamed conference or event.

Webinar

A professional camera, high powered laptop or sound system for larger audiences will all be required to ensure the viewers receive the very best experience. This level of equipment and skills required are usually sourced from a professional company such as Mustard Presentations.

On demand

Most platforms i.e Zoom GoTo and Skype have the ability to live record, saving the file for a later date. Alternatively, Mustard Presentations can record the event and after some editing have a professional programme ready to be watched post event.

Reasons why an organisation should consider live streaming

Broaden your reach

Live streaming provides the opportunity to reach a broader scope of your employees, membership, community or clients by bringing the message to them where it is most convenient and comfortable.

There is a 10-30% Conversion of Virtual to Physical Attendee

When you build an on-line community via live streaming, anywhere from 10-30% of those attending the conference as a fully paid virtual attendee will attend the physical conference the following year.  That could mean 25 to 150 additional attendees each year without spending on marketing.

Reducing costs and admin

Rather than paying for attendees to fly/travel, park, eat or stay over you can save massively on expenses.

Also, depending on the content and direction you can choose to charge virtual attendees a fee, thus creating a new separate revenue stream – reducing the already incurred costs of the main event.

Environmentally Friendly.

Virtual attendees can experience your event from the comfort of their office or home negating the need to travel consequently not only reducing the costs but also reducing the carbon footprint of the event.

The Virtual Attendees are Praising Their Organisations for Their Forward Thinking Attitude

There is one thing that every live stream has in common.  The virtual attendees are extremely grateful to their organisation bringing the message or experience to them and allowing them to be part of the event, even though they cannot make it in person.

Reach Millennials

Millennials are becoming more prevalent in the work environment and are digitally online savvy. They will be the first to embrace this new experience and will be expecting a forward thinking company to be participating in such technologies.

Increased attendance

Despite the fear of livestreaming potentially decreasing your in-person attendance, according to Digitell, 30% of people who watch the livestream of an event will attend the same event in person the following year.

Also, if your physical attendees need to cancel last minute, you can then Switch them Over to the Live Stream.

Live streaming your conference provides an alternative option for those cancelling that you don’t have right now.

Marketing

Live stream also allows businesses the opportunity to interconnect and inter-promote their platforms. For instance, encouraging the audience to tweet questions or “like” you on Facebook is an effective method to quickly grow your social media presence with people who already care about your brand.

After the live stream has been completed, save it and take advantage of the SEO benefits of YouTube. If you announced a new product or performed a tutorial on an existing product, making it accessible for others to find it is a great way to grow your brand’s web presence and story. The audience will be pleased with the richer content that a live stream can produce, especially if audience members are allowed to interact and submit questions. Unlike radio, internet streams have unlimited range and even open the possibility for an international audience to participate.

The ability to repurpose content

While this can be done with all content, live videos are easier to transform into other forms of content.  You can publish a video transcript on your website or create an infographic of the information.  You will also be able to post the video or edited highlights on YouTube for people to view later.  This repurposing of the content will increase your reach.