People who engage in your live stream are 43% more likely to buy a premium product. Furthermore, research on student learning shows that live streaming is “highly effective” while boosting creativity and cooperation. 

However, businesses with specific goals need live streaming metrics to measure success and inform strategy improvements. Across departments — marketing, learning and development, operations — these analytics help determine ROI, meet compliance standards, and maintain security measures.

Welcome to our walk-through guide on live streaming metrics. Learn what each metric measures, why it’s important, and how to use the information to meet your goals.

Quick Look: Top Metrics to Review Performance

Quickly determine how a live stream performed with your audience. These metrics are helpful for evaluating attendance and engagement across use cases.

• Total Views: total number of viewing sessions during the broadcast
• Unique Visitors: amount of individual viewers
• Average Engagement Rate: percentage of live stream watched

Click on each metric above for in-depth information — or keep reading to find it in the full list of 15 metrics below.

Note: The metrics above are common across live streaming platforms. However, some of the metrics below are SproutVideo-specific.  

15 Live Stream Metrics to Measure Success

Live stream metrics are organized into three categories: 

• During the live stream (real-time analytics)
• After the broadcast ends (post-live stream metrics)
• Data for each viewing session (individual viewer data)

Click on any of the links above to jump to that section.

Real-Time Live Stream Analytics 

When evaluating the metrics below, higher numbers are generally favored and indicate that you successfully promoted the live stream to your audience. Additionally, more viewers equals more opportunities for people to engage and absorb your content. 

Private live streams are the exception. In this situation, use real-time analytics to ensure the audience size doesn’t exceed the intended audience. Monitoring this data helps detect security leaks during a live stream with limited access. 

Note: There is some overlap between the analytics measured in real-time and post-live stream. We discuss each metric in relation to real-time and post-live analytics when applicable below.

Monitor the following metrics during the live broadcast. These metrics are displayed directly below the live stream, so it’s easy to glance at the numbers while hosting live. 

1. Currently Watching

The number of viewers currently watching your live stream (AKA concurrent viewers). 

This metric monitors live viewing engagement. It lets you quickly see how many people are tuned in and engaging with your live stream. 

This information is most helpful when starting a live stream. It is common to begin a broadcast and wait until a minimum number of viewers have joined before launching into the prepared material. This metric helps you determine when you’ve reached that minimum.

If this number suddenly drops to zero, an issue likely occurred during the broadcast.

2. Peak Views

The highest number of concurrent viewers who join during the live stream. 

Peak views represent the highest number of viewers who simultaneously watched the live stream up to the current point in the broadcast . After your broadcast concludes, it represents the highest number of people who watched your live stream at any time.

Peak views help you measure audience engagement during the broadcast. As this number updates, it indicates whether or not your viewing audience is still growing. 

A high peak views count post-live stream suggests your content was engaging and attracted significant viewers. On the SproutVideo platform, you can use the analytics graph (pictured below) to quickly determine what part of the live stream attracted the most viewers.

Across multiple live streams, this information can guide you in tailoring your content to match the interests of your viewers better.

Note: Currently Watching viewers and Peak Views measure non-unique viewers, meaning if a user plays the live stream in two browser windows simultaneously, it will count as two viewers or views. 

3. Unique Visitors

The total unique viewers who watched your live stream during the broadcast. 

Like peak views, this information helps you compare live streams and determine what topics perform best with your audience. 

For example, a company is promoting a product launch, and 8,000 people register for the event. If 3,500 unique visitors attend (44%), it suggests significant interest in the product and successful marketing of the launch event. 

For private live streams, monitor unique visitors during the broadcast to ensure your security measures work as intended. 

4. Average Time Watched

The average amount of time viewers watch your live stream. 

This metric tracks how long viewers watch the live stream and displays the average time watched in hours, minutes, and seconds. 

If you notice the average time watched is low during the broadcast, you can employ more interactive techniques to reengage viewers and encourage longer viewing times. 

You can also use this information to create more engaging live streams: determine if new engagement strategies are effective across multiple live streams.

5. Live Chat Participation

Unlike the rest of the metrics on our list, chat participation is qualitative data. Therefore, you base your insights on audience feedback rather than objective data. 

Live chat creates a direct line of communication between you and the viewer during live streams. Direct interaction encourages audience participation and provides insights into their frequently asked questions. 

Use this information to align your content strategy with your most engaged audience. 

How to Add Chat to Your Live Stream

How Experts Turn Video Views Into Profit

Tired of videos that feel like a rigged carnival game? Discover expert strategies for turning video into a growth engine across any industry.

Get Real Video Results—Just Press Play

Post-Live Stream Analytics & Engagement Metrics

On the SproutVideo platform, post-live stream metrics are organized into two dashboards: Analytics and Engagement.

The Analytics dashboard provides an overview of how many people watched the live stream.

Analytics Dashboard on the SproutVideo Platform

The dashboard also includes graphs on the domains people watched from, what devices they used, and where in the world they tuned in from.

The Engagement dashboard features metrics on how many people engaged with your live stream and for how long; it also includes individual viewer data (more on this later).

Engagement Dashboard on the SproutVideo platform

Some overlap exists between real-time and post-live analytics. These are Peak Views, Unique Visitors, and Average Time Watched. Click on any of the metrics to review them above. We’ll discuss the other available metrics and how to use them below. 

6. Total Views

The total number of live stream views accumulated during the broadcast.

This information gives you a broad understanding of your audience’s interest in the live stream topic. A high view count suggests you successfully promoted the live stream to your audience, and it garnered enough interest for viewers to join live.

In this way, total views and unique visitors provide similar information. However, unique visitors will never exceed the total views (though they could be equal).  

When there is a significant difference between these numbers, it might suggest that a substantial portion of viewers left and returned to the live stream during the broadcast. 

However, it could also signal buffering or disconnection issues, a viewer switching devices, among other possibilities. Review individual session data by studying viewer behavior to create a more complete picture. 

7. Total Hours Watched

The total amount of time all viewers spent watching the live stream.

Higher total hours watched are generally associated with greater engagement. This information is better contextualized as the average engagement rate (discussed next). 

However, you can combine this information with individual session data to discover highly engaged audience members who spend more time watching your live stream than average. Heat maps make it easy to identify these viewers.  

8. Average Engagement Rate

The average percentage of the live stream viewers watched. 

The average engagement rate showcases the amount of your live stream that a single viewer generally watches. It’s one of the best metrics for determining audience engagement. 

The SproutVideo platform provides a graph that displays the average engagement rate at every point of your live stream. This graph is a hugely useful tool for determining what parts of your live stream are most interesting to viewers. 

Use this metric to determine what aspects of your live stream would benefit from additional engagement strategies and again to evaluate the success of those strategies.

9. Geographic Location

A map of every country where your live stream played. 

You can click each country from the world map on the SproutVideo platform to see specific regions where viewers watched your live stream.

Local businesses that market within a specific region and multi-branch companies that must communicate internally and privately often use this metric.

Geographic location is also a helpful metric when gathering customer insights for tailoring marketing campaigns and understanding your audience. 

Finally, geographic location is necessary to comply with state or federal regulations within relevant industries. Tracking geographic location is generally needed when ensuring your live stream reaches the correct audience.

10. Domains Where Viewed

Domains identify where your live stream was played on the internet. 

If you embed your live stream in multiple places, this metric is ideal for determining what channels generate views. 

Data on domains is also helpful when auditing security for private live streams: you can easily ensure only viewers from intended domains watched the live stream.

11. Device Type

Determine the device, browser, and operating system used to watch your live stream. 

This information provides insight into your audience’s viewing behavior and preferences, which is helpful when creating a marketing strategy. It can also inform how to optimize your live stream’s landing page.

On the SproutVideo platform, click on each device type to view more in-depth information.

Individual Viewer Engagement Data

Post-live stream analytics provides a bird’s-eye view of metrics for a specific live stream. Individual session data, on the other hand, provides data view-by-view.

There is some overlap between post-live analytics and individual session data. The difference between the data is whether the information pertains to the entire live stream or a single view. 

This overlapping information includes geographic location, domains where viewed, and the device type. Click on each metric to return to its section above. Check out the other available individual session metrics below.

12. Date Viewed & Time Stamp

The day the viewer watched your live stream and at what time (in your time zone).

This metric conveys when each viewer tuned into your live stream. The dates will be the same for any single live stream. 

This information is helpful for diligent record-keeping, especially in regulated industries.

13. Viewer Name with Total Live Streams Viewed (When Captured)

The names of viewers whose contact information has been tagged.

You can track specific viewers if their information has been captured or tagged. 

Log-in protection is a common way to do this. When the viewer watches a live stream after logging into their account, their name appears instead of “Unknown Viewer.”

Tagged viewers will also include a small box next to the name that indicates the total number of live streams the user has watched. 

Click on any individual session, including “Unknown Viewers,” to view all of the viewing sessions (across live streams and videos) recorded for that user, as well as their total time watched. 

The practical applications for this information are abundant. 

• Monitor participation in employee training and educational lectures. 
• Use the information to tailor or segment marketing campaigns. 
• Track individual viewers to ensure compliance in regulated industries. 

Note: When a live stream is viewed internally by a logged-in SproutVideo account user, the viewer session data will feature a small box that reads, “Internal.”

14. IP Address

The IP Address associated with each view of the live stream. 

IP addresses are collected to identify viewers and their location.

Track this information to audit the security of live streams while employing IP address whitelisting, which is a security measure that makes streaming content available only to viewers with approved IP addresses. 

15. Heat Map

A cool-to-warm visualization for individual viewer engagement data. 

At a glance, “heat spots” indicate where the viewer rewatched content. Rewatches indicate areas of greater interest or sections of information that are too dense to absorb the first watch. Portions of the live stream the viewer didn’t watch are white space.

This map also includes the percentage of the total live stream the viewer watched. This information allows you to determine how much of the live stream a viewer completed during any one session. 

Note: Download live stream data as a CSV for offline viewing and easy record management with the SproutVideo Forest plan — built for businesses and institutions. These downloadable reports are Live Stream Event Analytics, Engagement Data, and an Access Log (for log-in-protected live streams). 

5 Live Streaming Use Cases for Business + Metrics to Track

Effective live streaming starts with clear goals. Here are some common ways businesses use live streaming, alongside example goals and the metrics needed to evaluate success. 

Note: Click on each of the “Metrics to Evaluate Success” to learn more about it. 

1. Optimize customer journey & tailor marketing efforts

Goal: Create highly engaging live streams to encourage loyalty and interaction with the brand. Employ insights gained from highly engaged viewers in the brand’s overall marketing strategy.

Metrics to Evaluate Success: 

• Average engagement rate: Evaluate overall success by how much content viewers watched. Additionally, compare the engagement graph with the live stream’s content to identify successful aspects and areas for improvement. 
• Qualitative engagement data (i.e., live chat participation): Review participation to discover highly engaged individuals likely to build emotional investment with your brand.  
• Heat maps. Track individual viewer engagement to tailor marketing efforts or segment your audience based on topics of interest. 
• Domains Where Viewed: Determine what channels most effectively drive viewership to the live stream based on where viewers tune in. 

2. Influence purchasing decisions & increase activations

Goal: Engage leads by solving product-related problems to drive interest in company products or services. Track attendees’ post-live stream engagement with your website (i.e., shopping cart checkout, requesting a demo, subscribing to free resources, repeat purchase) to measure success.

Metrics to Evaluate Success: 

• Average Engagement Rate: Determine how much content average users watch to determine the significance of live stream engagement on purchasing decisions.
• Heat Maps: Discover highly invested contacts and gain insights into viewer content expectations; use this insight to improve future live stream engagement. 
• Viewer Name: Review engagement data for each session to see how the live stream influenced individual viewers. Tag users and compare these insights with your customer relationship manager (CRM). For unknown viewers, track the Viewer ID given (each viewer receives a unique Viewer ID).

3. Maintain compliance with regulatory requirements

Goal: Ensure compliance with regulations and data privacy standards in relevant industries (i.e., finance, healthcare, legal services.) Maintain records of compliance for specific users.

Metrics to Evaluate Success: 

• Viewer ID or Name: Track and review engagement data for each viewer to ensure all compliance materials are watched. Log-in protection (or Single Sign-On) through the SproutVideo platform is an easy way to do this. 
• Heat Maps: View engagement data for each viewing session visually. View all sessions for any single viewer to determine if the user started a live stream and finished it later. 
• Total Minutes Watched for an Individual Viewer: Track time input for compliance regulations that require certification or continuing education hours. Within individual viewer engagement data on the SproutVideo platform, click on the viewer to see the total minutes watched across both live streams and videos.

4. Onboard new hires and improve employee skills

Goal: Track employee or student engagement with educational materials to ensure proper training. Easily gain insights into participation and engagement for future improvements.

Metrics to Evaluate Success:  

• Viewer Name and Total Live Streams Viewed: Utilize tagging to assign viewer names to their Viewer ID (used to track sessions). Then, review session data for individual users to track engagement with live streams and completion rates. 
• Heat Maps: Use this information to determine if the user started and finished a live stream later and how much of the live stream they completed.
• Unique Visitors: Audit live stream security measures by reviewing the unique visitor metric. If this number exceeds the limited audience for a private live stream, investigate individual session data to determine the cause. 

5. Communicate across company teams privately and efficiently

Goal: Host secure live streams to communicate effectively across teams and multiple branches, inform shareholders, and collaborate on pre-launch content and marketing materials.

Metrics to Evaluate Success:  

• Unique Visitors: Ensure communications reach the intended amount of people. Investigate individual session data if the number exceeds the intended audience size for a private live stream. The SproutVideo platform identifies account users as “Internal,” making it easier to separate internal and external security breaches. 
• Average Engagement Rate: Evaluate how much live stream content viewers watched. This metric is essential for determining whether the audience received the knowledge and information from the live stream. 
• Geographic Location: Track viewer location to ensure communications reach all intended parties or branch locations. 

Note: SproutVideo accounts include security tools like password protection, login protection (including single sign-on), and whitelisting for domains, IP addresses, and geographic locations.

Ready to launch your live stream? Grab our 30-day truly free trial. Or learn more about live streaming with our other content:

• How to Build Your Own Live Streaming Website
• Private Live Stream: How to Host Exclusive Events Online
• Live Streams VS Webinars: 8 Key Differences

The post 15 Live Stream Metrics & How to Measure Success appeared first on SproutVideo.

Your private live-streaming blueprint. Grab this interactive checklist with everything you need to consider before, during, and after your live stream.

Securely connect with consumers and employees in real time with private live streaming. Whether hosting virtual events with potential and recurring customers or internal training for new hires, there are many ways a company or creator might use private live streams.

Live streams are a highly engaging medium, with 27.7% of global viewers watching live streams on a weekly basis. Furthermore, the live-streaming industry grows consistently year-over-year, with a market estimated to reach $247 billion by 2027. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the essential security features you’ll need to host private live streams, how to easily set one up, and tips for promoting your exclusive event.

What Is Private Live Streaming?

Private live streaming is real-time video content for an exclusive, permitted audience. Unlike video chat, it is a one-way stream. Viewers are able to interact with you, though to what extent will depend on the streaming platform. 

On social media, a live stream is available for anyone to watch. However, businesses often require private streaming capabilities for events with limited access.

A versatile medium, live streaming offers the ability to mimic the personability of video chat or create larger gatherings with audience involvement.

Use Cases for Private Live Stream Events 

Businesses use live streams to foster stronger relationships with customers and employees. We’ll discuss options below; as you read, consider which types might benefit your business.

• Paid or Exclusive Events: Sell private live-stream events or offer customers exclusive access to live streams.
• Webinars: Generate new leads by creating an informative presentation that provides value to potential customers.
• Conferences: Host a virtual industry conference with notable speakers and relevant workshops. 
• Classes: Share knowledge relevant to your product or service in smaller groups, providing the opportunity for personalized assistance. 
• Product Debut: Introduce new products and offerings live to build excitement with your most engaged audience.
• Video Premiere: Broadcast a pre-recorded video file and host a viewing party.
• Product Demos: Showcase the features and benefits of your product, how to use it, and answer any questions. 
• Internal Training: Lead new hires through personalized training while offering insight into company procedures.

Security Features for Private Live Streaming

A highly secure private live stream will use multiple privacy and security features to prevent unwarranted access at multiple levels. Securing a live stream occurs in three steps:

1. Control Access

• Password Protection: Require a password to access your live stream. For internal business security, consider using single sign-on instead. 
• Video Login: Secure your live stream with login credentials. Embedded videos can require viewer login, or use our video websites to allow access to all content. 
• Whitelist Access to Content: Control what IP addresses and geographic locations can access your live stream. 

2. Prevent Leaks & Theft

• Signed Embed Codes: Ensure your embed codes are not stolen and reused for external viewership.
• Restrict Domains: Ensure your live stream only loads and plays when embedded on specific websites.  

3. Audit Viewership

To track individual viewer access during a live stream, combine live analytics with login protection. This way, you can track who logged into your video website during the live stream.

How to Set Up a Private Live Stream Event

1. Determine Your Goals

The goal of your live stream determines the optimal marketing approach for promoting your event. To formalize your goal, consider the following.

Stage of the Buyer’s Journey

A private live stream can target any stage of your sales funnel, from awareness through retention. The stage you are targeting will greatly influence the content and level of sales promotion during the event. 

Is your goal to retain customers or capture leads? Are you stoking desire by showcasing new features or building trust by sharing knowledge? Determine your broad live stream goal. Are you building awareness, nurturing leads, converting buyers, or retaining customers? 

Ideal Outcome

An event can have multiple goals. A virtual conference, for example, aims to bring industry leaders together to share their experiences and insight, with a goal of reaching 3,000 unique viewers. 

But the ideal outcome, in this hypothetical example, is to generate leads for a paid program through the hosting organization. Therefore, the organizers will measure the success of the live stream by the number of emails captured.

Now we’ve refined the goal: capture 300 new email addresses during the live stream — and many more after by repurposing the recorded live stream content into paid advertisements and short videos. 

Example: A live stream to build awareness for your brand might focus on sharing knowledge and converting viewers into newsletter subscribers. While a live stream meant to convert subscribers into paying members would spend the final minutes (at least) of the event promoting your products and offering a live stream-only discount.

Internal & Public Events

For events without a potential customer, such as employee training or town hall meetings, consider what information you want viewers to receive and the ideal outcome of the private live stream. Create a measurable goal to track the influence of your private live streams.

2. Target the Ideal Audience

Determine who the ideal audience is for your private live-stream event and use that information to inform your marketing strategy and whether the event will include a direct sales pitch. You might consider age, location, gender, profession, pain points, and media sources.

For exclusive paid events, create multiple customer profiles and take a more traditional approach when selling the live stream as a product.

The audience for your live-stream event might be broader than your target audience. For example, you may create a class to build trust with new leads and encourage conversion. The class is open to paying members and anyone else who joins the email list. Therefore, the class and its content will cater to one segment of your audience, while being valuable to many. 

When marketing to a target audience isn’t as relevant (such as for employee training), it’s still wise to consider the viewers and plan your live stream content accordingly. This will help you determine the optimal length of the stream, the graphics to include, and what interactive elements would benefit viewers. 

3. Formalize Event Content

On-demand video leaves room for error. You can film multiple takes, get lots of B-roll footage, and make magic happen in editing. A live stream is less forgiving; therefore, it is important to prepare your content, visuals, and transitions ahead of time.

You might think of a live stream as a talking head (or two), but you can create overlays, include presentations, and play on-demand videos to add interest and encourage longer engagement.

Graphics for live streams can be created in photo editing software (such as Canva) and added to your live stream with your encoding software (OBS Studio is free).

You can write a script for your live stream or create a presentation outline with talking points. Consider assigning time blocks to content sections. This will help you present the information in a timely manner and maintain engagement. Consider how you might stay on track, either with assistance from coworkers, silent alarms, or visual cues. 

Tips for an Engaging Live Stream

• Provide Structure. When promoting the live stream, be upfront about the length of the event and provide an overview of what to expect. 
• Be Responsive. Your live streams don’t need to feel like a one-way street. Respond to live feedback and comments without veering too off-topic. 
• Use Overlays & Other Visual Elements. Your live stream can include visual elements, including live stream overlays, additional graphics, or on-demand video.
• Add Interactive Elements. Add chat and imbue gamification into your streams with quizzes, mini-games, and challenges. Consider ways to motivate your audience to actively invest in the live stream.
• Focus on Relationship Building. Live streams can be highly effective for converting subscribers into paying customers. However, creating strong relationships will create better long-term results than centering quick sales. 
• Leave Room for Q&A. Include time for broader questions that might take up more time with a Q&A section at the end of your live stream. When done right, this encourages people to engage with the entire presentation.
• Embrace Your Personality. Even professional live streams should feel casual and welcoming. Present with authority but let your personality shine through. 
• Use Analytics to Improve. Analytics reveal more than views. Review the data to see the average seconds watched, total minutes watched, average engagement, and more, especially when shared as an on-demand video after the event. 

How Experts Turn Video Views Into Profit

Tired of videos that feel like a rigged carnival game? Discover expert strategies for turning video into a growth engine across any industry.

Get Real Video Results—Just Press Play

4. Set Up Equipment & Software

Professional live streams can be produced with a minimal set-up or the most advanced equipment available. Like on-demand video, you can improve your production quality with investments in sound equipment and skilled employees. Here are the essentials you will need. 

Essential Equipment for Live Streams

• High-speed Internet Connection: You will need a stable connection for streaming. 
• Video Source: This can be a pre-recorded video or live video capture. For live capture, you can use:
  • Webcam: This is the simplest solution for novice broadcasters.
  • External Camera via USB Video Capture Device: Though more complicated, this option allows you to stream much more high-quality visuals.  
• Lighting and External Microphone: While technically optional, these are recommended for a more professional look and feel.
• Processor: This equipment will process your video(s) and other media sources into a ready-to-stream feed. There several options here, including:
  • Computer and Encoding Software: Convert the video feed into a format that can be streamed through a player online. Alternatively, some platforms simplify this process, allowing you to stream directly from your browser.
  • Standalone Streaming Hardware: For more simplified streams without additional graphics, music, or other more professional production elements, many devices (such as a switcher or cameras such as Mavic drones or GoPros) allow live streaming straight from the units themselves.   
• Live Streaming Platform: Provides the player and tools to deliver your live video to viewers online (i.e. public steams via social platforms or more professional platforms like SproutVideo).

For step-by-step instructions on setting up this equipment, read our guide on producing a professional-grade live stream or check out behind-the-scenes of live stream production, complete with an equipment list and technical setup. Lastly, our four-part “How To Live Stream” video series is another great place to start for beginners. 

5. Employ Security Features

The security measures you use to protect the privacy of your live stream will be set up through your live streaming platform and, potentially, your website portal. 

For example, you might use login protection with domain restriction to secure your private live stream. You can create membership logins through your website portal (Squarespace, Ghost, WordPress, etc.) or use SproutVideo to easily create a hosted video website. 

Then, through your live streaming platform, use domain restriction and limit access to your website URL. The live stream will only be able to load and play on your website. 

These two security measures combined ensure that only those with login credentials can access the live stream, and it protects the embedded code by preventing the live stream from playing outside of your website. 

You can tag individual users and review account activity. This helps make sure only those with permission have access to the content. But it also provides a way to track who engages and to what extent. 

6. Spread the Word

How will people register for your event? You can use specific software built to register participants or simply create a segmented audience within an existing email list. Additionally, it’s important to promote when the event will happen and whether playback will be available. 

How you choose to market your live stream will depend on the type of event you’re hosting. For example, a top-of-the-funnel live stream to inform potential customers and gather leads could be promoted across your marketing channels. 

Note: You will also need an event landing page. This is where viewers will watch your live stream. If you are using login protection to secure your event, this is the page you will secure and the domain to which you will limit viewer access.

Ways to Promote Your Live Event

• Teaser Video: Showcase your topic, speakers, insights, or anything that would motivate someone to sign up.
• Social Content: Create at least two weeks of content to effectively promote your event. Optimize the content for each of your social media channels.
• Blog Post: Expand on the details of your event, what people can expect, how to sign up, frequently asked questions, and more.
• Podcast: Snag a guest spot on relevant podcasts to boost awareness and leverage audiences outside your sphere.
• Email Campaign: Build promotional email campaigns that inform current subscribers about the event. Email campaigns to drive substantial registrations.
• Paid Promotion: Ads are one of the best ways to reach beyond your owned and earned audiences to find new targeted prospects.
• Influencers/Speakers: Hire influencers to promote your event. For events with speakers, encourage them to share the event with their audiences. 

Pro Tip: Use email to send event reminders to participants 24 hours before and on the day of your private event. These are crucial for driving attendance. Consider adding a teaser video or event landing page to peak interest.

Internal Event Promotion

Private live streams are often used for internal company meetings, whether to review strategic shifts as a remote team or share quarterly revenue reports. To inform employees about upcoming live events, you can use reminders, team communication tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams, and email to share access information or login credentials. 

7. Perform a Test

Perform a test to locate potential bugs or hiccups in your setup. This will help make sure your live stream goes smoothly. It is essential that your security measures and streaming equipment work the day of the live stream. Therefore, prepare to go live using the same equipment, software, and security measures that you plan to use for your private event. 

Ask colleagues or friends to help you test every aspect of your live stream. Encourage them to try and break through security or find a loophole. Additionally, test the features of your live stream: autogenerated subtitles, pre-recorded videos, presentation slides, etc. 

Once your test has concluded, watch the playback (this is automatically generated as a private on-demand video in SproutVideo). Reviewing the playback video will allow you to check the audio and visuals, review any slides or transitions, and review your on-camera presentation.  

8. Go Live

Since you need encoding software to live stream, you can set all of this up before going live. You can create an identical live stream to test (as recommended above), then embed the live stream on your website days or weeks before going live. This allows you to set up and schedule email campaigns (with working links) ahead of time as well.

Your streaming platform lets you customize the look and feel of your stream. With a SproutVideo account, you can customize the player’s appearance, poster frame, title, and description. Prior to the live stream event, add any necessary features such as lead capture, a playback call-to-action, security measures, and more. 

On the day of your event, connect your streaming platform to your encoding software (or browser streaming tool). You will create a new RTMP feed/steaming server using the RTMP URL and stream key provided by your live streaming platform. As such, your encoding software is what you will use to start and end the live stream. While some live streaming platforms bypass encoding software, it provides significant control over your live stream and additional customization options. 

Once connected, you can start the broadcast. Before it begins, the SproutVideo player will display your poster frame and a message to waiting viewers that the live stream has not yet commenced. 

Now you’re ready to host your private live-stream event! For complete step-by-step instructions, read our guide on setting up your live stream.

9. After the Event

Once your live stream has ended, consider if and how you will share the playback video. Companies will often promote the live stream playback to the registered audience that did not attend live. This email is generally sent within 24 hours after the event. On the SproutVideo platform, your live stream is automatically saved as a private video. You can embed the video directly in an email or landing page. 

Another common practice is repurposing the video content from the live event. This allows you to continue sharing valuable information or promoting a product that was featured. Repurposing  the content allows you to create multiple marketing assets from a single video. Use cases include short videos for social media and your website, advertisements, “how to” videos, blog posts, and product demos.

Finally, review your analytics. Note any obvious drop-off points and consider how to improve viewer engagement and retention for the next event. You can also review the domains and geographic locations where the live stream was broadcast and the types of devices used.

Private Live Stream Checklist (Free)

The checklist contains a logical order of events but does not need to be followed chronologically. It is split into five sections to make it easier to keep track of the various moving parts.

Get Immediate Access

We have a wealth of material to help you plan and launch live events. Check out 10 questions to ask before launch to refine your ideas, see how we pulled off our own live stream in this behind-the-scenes look, and learn how to nail your on-camera delivery in under four minutes.

The post Private Live Stream: How to Host Exclusive Events Online appeared first on SproutVideo.

So how can you stay ahead of the curve, bypass potential challenges, and secure the future of your business? Build your own live streaming website. Trust us, it’s not as hard as it seems; In this brief article, we’ll explain how.

Why Create Your Own Live Streaming Site? 

A steadily increasing number of people are opting to stream education and entertainment from the comfort of their own homes. This is why live video is such a great tool for marketing and monetization. Live streams are also a great tool for corporate communications that need to be timely or interactive.

If you’re looking to monetize your video content, using a third-party streaming platform can have drawbacks and subject you to unwanted fees or structural changes that are out of your control.

Having a standalone website that you own gives you:

• Unparalleled freedom and creative control
• Customized branding opportunities
• More robust security options 
• More control over your income
• Less distraction for viewers (people who come to your site will only be exposed to your content)

By creating your own live streaming website, you can build an engaged community around your topic and really take control of your content.

Which Method is Best?

There are a few common methods for creating a live streaming website. Highly customizable options typically require lengthy time commitments and a higher price tag. The method you choose will ultimately be based on convenience, price, and the ability to customize.

Build it yourself: Hiring a full-stack developer affords you complete control over your project. However, this does require a lot of time, money, and collaborative maintenance. 

Social streaming sites: While big-name streaming platforms can save you time and effort early on, you’ll have to play by someone else’s rules to monetize. You may also lose a slice of your income to unnecessary fees and will have less control over your site’s functionality and appearance. 

Use a video hosting platform: If you’re looking to save both time and money, and maintain the freedom to customize, a video hosting platform like SproutVideo is the best option. You’ll have access to customer support and a built-in toolbox of features.

For this article, we’ll focus on the third option: building a live streaming website using a video hosting platform. While we hope that you’d choose SproutVideo, there are a few other platforms to choose from. The information you gain in this example will be applicable to any platform you choose.

How To Create a Live Streaming Website: 

1. Build Your Website (or Update Your Current One)

First, you’ll need a central place where visitors can view your content. You can choose a service like Squarespace or Wix to build a website, or create a video website on SproutVideo in just a few clicks. Our hosting platform offers the ability to create a site specifically catered to streaming and hosting your videos. Here is a quick video to show you just how simple it can be to build a video website with SproutVideo:

2. Look for Key Functions You’ll Need

If you’re using SproutVideo as a host, you’ll have access to custom video players and embeds, powerful marketing tools, and privacy features. These key features lay the foundation for your site to operate smoothly:

• Viewer Login: User-friendly functions like password and account recovery should be expected. 
• Settings and user preferences: Control over your personal notifications, privacy, and blocking. 
• Organization: Make sure you have the ability to organize your content so viewers can search or access your videos easily.
• Security: Make sure your host has extensive security measures to protect your content. Ideally, you’ll want your host to offer multiple security options that can adapt to your current and future needs. This is especially important for content like quarterly reports or internal corporate communications, and any content you want to monetize.
• Sharing: Your host should offer sharing capabilities that allow you to embed onto other sites and allow viewers to easily share with each other. 
• Post-Stream Management: After your stream, your content should be automatically available for on-demand viewing and give you the ability to download the video, make edits if necessary, and generally manage your stream after it’s over.
• Real-time Analytics: This feature gives you the ability to see how many people are viewing, where they are watching from, and similar metrics that allow you to keep tabs on your performance.
• Support: Consider whether or not technical support is a must-have for you based on your experience with video hosting.

Our platform also gives users the freedom to add logos, customize video players, and access special integrations like lead capture and analytics. These are great features to consider utilizing for the growth of your live streaming website.

3. Add Special Features

Interactive features are what will truly make your live streaming experiences engaging and unique. Calls-to-action or downloadable materials can make viewers feel more involved. Live chat is a particularly effective tool to create engagement and build relationships with your viewers. 

There are various chat platforms that serve a variety of needs, such as:

• Chatroll integrates easily with WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify 
• Arena is made for enterprise companies and large group chats 
• Pigeonhole offers Q&A, polls, and quizzes 
• Tlk.io is a simple, easy to install chat that you can use on your site for free 

Integrating a live chat tool into your website is fairly simple. On your site builder, just embed the chatbox code as a widget adjacent to your video player. If you’re using a SproutVideo website to stream, check out our help article on adding live chat to a live stream. 

4. Plan to Monetize

Clarify your costs, budget, and streaming goals. Once you determine these, you can consider what kind of business model you’ll use. Will viewers pay per stream, via subscription, or pay for membership access to your site? If you have the capability to produce ongoing events and consistent content, a subscription-based model may be for you. These models can be beneficial and generally help to increase viewer retention, provide you with stable, predictable income, and build trust with your viewers. If you don’t plan to produce events as frequently, it may be best to have viewers pay per stream. If viewers tend to rewatch or access content frequently, it may be best to consider having viewers pay for membership to access your content.

5. Centralize Your Content

Make sure all of your content can live in one place on your streaming website. This will cater to users that like to go back and engage with past streams, and give you the ability to gather accurate analytics on your content’s performance. SproutVideo saves past live streams on our server and makes them available to you automatically once your stream is complete. You can have a mixture of live streams and pre-recorded content, which is a unique feature compared to streaming sites like Twitch. If you are migrating your streams to SproutVideo or another host, make sure to upload and organize them before you make your new site live. Having a full library of previous streams adds a sense of depth and dependability to your site.

6. Go Live

And that’s it! You’ve completed your streaming site. Now you can gather any additional equipment you may need and prepare to go live. Not sure if you have everything you need to start live streaming? Check out our article Six Steps to Live Streaming for tips on choosing the right equipment and getting started with your own live streams.

The post How to Build Your Own Live Streaming Website  appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this post, we’ll take you through six steps that you should keep in mind when needing to improve your live, on-camera performance.

Pre-recorded videos are nice since you have the option to re-record, start over, or edit out mistakes; however, when it comes to live video, you lose some of these luxuries. For this reason, being ready and comfortable on camera is one of the best ways to improve your delivery. These six steps will help you prepare as much as possible before you go live. 

1. Outline Your Presentation

Prepping for a video of any sort usually begins with researching and writing. You don’t want to completely wing it when you go live, and one of the best ways to prep is by scripting out exactly what you want to say, which we cover in this post. 

However, you don’t want to make it obvious that you’re reading off a script, so we recommend converting that script into a detailed outline. By scripting first, then reducing to an outline, you’ll be way more prepared to fill in any gaps in the broader topics of your live stream. If possible, have your outline on a screen close by; this will allow you to occasionally glance over at it in a way that won’t be too distracting for your audience. Once your outline is set, it’s time to practice.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

As mentioned above, producing a live stream is going to closely resemble a live performance, like theater. Practicing the delivery of your outline will help you feel more comfortable saying the material out loud, and give you the chance to workshop parts that don’t flow as well. 

Depending on the length and subject matter of your live stream, you’ll want to start practicing one to two weeks before the big day. The closer you are to the actual event, the more realistic you’ll want to make your run-throughs. Include slides, graphics, and the videos you’ll be using for the actual presentation, so you can get a feeling for the pace and timing. We recommend setting up private test streams so you get the full look and feel for how the live stream will run when it’s time to go live.

3. Perfecting the Intro

While your intro should be included in your outline and rehearsed during practice sessions, it’s worth noting that nailing the first 30 to 60 seconds of your live stream is crucial. A weak opening could be the difference between retaining every attendee and seeing some immediate drop-offs. It will also get you through the nerves that are bound to show up when you’re suddenly live in front of your audience. 

This is where you’ll be able to show off some personality, address the audience as they metaphorically take their seats, and introduce the topic you’ll be covering. If you have this intro down, you’ll have a great jumping-off point as you continue throughout your presentation. 

4. Reduce Ahs and Ums

Um. Ah. Like. You Know. Right? These words are commonly used as filler words when we’re nervous, distracted, or just don’t know what to say next. They’re fillers so many of us use and don’t even realize; in casual conversation, they may not seem so bad, but when giving a presentation, they can become a big distraction for your audience if used too often.

The best thing to do here is to replace these words with a pause. While silence may seem like a wild idea, it’s proven to be a more effective way to improve the flow of your presentation. In addition, it gives you a moment to collect your thoughts, calm your nerves, and even build suspense at the right moment. It’s helpful to remember that a silence that seems like ages to a performer may be barely noticeable to their audience.

The first step to changing this habit is to be aware of when it’s happening. During your rehearsals, record yourself so you can review your content and see how many times you’re using filler words. Create a system when you’re practicing to draw attention to their use so you can mentally prepare to pause instead. All this preparation will be helpful when it’s finally showtime; surely some filler words will remain, but there should be far less than when you started.  

5. Getting Comfortable On Camera 

Feeling nervous is one of the biggest reasons people clam up while speaking to an audience, but there are a few steps you can take to make you feel as comfortable as possible when it’s time to go live.

Your Favorite Outfit

While the level of “professional” dress will vary depending on your industry, it’s equally important to choose an outfit that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Your content is the real star of the show, so you can take this opportunity to choose an outfit you really like. When you’re wearing something that you feel good in, it’s bound to translate to confidence on camera.  

Talk Directly to Your Audience

For some virtual presentations, you might be in a video conference where you can see your audience, though that may not always be the case. It can feel a little awkward talking to a screen while presenting a live stream, but we encourage you to imagine you’re speaking with a friend or someone you feel comfortable with. Smile. Show enthusiasm. Let your natural body language shine through. These tricks should help you feel like it’s more of a natural conversation versus a rehearsed presentation. 

For more ideas, explore our full list of 27 tips for being more comfortable on camera.

6. Let Go of Perfection

At the end of the day, no matter how much you practice and rehearse, there is still a chance that something may go awry. If you embrace the idea of letting go of absolute perfection, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and allow yourself to roll with the punches and be natural.  Maybe an unwanted noise will make it into your stream, or some unexpected technical difficulties will arise. These can become opportunities to embrace imperfection.

Considering how many of us worked from home over the past year, most people can understand that not everything will go as planned. If you’re properly prepared and keep this in mind, you’ll be able to rebound from any mistakes and keep the presentation running smoothly. You may even come off as more relatable and thus create a better connection with your audience. 

You don’t need to be a primetime news anchor to nail a live on-camera delivery. With the proper preparation, practice, and mindset, anyone can deliver a stellar performance. Which techniques do you use to prepare for a live video presentation? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Six Steps to Nail Your Live On-Camera Delivery appeared first on SproutVideo.

1. Event Landing Page

Online events require a website, microsite, portal, or a simple landing page. Usually, they contain information helpful to viewers as they locate and view the live stream.

The event page itself contains the live stream player, and usually the name of the event and a brief description of the event. Of course, you can get much more creative than that!

You can create your event landing page in many different ways. If you have an existing website or blog, a simple solution would be to add a new page or a new blog post dedicated to your event. You can also use popular landing page tools to create a custom event page. For example, we use HubSpot, but there are numerous marketing platforms and landing page providers out there. 

When planning your live stream, this is usually one of the first pieces of the puzzle you need to put into place. After all, it’s likely to be where you’ll send viewers to register for and eventually view the event.

2. Viewer Registration

Unless you have an existing list of attendees (e.g. for an employee event), you’ll need a way to register your viewers so you can communicate important information leading up to the event. Making sure you have a way of messaging your attendees is crucial for sending event reminders and calendar invites to help ensure they’ll know when to tune in.

Most landing page providers have options for creating forms you can use to gather viewer information. Or, you can gate your live stream with a form that requires viewers to enter their information in order to watch. 

Be sure to create a new segment or list for your registered viewers to make it easy to send event information to the right people.

3. Sizzle Reel

What better way to promote a live video than with, you guessed it, more video? A sizzle reel is a type of teaser video that will hook your audience, but leave them wanting more. It should showcase your topic, speakers, and insights, or anything that would motivate someone to sign up. 

You can share your sizzle reel on your event landing page, social media, or in blog posts promoting your live stream. It’s an effective way to engage your audience and get them excited about the main event.

To help drive event signups, you can use in-player CTAs or a post-play screen to link to your registration form.

4. Social Content

To help promote your event, you’ll need plenty of content to share on social media. The right platform to choose depends on where your audience can be found. Each platform has slightly different formatting constraints, so be sure to refer to our guide to optimizing your videos for social media when planning your content.

A mix of images and short videos will add variety to your content and help grab your audience’s attention. Be sure to change it up and feature various aspects of your event to appeal to different people. And, work in the date and time to ensure everyone knows when it’s happening.

You’ll need at least two weeks of content in order to effectively promote your event. Depending on the scale and frequency of your event, you may choose to promote it on social media for longer than two weeks. 

5. Email Campaigns

For most types of events, email campaigns will drive a substantial portion of your registrations. Coordinate your email content with the images or videos from your social media campaigns to help it feel cohesive. 

Incorporating video into your email campaigns can help improve campaign performance. To help increase click-through rates, you can use an email embed code to easily add the poster frame for your sizzle reel to your email campaign. Including an image with a video play button has been shown to improve click-through rates, and the word “video” can improve open rates.

Like your social media posts, the timing of the promotional emails depends on the nature of your event and how often you typically reach out to your audience. Still, you’ll likely want to start promoting your event at least two weeks out from when it kicks off.

Email Reminders

Be sure to build event reminder emails into your campaign planning to ensure registered viewers will show up when the time comes. Typically 24 hours prior to the event, and the day-of, these are crucial to driving attendance.

6. Paid Promotions

Online ads are one of the best ways to reach beyond your owned and earned audiences and find new targeted prospects for your event. From promoting posts on social media, to podcasts, or search and video ads, there are many options worth exploring. 

The right choice depends on your budget and your goals for attracting attendees. Larger events, like conferences or concerts, usually have significant ad budgets for online campaigns. To help weigh your options, consider the demographics of the users, and the popularity of each platform. 

Your ads should be designed to send traffic to your event landing page or event registration form. Be sure to add UTM parameters to your campaign URLs, and enable conversion tracking, if possible, to help evaluate campaign performance.

Suggested Timeline

Depending on your internal resources, the scale of your event and audience, this timeline could look really different. Still, the essential structure is likely to be fairly consistent even if the timing shifts.

Of course, not all live online events will require all of these components to be successful. It comes down to the nature of your event and your connection to your audience.

How far out do you start marketing your live streams? Any extra tips to share? Sound off in the comments below.

The post Your Live Stream Event Marketing Plan appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this post, we’re sharing the ten key questions you need to answer before you go live.

To better understand what it takes to move in-person events online, we sat down with Emma Stones from the Garden Museum in London to get her perspective. With a wealth of experience around in-person and online events and festivals, Emma was able to talk us through how the Garden Museum found success by shifting their event series online.

Based on our conversation with Emma, as well as our own experiences with live events, we came up with the following questions that will help you succeed with online events.

1. Who is Your Audience?

It all starts with who you are trying to reach. If you’re lucky, you might have an existing audience to tap into, such as people who used to attend your events or patronize your business in person. If you’re starting more from scratch, try to do as much research as possible before getting started to build out detailed viewer personas.

The more information you have on your audience, the more likely you are to craft content they’ll want to watch. And it will inform many other decisions down the road, such as your pricing and delivery methods (more on those below).

2. Will They Actually Show Up?

This question is formulated specifically to help you put yourself in your viewers’ shoes. Why should they take time out of their busy day to attend your live stream or watch your video?

It takes more than you’d think to motivate people to take a specific action. The longer your event or video is, the greater the opportunity cost for your potential attendees.

It has to be worth their while. How will you stand out from other competing demands on their attention? Why do they have to attend your event, today?

3. How Will Your Audience Register for the Event?

Even if you already have a large following, you’ll still need to figure out how to get your attendees registered for the event. This is just as important for your audience as it is for you.

For your viewers, you can set up a registration page and workflow that sends email reminders. This will make it easy for them to add the event to their calendars, and you’ll be able to keep track of how many people will attend and capture important information, such as name and email.

Are They Willing to Pay for the Experience?

While you’re figuring out how you plan on getting folks to register, you should also consider if you plan on charging them for joining your live stream. If you’re replacing an in-person event or trying to drive new revenue with this series, charging for events might make a lot of sense.  Explore this guide to learn more about paid virtual events.

4. What Kind of Audience Interaction Do You Want?

One of the best parts about creating a live stream is that it’s one of the best ways to interact with an audience outside of being in the same room with them. You’ll need to decide just how interactive you want it to be.

You just want to deliver a message in real time, or maybe you’ll want direct feedback and discussion. The latter would require additional software like live chat or a commenting feature for your guests to leave comments or questions.

Depending on your format, you may need additional team members available to field questions, moderate, or pass questions on to your speaker to respond in real time. 

5. What Kind of Equipment Do You Need?

Equipment is going to be an important part of your live stream setup. It can range from the bare minimum like a webcam and microphone, all the way to top-of-the-line video production equipment. 

A professional setup will take your production value to a whole new level. This type of setup might include lights, cameras, tripods, microphones, and more. For a full run-down on the equipment you may need, explore our “How to Film Yourself for a Professional Result” post.

6. How Are You Streaming it to Your Audience?

There are a ton of ways you can reach your audience with live video nowadays. Deciding on which avenue to go down will vary depending on the type of content you are trying to present to your audience. 

Are you trying to reach a broad audience? Hosting live events through social media may be the way to go. This is best if you already have a large audience on one of the many social platforms that offer live streaming.

Do you want complete control over your production? Opting for a professional video hosting service might be the right move. Professional services give you more control over your brand presentation, and give you access to privacy settings and video marketing tools like lead capture or calls to action. Some software also allows you to multi-cast your event to social media platforms, making it the best of both worlds.  

Are you planning for a ton of audience interaction? Trying a video conferencing application may work best. This is great when you have multiple speakers, panel discussions, or need direct audience interaction. 

7. Who Are the Hosts?

All the planning in the world is great, but you’ll need someone who can actually present the information. Hosting can look easy, but it actually can be a lot of work. You’ll need someone comfortable on camera, good at asking questions, and quick on their feet if anything goes wrong. 

Typically this may fall on the shoulders of someone in your marketing department but be sure to ask around your office and assess people’s willingness to being on camera. Once you pick a host, be sure to run through these 27 tips with them to help them appear more natural on camera.

8. How Will You Keep it Interesting?

Beyond having great information to share and a captivating host, consider adding additional elements. This could be video segments, photos, statistics, screen captures, and more. Ask yourself what sort of additional elements will help you convey your message even more effectively.

9. What Happens After the Event?

You just absolutely crushed your event. Now what? This is an important question to consider since your audience is probably thinking the same thing. 

Are you sending a follow-up email? Do you have additional material for attendees to look into directly afterward? Do you have a call to action for attendees? Will there be a recording of the event available for those who couldn’t make it live? Great follow-up will help keep your audience coming back for future episodes.

10. What Metrics Will You Track?

When it’s all said and done, you’ll most definitely want to take a look at how each event performed. Tracking metrics during and after each broadcast will allow you to better understand how you’re performing overall. 

You should look at metrics like: watch time, peak views, average minutes watched, location, and more. The more information you can acquire from your viewers’ watch habits, the better decisions you can make moving forward.  

Asking yourself these 10 questions will set you up for success when planning a compelling live-stream series. Hammering out the details, growing an audience, and hitting your stride while going live may take some time, but it will be worth it.  In the comments below, let us know what types of live events you have planned for the future. 

The post 10 Questions to Ask Before You Launch a Live Stream Series appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this post, we’re going to be breaking down exactly how to make live streams a regular part of your video marketing plan. By the end of this post, you’ll have a greater understanding of the planning process necessary to pull this off. We also include a rundown at the end of how we started live streaming using this exact process.

Why You Should Incorporate Live Streaming

It should come as no surprise that live streaming is the next big thing as far as video marketing is concerned. We even listed it as one of our top video marketing trends for 2021.  While it’s been around for quite some time, it’s really hitting its stride as the go-to medium for connecting with your audience.

Live video is one of the best ways to connect with your audience outside of being in the same room with them. Being able to engage with your audience live is invaluable in today’s crowded social space. You can create really unique and vibrant experiences that can be beneficial to your audience and business alike.

The numbers back up these claims as well. For example, only 35% of marketers use live video which means it’s a great way way to stand out from the crowd. Additionally, 82% of viewers prefer to see a live stream rather than a social post, meaning this is a very untapped market. Read more about the statistics behind live streaming in this piece from Influencer Marketing Hub. 

1.What Is Your Goal With Live Streaming?

The first question you’ll need to ask yourself is, “why do I want to start live streaming on a regular basis?” What objectives do you want to achieve and how will it help the business? Brand awareness, lead generation, education, new revenue sources, or event coverage are all amazing ways to make live streaming a valuable asset for your business. Once you have an idea for what you’re after, that will help inform some of the decisions you’ll have to make moving forward.

2. Deciding On The Content Direction 

In theory, you could totally wing it, pull out your phone and go live on the company Instagram right now and just start chatting to whoever shows up. We wouldn’t recommend this. Planning out the type of content you want to deliver to your audience is going to be just as important as the content itself. 

Depending on your goals and the type of company you have, a number of different options may work. Live tutorials or product demos, interviews, behind-the-scenes, or Q&A sessions are all great avenues to start off with. 

While you’re in the planning process, there are some important questions to keep in mind when deciding which direction to go in. 

• Who is our target audience and will this resonate with them?
• How often can I produce this type of content? 
• What’s the lead time for pre-production?
• Who will be on camera?
• Does the content rely on getting guest speakers, and if so, how much lead time will we need to book them? 
• Will this direction raise awareness for the brand? 
• Will these videos be able to be repurposed in the future? 

Like any new venture, this will take some time to hammer out the details. Don’t be afraid to test out different formats, ideas, and strategies. 

Last year, we saw a lot of innovative ways businesses were using live video. Shoppable product demos, live conferences, virtual parties, and behind-the-scenes content really stood out to us. Read this post to see in-depth examples. 

3. Choosing The Right Platform

When it comes to choosing where to host your live stream, it will mainly come down to deciding between streaming to social media platforms like Facebook or a professional service like SproutVideo. Both options have their place, but depending on what you’re trying to achieve, one may make more sense for your marketing plan than the other. 

Social Media Live

If you’re trying to reach a broad audience, social is going to be the way to go. It seems like just about every social platform has a live streaming feature at this point. 

If you have a sizable following on these platforms, it makes sense to address your viewers where they are. However, social live streaming lacks a few important factors. You’ll have limited control over the look and feel of your stream on the platform, there may be ads before, during, or after your stream, and analytics might be limited depending on the platform.

Professional Live Streaming 

Streaming with a professional video hosting service alleviates these pain points and more. You’ll have more control over branding, in-depth analytics, privacy settings, video marketing tools, and more. 

You won’t have a built-in audience like on social media, but that can be fixed with proper promotion, which we’ll cover below. Additionally, some software allows you to multi-cast your live stream and broadcast it to your social media channels, creating a best of both worlds situation. Watch our recorded live stream to learn more about all the features you’ll have access to using a professional video hosting service.

4. The Equipment You’ll Need

One important detail you’ll have to consider is the extra equipment you’ll need to execute a professional live stream. This would include a professional camera setup (if you don’t already have one), HDMI cables, a video capture device, and encoding software. 

Streaming with your phone is a good place to start, but this equipment will take your production value to a whole new level. For a full rundown of the components needed for a live stream, check out our post “Six Simple Steps to Live Streaming for Business.”

5. Adding Live Stream Promotion

In addition to adding live streaming to your video marketing plan, you’ll have to add elements that promote it as well. Without an audience, all the planning and preparation you would have done would have been for nothing. 

Creating a teaser video and social media graphics is a great way to deliver important information about your stream. Be sure to tap both your email list and social media. This will make sure that everyone receives information about your live streams regardless of where they follow you on the internet. 

Promoting 2-3 weeks before the event will give you plenty of time to get the word out. Be sure to include easy ways for people to set reminders for when the event is happening. Having a landing page with more information and registration forms is one of the best ways to accomplish this. You can create an email workflow to send reminders about the event leading up to it plus this lets you capture emails from your audience. A win-win. 

6. Reviewing Performance

Like with all new initiatives, it’s important to take a step back to review how your live streams performed. Taking a look at your analytics will be key to understanding how engaged your audience was, where people dropped off, and inform how you can improve in the future. 

When using a platform like ours, you’ll have access to analytics during the broadcast and after it’s ended. It will give you the most well-rounded view of how well your video performed. To learn more about the live stream metrics that matter, explore our full post on the topic. 

Example: SproutVideo Cheers Series

We recently began the journey of incorporating live streaming into our own marketing plan, after adding it as a feature to our platform last year. Below we’ll go through our process to demonstrate how you can apply the tips above for your live stream planning.

We wanted to start live streaming for a few reasons. We wanted to illustrate the power of our platform, create brand awareness, educate and entertain our audience, and capture leads. After some deliberation, we came up with the idea for our “Cheers Series.” In this live stream series, we raise our glasses to important people and topics related to the video industry. We do this through conversations between our staff and interviews with experts in their field. 

We acquired the necessary equipment for those who would be on camera and created a cadence that gives us enough runway to plan, secure guest speakers, and promote the event without losing our minds. 

As mentioned, we host these events entirely through the SproutVideo platform. We customized the event landing pages, and also leverage chat features and marketing tools to engage our audience. When the events conclude, we also analyze performance to make sure our message is resonating with viewer engagement reports.

We’re hosting our third episode on April 21st, featuring Emma Stones from the Garden Museum in London, and have plans to continue this series far into the future. We’ll continue monitoring and experimenting with our plans to keep improving our series as time goes on. 

Live streaming is here to stay and there’s no better time to add it to your strategy than right now. Adding a new element to your marketing mix is never an easy task. New ventures take time to set up, gain traction, and show results. Be patient and consistent and the results will come. Let us know what type of content you’ll be live streaming in the comments below. 

The post 6 Simple Steps to Add Live Streaming to Your Marketing Plan appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this post, we’re looking at the eight key differences between webinars and live streams, and their respective advantages, so you can make the right decision for your next campaign.

1. Size of Audience

The first major factor in the decision between a webinar and a live stream is the size of your audience. While either tool will work well for hundreds of viewers, live streams are a much better fit for audiences numbering in the thousands.

The most important reason why is because webinar platforms limit the number of participants at around 500 – 1,000. The max we’ve seen is 5,000, though it’s possible platforms we didn’t look at offer more. 

In contrast, a live stream can be attended by many thousands of people; there are no hard limits. If your event has viral potential, or if it’s a major conference or performance, a live stream is the way to go.

Also, even if a webinar platform supports thousands of viewers, some of the most popular audience engagement tools become difficult to manage at that scale. For instance, live chat or Q&A would be overwhelming if thousands of viewers expect a direct response. Since many of the benefits of webinars aren’t applicable to very large audiences, live streams generally make more sense.

Audience Registration and Lead Capture

No matter the size of your audience, webinars and live streams can handle audience registration and lead capture flows with ease.

Some live streaming platforms, like SproutVideo, allow you to gate your live streams with a viewer information form. You can then connect that form to a CRM or marketing platform with one of our native integrations. Or, if you already have a list of viewers, you can grant them access to your live stream.

Webinar platforms typically work in a similar fashion, providing signup forms, or ways to add an existing list of participants. In this particular case, whichever option you choose, you’ll have easy tools for generating leads or registering your viewers.

2. Technological Requirements

The setup for presenters can be very similar for webinars and live streams. Both can be run using just a laptop and a webcam. Or, you can use a more advanced setup with a professional camera and microphone. In this case, you’ll need a U-Tap (or similar video capture device) which allows your computer to recognize that camera as a webcam. 

However, for participants, the requirements can be quite different depending on the webinar software you select. In many cases, webinars require participants to download specific software, and keep it up to date. 

In comparison, live streams are delivered through an online player in a browser window. They don’t require any special software downloads at all. Depending on the size of your audience, and their comfort level with technology, live streams might be a lot simpler and easier to run.

Granted, there are a handful of webinar platforms that also just run in the browser. If you want to ensure an easy experience for viewers, select a platform that requires minimal steps to join an event.

3. Audience Communication Tools

A relatively big difference between live streaming and running a webinar pertains to the tools available out of the box for audience communication. This refers to everything from promoting your event, to calendar invites, and sending reminders or recordings.

Most webinar platforms include the basics for audience communication tools. The email options aren’t always pretty or brandable, but they’ll include all key event information, and plenty of tips for accessing the event. Event reminders and recordings can usually be scheduled automatically with little hassle.

On the other hand, very few live streaming companies offer audience communication tools. If you’re going with a live stream for your event, you’ll need an email service provider to handle all of your audience communications. 

Most businesses have an existing email service provider, like Mailchimp or HubSpot. Depending on your email platform, you can even use workflows or automations to deliver all the right messages at the right time. And, you’ll likely have more control over the branding and appearance of the emails.

4. Where You’re Sharing

With a live stream, there are endless options for how you might share your event. You can use a landing page hosted by your live streaming provider, embed it on your website, or simulcast your live stream to more than one location, including social media platforms.

While some webinar platforms support embedding, and enable you to push your webinar to social media, these aren’t very common features. They’re typically only supported by browser-based webinar platforms, and not by ones that require a software download.

More often than not, webinars are run within the application in a virtual meeting room. You can usually customize the interface with your branding, but the options remain limited in terms of layout and reach.

5. Audience Engagement

When it comes to interacting with your audience during your event, webinars and live streams overlap quite a bit. However, there are some key differences.

Both options work well with live chat features to take audience questions or comments during your event. Still, you’ll have more flexibility with a live stream. If you can embed your live stream player on your website, you can implement any other chat tool alongside it. 

In contrast, webinar platforms have chat features built-in, and the webinar video feed usually can’t be separated from the chat feature. That means you’re stuck with whatever chat functionality comes with your webinar platform. Despite the lack of flexibility, the chat features of webinar platforms are perfect for typical Q&A sessions or gathering audience feedback.

In most cases, live streams and webinars also support mid-playback callouts, such as in-player CTAs, and customizable post-play screens to drive engagement after the event concludes. 

However, webinars usually have a handful of extra audience engagement features, like raising hands, voting, reactions, polls, or surveys, which are not common amongst live stream providers. If you want lots of bells and whistles to help encourage participation from your viewers, webinar software will be the way to go.

6. Video Quality

For certain events, video quality can be paramount. Live streaming has the edge over webinars in this particular category. 

Live streams can be up to 1080p, while webinars are usually restricted to 720p. Even though both formats are technically HD, the 1080p version will look sharper, especially on larger screens. If your viewers are likely to watch on a TV or a large monitor, this is an important consideration.

This particular distinction is likely to erode over time. Some webinar platforms already support 1080p video on their largest plans. We expect it to become much more commonplace at lower price points in the near future.

Beyond HD formats, live streams offer a few more advantages for video quality. For instance, you can apply color grades, add transitions or special effects, and custom graphics in real time. These effects are handled through live video encoding software, like OBS and others.

Latency

While both live streams and webinars are considered to be real-time, the truth is they’re not quite the same.

Webinars are usually more or less exactly real-time. Like a video chat, as soon as you speak, your words reach your viewers with no noticeable lag at all.

In comparison, live streams have a small amount of latency that usually ranges from 10-30 seconds. The difference is down to the way live streams and webinars are processed and delivered online.

To allow for higher video quality, live streams undergo additional processing before the video is sent to viewers. Webinars, on the other hand, prioritize immediate delivery of the video over video quality.

Whether or not latency is important to your event typically comes down to the level of audience interactivity you are aiming for. More latency can make it difficult to respond directly to viewers. A good workaround is to compile questions or feedback during your event, and address it at the end.

7. Content

Of course, the most important part of an event is arguably the content. What are you talking about, and how are you delivering the message?

When you think of a webinar, you usually think of someone talking over a presentation. Many live streams take that format as well. Both can also mix in pre-recorded video clips, music, screencasts, and other media to liven things up.

For higher event production value, live streams offer more options and greater control. Live stream encoding software allows you to switch between sources with ease, making them ideal for multi-camera productions. As mentioned in the Video Quality section above, the transitions, optional color grades, and other effects can also provide extra polish to increase the impact of your event.

8. Nature of Event 

Of course, the technical differences between a live stream and a webinar aren’t the only reasons to go with one over the other. Depending on what you’re looking to get out of your event, there are other considerations to take into account.

For major public announcements, events that require minimal or no audience interaction, or very large audiences, live streams are almost always the way to go. The simplicity and scalability of live streams will make them the better choice in these instances.

Outside of those specific types of events, there is tremendous crossover between webinars and live streams in terms of their suitability. We’ve seen live streams used for courses and engaging smaller groups very successfully. On the flipside, we’ve also seen webinars used with really large audiences to great effect.

The Lines are Blurring

The reality is that the overlap between webinars and live streams is increasing, not decreasing. As webinar platforms become capable of delivering higher quality video to larger audiences, and live stream providers add more audience engagement and communication tools, the differences become more a matter of platform preference than anything else.

Still, there are some cases where a live stream will be the best fit, and others where only a webinar will do. We hope this overview will help you make the right choice for your next event.

Have you leveraged webinars or live streams for your business? What are your thoughts on the key differences between these two solutions? Share your comments below!

The post Live Streams VS Webinars: 8 Key Differences appeared first on SproutVideo.

If you’ve never put together a virtual event, now is the time to learn how it can benefit your business. Over the last year, ticketed virtual events have become part of our new “normal” and will continue to be a way for brands to reach audiences like never before. 

In this post, we’ll be going over what a paid virtual event is, examine the many benefits of creating one, and look at some examples of successful events you can emulate in the future.

What is a Virtual Event?

A virtual event is a shared experience online with a group of people all focused on a particular topic. It can take many forms, whether it’s a webinar, a live stream, or a mix of live and pre-recorded content.

Unlike internal virtual events, which we covered in this post, external, ticketed, or recurring events are going to need a different approach to create a similar experience to something you would put together for an in-person event. They can be as simple as just a live video showcasing a speaker appearance, or as complicated as having virtual breakout rooms, pre-recorded presentations, or multiple days with a virtual meet and greet space. 

Benefits of a Paid Virtual Event

While you could host a free event, paid events have their own unique set of advantages that may sway you in that direction, especially if it’s replacing a ticketed in-person experience. 

Higher Quality Leads 

Considering they are paying for it, attendees are more likely to engage with the content instead of popping in and out of sessions as you could if it were a free event. The same thought process can be applied to the leads you’ll gain from a paid event. You may have potentially fewer registrations, but they will have high intent and interest in what you have to offer.  

Increased Reach 

Moving an event online isn’t always ideal, but it does make it more accessible. As long as your audience has an internet connection, your reach has endless potential. People from any corner of the globe can attend your event without having to worry about extra travel expenses. Further, since the event is digital, those who may not be able to make it to live sessions will be able to go back and view the recording on their own time if you allow it.

Recurring Revenue 

Virtual events can quickly become a great way to generate another revenue stream for your company. Depending on your business, you could potentially host events, classes, or shows on a regular basis. Charging per event or implementing a membership or subscription fee will allow you to reach a whole new audience and bring in money at the same time. 

Even after the pandemic is over, this model can be useful for reaching people who may not be able to attend your in-person events, classes, or shows. It could also be a premium add-on to boost your fees.

More Affordable 

Events of any kind will cost money to produce, but virtual events tend to be less expensive. Depending on your format, your cost may only include software, booking presenters, video equipment, and the cost to promote your event. Another thing to consider is where you’ll be filming your sessions. If you and your presenters have a nice at-home video studio, or you are filming on location like a gym, you won’t have to worry about it. However, if that doesn’t apply to you, you may need to rent a space that will increase your overall spend.

Planning a Virtual Event 

Whether you’re adjusting to the times and moving your event online, or creating a new recurring event to drive revenue, a good plan is always the best place to start.  

Lean into the Event Being Digital

From the get-go, it’s important to address the elephant in the room. If you’re taking a previously in-person event online, it’s going to be different, and that is completely okay. This past year, in-person events were few and far between, and brands have been doing their best to create an experience that was similar to the real thing. 

It’s better to acknowledge the fact that things are going to be different than shy away from it. You’ll need to set expectations for your team and your audience which will help lay the groundwork for a great event. 

A good example of this is Hubspot’s Inbound event. Knowing that they couldn’t do their usual in-person event activities, they took the extra steps necessary to make it as “normal” as possible. A big emphasis for them was creating a sense of community. Before the event even started, their social media team created a specific Facebook group to allow attendees to interact and start conversations. Furthermore, their event platform featured a virtual map, interactive components, and even avatars to emulate an actual community during the event. Read more about their experience in this piece from Simple Machines Marketing. 

Explore What You Want Your Event to Look Like 

This step is going to be crucial for setting up an event your attendees will love. Take some time to envision how your event is going to transition to a digital space. 

• How will users register for the event? 
• Will there be chat rooms, or other forms of audience participation? 
• Are you going to have multiple speakers? 
• Do you need sponsors for your event? 
• What levels of access will you provide at different price points? 
• Will it be a live stream, or would a webinar be a better fit? 

Starting your planning process with questions like these will help you develop a full picture of how you’ll begin setting up your event. 

Virtual Content Format 

When it comes to the format itself, there are two ways you can go: live or recorded. With an in-person event, typically, you’re tied to doing all the presentations and procedures live on the day. However, with a virtual event, you have a unique opportunity to pre-record segments if you choose. 

Whichever way you decide to go, having proper video and streaming equipment is going to be vital for producing a quality experience. If you’re just getting started, we have several guides and posts that explain what equipment you may need for video production of any level. Explore our How to Video Series to get started. 

Examples of Virtual Events

Whether you’re starting from scratch or moving an event online, there are three main categories of virtual events that may work for your business: one-off video events, recurring events, and hybrid events.

Singular Video Event

Typically, all you would need for this type of event is a service that allows you to implement a paid gateway to charge attendees and a video hosting service for the video feed. At SproutVideo, we do just that, working with multiple partners to allow for easy integration of paywall solutions to sell tickets to video events hosted on our platform.

Because of the simplicity of a singular event, there are a lot of use cases that can apply to this. We’ve seen a lot of webinars, theatre performances, live video podcasts, concerts, museum tours, and more all go virtual in the past year. If you could do it in person, there is a way to replicate it online.

If you are looking to take this style to even higher levels, you could go for a virtual conference or festival. This type of event is typically going to be one that lasts multiple days, has dozens of speakers, and maybe even special items and access for different price points. 

A great example of this is The Sundance Film Festival. As one of the biggest film festivals on the planet, the team at Sundance had to figure out a way to create the same magic they do every year in Utah, but in a virtual setting in 2021. They did this by working with a platform to create a virtual Main Street, scheduling the 70+ virtual screenings, and much more. Explore this article from IndieWire to learn more about how Sundance pulled it off. 

Recurring Events

When it comes to recurring events, you’ll still need a hosting platform and a payment gateway solution, but the differences arise in the content and the way you charge for it. These events typically are going to be ones that are easily repeatable or the type of content you create on a regular basis. 

Typically, this includes fitness workouts, classes, access to shows, and beyond. Since you’ll be consistently putting out this content, it adds an opportunity to use a subscription model to sell these events and create additional revenue as mentioned above. Sites like InPlayer, MemberPress, Cleeng, and LearnDash all have subscription options that will make set up relatively painless. 

Hybrid Events

This type of event is a ‘best of both worlds’ situation. Hybrid events are experiences that are available both in-person and virtually. This format works incredibly well when you have the capability to have an in-person event, but you know that a portion of your audience won’t be able to attend, like during a pandemic for example. 

However, this has to be more than just live streaming your in-person event. You’ll need to make sure that people in both environments are getting a valid experience. Virtual participants will need to feel just as important as the ones you see in person. 

An example of a recurring hybrid event is Crunch Live’s virtual workout classes. They have a recurring subscription model that allows you to get an in-person membership, along with access to virtual workouts you can access at any time from anywhere.

Naturally, there are infinite possibilities for the types of events you can host virtually. Virtual events won’t be replacing in-person events in the long run, but they are here to stay as another tool in your marketing toolkit. Let us know in the comments below if you’ve had success converting an in-person event to an online virtual experience. 

The post Everything to Know About Paid Virtual Events appeared first on SproutVideo.

What’s New With Live Streaming?

There are three new features available for live streaming: latency options, a two-minute reconnect window, and stream recording settings. For a platform walkthrough of those amazing new features and more, please check out the video below:

1. Latency Options

The first new feature that we’ve added is the ability to select the latency for your live stream. So, what exactly is latency?

Latency is the time difference between the action happening in front of the camera, and when that moment is broadcast to your audience. For most broadcasts, latency can vary anywhere from about 10-30 seconds.

The delay in your video reaching your audience is generally caused by the processing that needs to happen to allow your live stream to play on all devices and browsers.

Individual factors can also impact the delay. We’ve all probably had the experience of watching an event live with other people on different devices, and realizing someone is a little ahead or behind as it unfolds. The device and browser type and configuration can have a small impact on latency.

So, what are these new options, and how do they affect your live stream?

Reduced Latency

Typically, reduced latency results in around a 15 second delay. Being as close to real-time as possible can be really important in certain situations.

For instance, you might be live streaming a sports event, or your audience might be following along very actively on social media. In that kind of situation, your audience won’t want to feel like they’re behind the action, so a reduced latency live stream is likely a good choice.

Reduced latency does come with certain trade-offs. This setting prioritizes near-real-time delivery over video quality, and it does not allow for the ability to reconnect the stream if something goes wrong (more on that below).

Standard Latency

Compared to reduced latency, standard latency offers certain advantages. With standard latency, you can expect a delay of around 30 seconds. The extra time allows for both higher video quality for viewers, and a reconnect window of up to two minutes. For those reasons, standard latency is the default setting on the SproutVideo platform.

Note that once you have selected a latency option for your live stream, you cannot edit it after creating the live stream. If you change your mind, you’ll have to create a new live stream with your preferred setting.

2. Reconnect Window

If your live stream is using the standard latency setting, your live stream will now have the ability to recover in the unlikely event something goes wrong. Maybe someone trips over a cord, or the internet cuts out. There are several everyday scenarios that could cause your stream to drop.

A two minute reconnect window means that if your stream is interrupted for any reason, the platform will continue trying to reconnect for up to two minutes. That gives you a grace period to correct whatever the issue is, and get back to your audience.

After all, you probably put a fair amount of effort into driving attendance for your live stream. It’s nice to have the confidence that you’ll have a chance to fix it if the unexpected happens.

3. Stream Recording Options

The third and final new setting for live streams has to do with what happens after your broadcast ends. By default, we record your live stream and post it to your account as an on-demand video automatically. This new option allows you to disable that process.

This comes in handy in instances where your live stream only has value while it’s live. For example, a promotion you only want to run for the duration of the stream. This will also help keep your account storage usage in check by only saving the live streams you need.

Even if you don’t record your live stream, the analytics and engagement data associated with the live stream will still be available. Those metrics are associated with the live event, and not the video-on-demand version, so they are not affected by this setting.

More on Live Streaming with SproutVideo

Our live streaming features are still new, meaning we’re actively looking for feedback from users to help improve this feature set. The above features were all implemented in direct response to popular demand from our customers.

Although they are new, our live streaming features are very much ready for show time. We are focusing on adding more new features to make the experience even better in the near future.

So, if you’ve tried live streaming with us, how did it go? Share your thoughts by reaching out to our support team.

The post Our Latest Live Streaming Platform Updates appeared first on SproutVideo.