If you’re looking for live streaming tips to take your engagement to the next level, look no further!
Live streaming events have become increasingly popular in fundraising, especially after COVID-19 shut the world down. As we slowly begin to open up again, it’s probably not going to go away. All major social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and even Linkedin have live video options that allow you to connect with your audience on an incredible level. Look at Twitch; they are centred around live streaming and are quickly becoming the biggest social media platform with over 9.5 million active streamers!
There are so many options for you to connect with viewers over live video, but we wanted to focus today’s blog on live-streaming your events. Even when the world does open up, having a live stream alongside an in-person event can increase your reach, accessibility and affordability for supporters.
3 Live Streaming Tips and Tricks For Success
Focus on Creating An Experience
If you are charging for ticketed virtual events, make sure your viewers will have the best experience online. Just as you would put the time and effort to create a schedule for a live show, you have to do the same for your digital audience. You control what the person sees, hears and experiences.
An excellent live stream goes beyond audio and video quality. Think about how you can bring your world into your viewers’ living room. Maybe you include a gift card for a local restaurant with their ticket so they can enjoy a delicious meal while watching your event. Or you can host a live survey, game or Q&A town hall to encourage active participation and make them feel like they are a part of the event. Perhaps you can encourage them to dress up and share photos of them glammed up at home for a chance to win a prize.
Auctions are super popular online and having participants bid through mobile while watching a live stream is an easy way to have the viewer feel connected to the stream. It’s up to you on how you want to build that experience. Try to find a way to connect the audience to your cause and add to their viewing experience.
Try Streaming On Multiple Platforms
Last year we interviewed Donor Curve’s founders Laura and Preston Cone on how they helped their client raise over $100,000 through a live stream event. They shared how after going live, one of their streaming platforms crashed. Luckily they had it streaming on another platform and were able to direct their audience to a working link.
When it comes to technology, everything that could go wrong will, so you have to be prepared to keep the show going, and having a backup plan is essential to that. Using software like OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) alongside programs like Restream can help you stream on multiple platforms while monitoring it all through one. It’s free to stream on various social platforms, but it will cost $19-49/month to remove branding and access extra features.
Incorporate Pre-Recorded Content
If you have a big event coming up and want to schedule multiple people but are dealing with different time zones or scheduling conflicts, don’t be scared to pre-record content!
Arranging for performers or speakers to pre-record their acts can help you easily queue up their videos while allowing them to participate on their time. You can also bring up old videos of events or use a slide show to fill time between presentations. You can pull up YouTube videos, or have the participants edit on their phone using an app or iMovie then send them to you for broadcast.
Using pre-recorded content allows both you and your performers more flexibility and removes any technical challenges that could occur with other people’s technology or internet connection.
Tips For Live Streaming In House
If you want to live stream the event completely yourself, look into investing in mics, video cameras and lights. Amazon has a lot of solid equipment, but you can also rent, ask for donations, or purchase used equipment depending on how often you plan on streaming.
Having these resources will build a solid foundation for your stream. If people tune into terrible audio and grainy video, they are not going to stick around. Poor quality can distract from your message making the audience more aware of your streaming quality rather than focusing on your cause!
So take the time to test, practice and test again before going live to ensure you’re ready for anything that comes your way.
When To Hire Professional Help
If you have a big, complex event, consider hiring the help of a local audio-visual events company. They can take over the process for you, so you only have to focus on the content, not the tech. They keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes while you focus on providing the best show for your audience.
Hiring professionals can be an investment but may pay off to provide a valuable experience for your supporters. A solid live event can be recorded, reuploaded and used to make more content for your website or social media.
Track Your Success
Like any other event, you will have to monitor and track your events, so don’t forget to track your progress alongside following our tips for live streaming success.
Follow up with your attendees with emails to see how they enjoyed the event and any next steps they can take to get to know your organization better. You can create a segment within your system to easily target your guests and let them know their attendance was appreciated, even if it was through zoom.
If you need help managing your next virtual event, we’d love to help! Our event management software can help you manage your tickets, attendees and create a custom page for your event. Learn more here!
