No matter if you are a small-time content creator or a larger business, hosting a live-streaming event is becoming the go-to option for connecting with the community. As online videos and live streams in general become more widely used, creators can now deliver more engaging content to their audience. These streams create a more personal connection between the creator and the community. Today, we are going to talk about live streaming and its various applications for both business and marketing.
What is Livestreaming?
Livestreaming allows users to broadcast live footage of their business or content over the internet to a target following. Social media like Instagram and video gaming websites such as Twitch have been doing this for a long time with great success. Livestreams are essentially effective digital marketing tools that connect you with your community directly whether it is for feedback or content.
If you use social media, there is nothing new to learn as this feature is already implemented. However, if you are a business that is looking to get into live streaming, other platforms need to be used. Services like Ustream (or IBM Cloud) or OBS Studios for desktop streaming are just a couple of options people have.
For example, a popular use of live streaming in the entertainment industry is live casinos. These platforms enable a user to immerse themselves in a Vegas-style environment and play live casino games from anywhere in the world. Furthermore, platforms such as Twitch enable a creator to share content with their audience via live chat. That way, an audience can directly interact with the creator and vice versa while enjoying the live stream.
Benefits of Livestream Marketing
There are several digital marketing tools a business can implement, so what makes live streaming so great? We talked about some abstract topics in the previous entry so we should also talk about facts. Let us now list some practical applications of why live streaming is a good marketing strategy.
Firstly, the majority of people prefer videos over blog posts or news articles, to begin with. In the modern age of fast-paced media, visual-centered marketing tends to perform better than text-based strategies. The previously linked research poll shows us that 80% of audiences prefer live video to written blogs or social posts. Therefore, live streaming goes hand in hand with public demand in our digital age.
Secondly, live-streaming content is reusable at a later date. It has long-term use as evident by for example YouTube content creators who stream. You can hold a live video event at one date and then proceed to cut and edit parts of that live stream for later content uploads. This goes for any business that regularly makes video-based content.
Finally, not only do audiences prefer video content and see it as more engaging, but you can have direct feedback from your audience. This is often done through moderated chats, messages, and donations which are popular on YouTube and Twitch.
The Future
All of the points we mentioned above are just a sign of how the marketing world is changing with technology. Visual-based media are overpowering blogs and social text-centered posts. This is also evident on social media sites where content creators have direct algorithmic insights into the performance of their posts. Live streaming is becoming a part of each business and it is not a negative. It provides a chance to connect and interact with your audience receiving direct feedback and engagement.
Furthermore, future developments in live-streaming technologies will bring many exciting innovations. From virtual reality to the aforementioned live games, the possibilities are endless. Livestreaming sites like Twitch are already amassing over 70 million dollars in just four months. So, testing and delving into live streaming is a necessary step for each business’ future.