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How To Stream: A Beginner’s Guide on Live Streaming Events

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During the pandemic, the events industry was pushed to go virtual. Despite the challenges, live event streaming made this setup possible and sustainable. By knowing how to stream, organizations shift from full in-person gatherings to a hybrid event setup.

Even as pandemic restrictions ease, event streaming remains a trend among brands and event planners. After all, the unlimited reach, online presence, and possible monetization are win-win benefits for both the brand and its audience.

So should you live stream your event? If so, how can you do it? In this blog post, our professional AV team answers these questions together with a one-stop solution for your live streaming needs. 

Advantages of live streaming an event

Live streaming has proven profitable for online shops, but it also has a lot to offer event planners. The following are some of the main reasons why you should also hop on this trend for your next event:

  • It increases your audience reach.

Live streaming events give you the power to reach a wide range of audiences. It breaks the barrier of distance by connecting you and your target audience online.

This makes a perfect solution for conferences, seminars, workshops, product launches, concerts, and events that need as much exposure as possible. Even if your target audience can’t be in the venue, they can still participate in your event virtually.

  • It humanizes your brand.

A live streaming event is an effective way to humanize your brand. It lets your audience see the real people behind the brand or organization. This will help your audience realize that your company is not just a bot or a webpage online.

Also, customers love personal touches. By putting human faces on the screen, the audience will be more interested in knowing what you do.

  • It provides a sense of community.

A live stream setup will make viewers feel part of a larger audience. This sense of belongingness adds to the personal touch of your event, which is close to being present in the venue.

To make this even more effective, you can also use a live chat feature where online viewers of your event can interact.

  • It’s cost-effective.

Instead of renting multiple venues and hiring multiple teams for your event, you can opt for a streaming setup. This is cost-effective and convenient since it allows viewers to be part of your event anywhere.

  • You can monetize it.

Above all, live stream feeds can be monetized. This means additional revenue for your event through pay-per-view, exclusive access, or a ticketing system.

Not just that – you can keep monetizing the recorded feed even after your event has concluded. 

What events can be live-streamed?

Contrary to misconceptions, a live event stream is not just for big-budget organizations. It can be done for virtually almost every event, including the following: 

  • Concerts and festivals
  • Conferences
  • Webinars
  • Corporate meetings
  • Seminars and workshops
  • Awarding ceremonies
  • Sporting events
  • Product launches
  • Virtual trade shows
  • and other social events, big or small!

Where can you live stream an event?

Thanks to the advent of the internet, you can live stream an event almost anywhere. You can patch the feed to private links on Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Teams, or your own website.

Meanwhile, you can also reach as many people as you want by live streaming on YouTube, social media sites, and the popular Twitch platform.

Once you have chosen the streaming platform, the next thing to think about is your stream setup. 

How do you stream a live event?

Live streaming an event requires proper planning to ensure seamless execution. For starters, we outlined here a step-by-step of streaming, tips and tricks, and the equipment you need. 

Step 1. Define the specifics of your live stream

First, you need to set your intentions and goals for the live stream. This will ensure that the setup will serve its purpose and you’ll stay within your budget.

For beginners, it’s essential to answer the following questions:

  • How much is your budget?
  • What is your intended ROI?
  • Where are you going to set up?
  • Do you want to monetize the live stream?
  • Who is your target audience?
  • What do you want to achieve on your live stream?

Step 2. Plan your live stream

Next, you need to plan the execution of your live stream event. You need to come up with a ‘blueprint’ that includes the following key elements: 

  • Venue. For hybrid events, organizations set up their live stream in the same venue. However, if the venue doesn’t have the right amenities for a live stream, you can hire a production truck instead.
  • Technical team. While some organizations can make do with a smartphone or a single camera for live streaming, bigger events may require a more intensive approach. In this case, you may need to hire a technical team to handle all your live streaming needs.
  • Streaming software. The streaming software will process your feed’s audio and video before transmitting it to your preferred live streaming platform. Some of the popular streaming software event planners use are Streamlabs, OBS Studio, and Wirecast.
  • Internet connection. It’s crucial to e have sufficient internet bandwidth for an uninterrupted broadcast. Otherwise, your feed will keep cutting off and negatively impact your audience’s viewing experience.
  • Rehearsals. Even though live streams are virtual events, you still need to rehearse! This way, you can spot potential problems with the technical and production aspect of your event. After all, the last thing you’d want is dead air and awkward moments during your broadcast. 

Step 3. Choose a live streaming platform

Your knowledge of how to live stream is only as good as the platform you’ll choose. You must remember your target audience when selecting where you want to broadcast online.

The good thing is that live streams are not limited to a single platform. You can syndicate your broadcast to multiple platforms for unlimited audience reach.

Here’s a quick rundown of the most popular streaming platforms and their benefits: 

  • Social media sites. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have a massive user base, allowing you to reach thousands and even millions of people at once. It’s also great for brands and organizations with less formal events. However, the downside is that social media sites limit the audio and video quality of live streams.
  • YouTube Live. If you want to enjoy a large user base, excellent video quality, and excellent shareability, YouTube Live would be a great tool. It’s 100% free, and you’ll enjoy robust monetization and analytics options.
  • Twitch. Brands related to gaming and technology will find success streaming their event on Twitch.
  • Conferencing platforms. Conferencing programs like Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams are often used to live stream more formal events.
  • Your own website. You can also patch your live stream into your own website if you want more exclusive access for your audience. This is also a great way to monetize the live stream and regulate viewership.

Step 4. Get the right equipment

Your live streaming equipment setup can make or break your broadcast. It’s extremely crucial to invest in quality and reliable equipment to ensure the success of your hybrid or virtual event.

To host a successful live stream, you need this essential equipment in your toolkit: 

  • High-quality camera
  • Show-quality microphone and audio system
  • Computer and related controls
  • Encoder
  • Lighting setup
  • Camera mounts
  • Backup equipment

The good news is that you don’t have to buy these pieces of equipment. With Rent For Event, you can rent all these professional-quality equipment at a very competitive cost. We can provide all your live streaming equipment professional event needs in one package. 

Step 5. Do a test run

Once everything is all set, you MUST perform a test run before going live. It’s difficult to troubleshoot technical problems once you have an audience and your event is already rolling.

By testing your event stream, you can identify weak points that could sabotage your broadcast. Also, a test run will let you know if all systems are working correctly as intended.

And when we say test run, it involves all elements, equipment, and technology.

For outdoor venues, you must conduct a test stream at the same time as your event to see how the lighting will look on camera.

Once you’ve double-checked that everything is running smoothly, that’s the only time you will hit live. 

Planning to live stream your event? Let the pros do it!

Live streaming an event requires in-depth technical knowledge. But instead of stressing yourself over equipment setup, finding the right software to use, and whatnot, you can let professionals do it for you.

At Rent For Event, we have a complete AV team with years of experience in live streaming. With our full virtual event production, you won’t have to lift a finger. Our team will supply all the needed equipment, technology, and staff to run your broadcast.

Need last-minute live streaming solutions? Call us, and we will send our production truck right away. Our fully equipped production truck is ready to go in less than 30 minutes for almost any type of event.

Not only that: we also provide live stream analytics and post-event materials to help measure the success of your event. We can also stream your event to any platform of your choosing!

Ready to go live? Call us, and we’ll make sure your next event gets the best live streaming solutions!

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