At One Floor Up we work with many of our clients on producing Live Streaming events. A lot of our clients do quarterly Town Hall events where stream executives giving updates from their office or from headquarters to all badged employees. We also work on a lot of projects that involve big announcements that need the personal touch of a live stream. No one wants to be the last to know about an acquisition, with live streams you can tell your message to the masses at the same time, no matter where you are. 

So what is live streaming you ask?

Live streaming consists of using a video recording device to record the present moment. In other words, as opposed to regular video recording, there isn’t a chance to alter the footage. Everything recorded is instantly broadcast to your viewers. Like live television, everything is unfiltered and unedited. 

Live streaming is beneficial to your business for multiple reasons. The first benefit is giving your customers a raw look at you and/or your employees. Familiarity makes people more likely to purchase your product. Another benefit is the modern, unique nature of streaming. Using live streaming makes you stand out from other businesses (as streaming isn’t used by most businesses) and shows that your business is up-to-date. Another benefit is that people are always interested in novel approaches, so they will be more likely to check out your stream – as opposed to other, more conventional promotional practices. 

In order to reap the benefits of live streaming, you need to do things right. Streaming has more potential to go wrong than other promotional practices (which is part of the reason it’s so interesting), so you’ll want to be prepared before you turn on the camera. Here are 7 of the best practices your business should adopt while live streaming:

1. Develop a Clear Goal

To maximize the efficacy of streaming, develop a clear long-term goal. This goal should be broad such as “I want to boost traffic to my website through live streaming.” Additionally, each individual stream should have a more concise goal that relates to your broad goal. For instance, a concise goal could be “I want to educate my customers on the results they can expect when they choose us over the competition.”

As you can see, the concise goal supports the long-term goal since educating your audience indirectly results in more website visits. While this “develop a clear goal” concept may seem obvious, it’s important to keep in mind. It’s easy to get caught up in all the “bells and whistles” of streaming and forget why you’re doing it in the first place. Always keep your goal in mind so you can focus on what matters. 

2. Get the Technical Aspects Down Pat

Hire One Floor Up to manage your live streaming events. If you have something small and want to do it yourself various issues could occur occasionally during streams and most viewers, who understand the chaotic nature of the streaming format, are sympathetic and forgiving. However, viewers will not forgive a technical issue if it is obviously due to some unprofessional foresight. 

So, ensure that you get the technical aspects handled to the best of your ability. Have someone set things up who understands streaming well. Double and triple-check that everything runs smoothly. Ensure that you thoroughly understand how to run things properly before you commit to a stream. 

The most common issue is poor wi-fi. Wi-fi is often unstable, even with a great provider, so it’s highly advisable to use a wired connection. This tweak alone will greatly reduce the chances of running into a problem during your stream.

3. Prepare Extensively

Part of streaming’s appeal is the off-the-cuff, stream of consciousness nature of the broadcast. That being said, smart streamers prepare extensively beforehand. Preparation should include a thorough rundown of the topics discussed, the tone of the broadcast, and proper streaming etiquette. 

Each person participating should have a clear view of how to stream in a coherent, professional manner. This will cut down on mistakes, and ensure that the stream provides compelling information, rather than garbled ramblings from someone “winging it” like their doing a class presentation in high school.

At One Floor Up we send a producer and switch operator to cut between cameras to give you a polished look at a live stream.

4. Start Early

A late start to your stream gives customers the idea that your business is unprofessional. To avoid this issue, always, always, always start your stream earlier than the scheduled time.

This concept sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at the number of streams that start late, which is a huge turnoff to potential customers. 

5. End Properly

The end of your stream should sum up the things discussed. It should also include a genuine “thank you” to the viewers. They spend time out of their day to hang out with you and/or your employees. So, employ gratitude.

Additionally, rather than simply fading to black like the end of an artsy film (or the famous end to The Sopranos TV series), use a placeholder that includes text and relevant links regarding your business. 

Want to Stream Properly?

Live streaming can be difficult. This barrier to entry is why many businesses choose to ignore this valuable promotional practice. If you want to get the benefits of live streaming without spending significant time learning the ropes, consider hiring us. Here at One Floor, we are experts in the technological aspects of streaming. We handle all of the “behind-the-scenes” aspects so you can focus on providing a great stream for your business.