Live streaming is officially here to stay, and it’s one of the most exciting opportunities for video content creators to grow their brands.
Research shows that audiences spend 3x more time watching live video and that 47% of people are streaming more live video than last year.
But there’s more to why live streaming is a must.
Live stream video has emerged at a time where video, as a medium, has become part of everyday life. Social media audiences consume millions of hours of video through YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. And people can quickly tap into niches they love through OTT apps on their mobile devices.
So the convergence of the way we use video today with the “live” factor of content makes live video a tool any video content creator can use to grow their brand.
But one really important question remains: “What on earth do you live stream about??”
Creating Live Stream Content
If you’re new to live streaming, you’re probably wondering about content.
What should you produce?
Here’s the thing: live stream video content ideas are not hard to come up with. They may be intimidating, but certainly not hard.
In fact, if you continue to share valuable content with your audience, going “live” becomes just another way of getting your message out there.
All you’re doing is taking what matters to your audience and position it in various types of live videos.
Here are 10 types of live stream videos you can create this year:
- Interviews and Q&As
The beauty of the web is its diversity. Today, you can find information on any topic you can think of. The only challenge is gaining access to expert insight.
Interviews and Q&A live streams solve that problem.
Partner with a knowledge expert and offer your audience an in-depth look at a topic you know they want to learn more about.
Doing so can propel your brand forward.
It positions you as a thought-leader and valuable source of information about your industry. You also get to attract a larger audience.
Experts pull crowds and interviewing one could expose your content to people who may have missed prior opportunities to engage with your brand.
For example, Sean Cannell, founder of Think Media, answers questions on how to make money online with social media. Sean is also the author of the book YouTube Secrets, and this video helps solidify his position as an authority on video and monetizing online content.
- Behind the Scenes Footage
Ever spend time watching behind the scenes (BTS) footage? It’s interesting, right?
It feels like you’re getting the inside edge on something valuable.
That’s why BTS content is so powerful!
Audiences love learning more about what “real life” is like, and what goes on behind the camera. BTS footage breathes a sense of authenticity into brands that use it. It shows audiences an unscripted, more natural and original side of your brand, making it more relatable.
And research shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to follow brands that produce authentic content. So, if you’re ready to give your community something personable, start sharing more about what happens behind the camera.
Shooting BTS content isn’t complex either. Just position a camera to share footage that’s outside of your scene.
- Share Product, Brand and Life Updates
Creating an authentic brand means sharing more. Updates about what’s going on in your company, with your product, and life, give your audience a closer look at it all.
Updates also feed your audience with timely information about possible opportunities they can capitalize on.
In this case, Garyvee hosted a live video on YouTube to celebrate his 40th birthday. But it wasn’t just about turning one year older for Gary. He gave his audience a reason to tune in by making it clear there would be a special announcement about his secret wine project.
- How-tos and Tutorials
Did you know that “how-to” titles are among the most popular types of titles for content on the web? They work so well because they are directly related to audience intent.
Create live stream videos that show audiences how to use a product, perform a task or create something.
Hercules Candy attracts a large audience with live how-to videos. Each video feels personal as steps are shared and light-hearted humor is injected into the mix.
They also have a growing collection, proving how popular live streams tutorials can be.
- Position Other Content or Offers
Live streaming is an opportunity to build your audience and your brand. When used as part of a larger video marketing strategy, you can draw your audience’s attention to other valuable content or make product offers.
For instance, Think Media hosted a YouTube growth tips and content strategy live Q&A. If you’ve wondered how to grow your business using video, this is gold.
But Think Media’s live video wasn’t just about answering questions. It also served as a platform to address possible buying objections and position their Growth With Video Online Course. - Share Insights on New Trends
The sheer volume of content available today is staggering, making it hard to quickly and easily know what’s happening. By sharing insights and trends, you position your brand as a source of valuable and insightful information about your niche.
Take The Live Stream Report. It’s a show dedicated to the latest developments in live streaming, perfect for video content creators who don’t have the time to scurry the web in search and create their own research.
- Cover Something Topical
Being a video content creator often means sharing timely information about your industry. Like trends and updates, news and stories are a great way to engage with your audience.
And it’s as simple as collecting and sharing the top stories in your niche and a few thoughts on each.
Football Daily is one of YouTube’s largest channels dedicated to football news. They capitalized on Alternative Deadline Day (an additional opportunity for Premier League teams to transfer players).
Using a panel of experts and involving their audience to engage with them in real-time, they racked up over 300,000 views. - Share a Demo
Demos are the perfect choice for helping prospects learn more about your product. By walking your audience through your product, it’s functionality and how to use it, you give them a first-hand look at what’s under the hood.
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games of 2020. To give their audience a look at the first-person shooter, Gamespot shared a 17-minute gameplay.
The event attracted over 282,000 views from across the globe, making for a successful demo, and it was an awesome opportunity for Gamespot to offer its audience valuable content.
- Repurpose Content
Repurposing content is limited to social and blog posts. You can take some of your most popular content and share it in a live stream.
And because the idea has already proven popular, there’s a good chance you’ll attract a large audience. - Host a Free Webinar
Webinars are, by nature, online meetings or presentations hosted in real-time. They attract viewers with an interest in a specific topic.
The best webinars are filled with interactivity, or the ability to discuss, send and receive information in real-time, something that live streaming offers.
As with all of your video, develop a topic that your audience will find informative.
AOPA is the largest community of pilots in the world and often hosts live videos. In this, their webinar on real-instrument flying, they share insights and wisdom gained from hours of flying, and thoughts on filing instrument flight plans when visual flying rules apply.
How to Get Started With Live Streaming on Uscreen
We’re especially proud of how easy our live stream platform is to use. And it’s also packed with all of the features you need to deliver world-class live videos.
For example, video lag is a problem most video content creators can’t control. But we’ve fixed that by creating a global content distribution network. So, when you’re ready to go live, your content will flow seamlessly to your audience, no matter where they are.
You also get to share your live video via the same OTT apps you’re used to, create pre-registration pages with count down timers to create anticipation, send notifications to your audience (email and in-app), and you can monetize your live video.
Creating your first live stream with Uscreen is simple. To get started, you will need to connect your computer to a camera and any RTMP-enabled encoder, which sends your live recording to Uscreen.
With your encoder ready, you’ll be able to complete the setup through your Uscreen account.
Here’s a step-by-step video walk-through to give you an idea of just how easy it is to create your first live event.
Wrapping This Up…
Live streaming is a smart way to grow your brand and engage your audience. As a medium, it’s already popular across the web, and brands are prioritizing it as a way to expand their audiences. It’s also easy to get started. In just a few clicks, you’ll be exposed to a world of possibilities for growing your reach and business.
