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Keeping Your Live Stream Engaging
When you are live streaming, one of your biggest challenges is keeping your stream engaging for your audience, especially if the live stream is going to be a long one, for example, a virtual or hybrid event. Throughout your live stream, you want the audience to join in the conversation, and engage with the content in the stream, but how do you do that?
We have some of our top tips for keeping your live stream engaging in this article, as well as methods for increasing the buzz for the event in the lead-up and keeping the momentum going after the stream has ended.
The top five ways to keep your live stream engaging
There are many ways to keep a live stream more engaging for the audience. Each of the tips below will ensure you hit the nail on the head for your live stream, and they will keep your target audience engaging with the content long after your stream has finished.
1. Choose the right platform
The first thing you must do to keep your live stream engaging starts way before your stream does. Ensuring that you have the most appropriate platform for your live stream is imperative. Make sure to select the platform that aligns with where your target audience spends their time.
For example, for a B2B event or conference, choosing LinkedIn Live or YouTube for your live stream will be a better choice than a more relaxed social channel, whereas a product launch may be ideal for Instagram or other social media platforms.
Nailing the platform for your live stream is the biggest consideration for your pre-live stream engagement, so you must ensure you have that clear in your mind before creating your live stream promotional activity.
2. Get the right presenter
Picking the right MC or presenter to host your live stream is always important. When you’re choosing your presenter, think carefully about the qualities that you’re looking for.
Of course, you’ll want someone with the right personality to carry the tone and atmosphere you’re hoping to convey. Still, you’ll also need someone grounded, calm, and able to command attention. Essentially, you’re looking for an anchorman or woman, who’ll be able to clearly and confidently segue from presentation to presentation without the need for physical props, introductions or the comfort of a lectern to hide behind.
You’re looking for someone who is going to be able to appeal to your audience, keeping them tuned in and attentive. They should also be able to give clear instructions, helping attendees to get the most out of the engagement tools that you’re offering.
3. Interact with and include your audience
The biggest way to keep your audience engaged during your live stream is through interacting with and including them. Be responsive to their comments, invite q&a sessions, encourage their participation; it’s all important for keeping the audience involved in your stream.
Make sure to enable live chat during your stream, that way, your viewers can feel involved from the very beginning to the very end of the stream, and even beyond the stream itself. Live chat also allows for two-way conversation, which will keep your stream viewers engaged.
4. Use high-quality production
How your audience perceives the quality of your live stream is crucial. High production quality reflects positively on your brand and holds the viewer’s attention. A good setting, well-lit and framed makes a significant impact. It is important to consider the audio-visual aspect of your broadcast and enlist the help of AV specialists wherever possible. The audio, lighting, and video need to be on point, otherwise you will lose the attention of your audience, rapidly.
Consider using graphics, lower thirds, and overlays to make your show look more professional and enhance the visual appeal of your stream. Go a step further and include motion graphics, or animation for a truly polished, professional, and engaging broadcast.
5. Timing and duration
Pay attention to the timing of your live streams. Research your target audience to determine when they are most active online. Experiment with different times to run your live streams. Or record some content and stream it “as live” at different times and note what goes down best with your audience.
Additionally, consider the duration of your live streams. While some content may warrant longer broadcasts, others may benefit from shorter, more frequent sessions. Finding the right balance is key to keeping your audience engaged.
Keeping the momentum going following your live stream
The engagement doesn’t stop when the live stream ends. After each broadcast, repurpose the content by creating short video clips, highlights, or blog posts. Share these on your social media channels and website to reach a broader audience and remind your existing followers of the valuable content they can expect in future broadcasts.
Ideally, you want your recorded content assets to showcase how good the live experience was in a “you had to be there” kind of way so the audience makes a point of joining in next time.
Regularly assessing the performance of your live streams will also help you keep your momentum going for future live streams. Pay attention to metrics like viewer count, engagement levels, and viewer demographics. Use this data to refine your content strategy and make improvements for future broadcasts. The more you do it, the better you’ll get.
Using specialist live streaming services
London Filmed offers a full live streaming service, from the initial idea through to post-stream footage. With our transparent, step-by-step approach to event live streaming, we'll partner with you from brief to handover for full peace of mind throughout the entire project.
Brief
We’ll discuss the live stream project and curate a tailored selection of tools, technologies, and platforms to reach your objectives.
Pre-production
A pre-shoot site recce and connectivity test will allow us to map out the logistics and put together a full technical spec.
Production
We’ll capture the audio and visuals of the event with HD cameras. We’ll also have an on-site team to manage our portable production unit.
Post-production
We’ll deliver the footage from the live stream to you within 48 hours post-event. We offer half-day and full-day live-streaming packages, tailored to your needs and your event objectives.
Live streaming services and more from London Filmed
London Filmed is a 360 content agency that provides video production, event production, event filming, photography, design, event streaming, branding, AV support, and more. Our digital, creative, and production flair combined with technical know-how allows us to provide the best level of service for your live stream
We offer event live streaming packages that are suitable for all your event live streaming needs, as well as a specific social live streaming package.
Get in touch for a quote specific to your live streaming needs.
