I love live streaming. This is one of the best tools advanced technology has brought us. You can see what’s going on as it’s happening on just about any device. When you utilize this medium for your business events, you increase your audience by millions. If you have enough people watching, that number isn’t a stretch. So which live stream service is right for your event? Here are the top three.
Of course, Facebook tops the list. There isn’t much the social media giant doesn’t top, and it is one of the most effective ways to get your message out there in real-time. Facebook Live isn’t necessarily a grand innovation; it’s more of an integration of the tools already available on the platform. Currently, the FB user base is nearly 2 billion people. Two… billion… people
Facebook has put its belief in live streaming. You can customize who has access to your streams, i.e. your demographic, and your feed will archive to your page. The video impression during a Facebook Live stream does not diminish quickly. You will have about 20 minutes before it starts to fade. This works well when you’re broadcasting a live event.
Periscope
Periscope, which is basically Twitter, gives you an advantage Facebook doesn’t: You can reach non-followers. Facebook Live transmits to groups you build in the application; all you need is a hashtag for Periscope and anyone can watch your stream. You can also post more live streams on Periscope because you’re actually posting on Twitter, where there aren’t the FB limits.
Face it, the more you post, the more attention is paid to your brand, so this works well if you’re promoting a new service or product through multiple events. Periscope is a year older than Facebook Live, so you’ll be streaming over a more technologically advanced service. You can also pan your stream 360 degrees Periscope, which is fun – or nauseating – for your viewers.
Instagram Live
Facebook has Periscope in its sights; Instagram has Snapchat on its agenda to dethrone. If you don’t like working with a ton of bells and whistles, Instagram Live might work best for you. When you stream over this service, you lose archiving options, desktop viewers, filters and fun doodles, video descriptions, and detailed analytics.
This might not be a problem if your message is quick. You will still attract viewers; in fact, some argue more viewers than the other two do. How? Instagram Live took a page out of the Snapchat manual and people must watch your stream within 24 hours. Once that time is up, the stream is gone. Use Instagram Live to engage your followers in quick things, like event Q&A sessions.
Still confused? Give us a call. We’ll talk about your video streaming needs and determine the best option for your filming and feed.