Digital media has a seemingly endless array of fields in which it is involved and is evolving. By adapting and developing in so many different directions, it has expanded to provide an even more extensive range of services and options for catering to the needs of people around. Marketing, especially on digital media has reached a new level of ease and efficiency. Digital marketing consists of such diverse elements that yield different results. Be it multimedia campaigns or emailers, and there are many ways to accomplish goals. One of the newer ways is live streaming across different platforms.
Live webcasting has grown leaps and bounds from where it began. It is not just an option for individuals and brands to explore further in digital media communication; it is now a necessity. Whatever may be the purpose of your stream, the right platforms for actually webcasting your live video is critical. From Facebook, Youtube, Instagram or the many other platforms, choosing the one that suits your needs the best is a difficult decision indeed.
How To Choose The Best Video Platform?
Personal, educational, business or any other objectives that live video streaming services may fulfill, the necessary qualities of this medium are needed everywhere. The interactiveness and urgency that are intrinsic to a live video cannot be found in other mediums. So out of all the live video streaming services available across the web, we go through some of the best platforms to help you see the one that fits your needs. If you find more platforms suitable then you can live stream to multiple social media platforms simultaneously.
Video Streaming Platforms Comparison
Facebook Live
Facebook live is one of the most popular live video platforms out there. The main reason for this is that Facebook live is versatile in a way that can be used for many different occasions and different purposes. Face-to-camera streams, product launches, covering live events, behind the scenes, seminars, scripted broadcasts, etc are all frequently the subjects of Facebook live streaming.
Brands may interact with their audience on Facebook in a number of different ways. Businesses may showcase their “behind the scenes” operations and highlight the human element by using technologies like Facebook Live, which is essential when attempting to engage with customers on social media. Since Facebook Live is real-time, unedited, and authentic in the moment, it is the most sociable and sincere way to communicate with the audience. In this scene, actual individuals are conversing and interacting with one another.
With so many people using Facebook every day, it is quite common for brands to a much larger follower base on Facebook as compared to other social media sites. Use this platform when you want to reach out to the largest number of people. Here, you can also use the feature of choosing a specific target audience from all the public to streamline your marketing efforts and give them an appropriate direction.
Other features that make Facebook live streaming great include analytics – the number of people reached, peak live viewers, reactions, comments, shares. With a stream that can be as long as 4 hours, there are higher chances of viewers tuning into your stream as they get the notifications of it. You can easily increase the viewership of your live stream with FB Live.
YouTube Live
Youtube has been the pioneer in pushing video content online to all its viewers. It is already along been in use for advertising and marketing using video content which makes it a perfect choice for live webcasting of videos as well. Youtube live broadcasts new live videos which are later archived after the stream ends. Youtube is flexible with the multiple streaming options it provides- stream now, mobile and events.
Stream Now
It is the simplest Youtube live streaming option after your channel is set up, where the app itself will start and stop your streaming content via an encoder.
Mobile
Mobile live streaming from Youtube can be done by anyone with more than 1000 subscribers on their channel.
Events
This streaming option is beneficial for marketers as it gives them the option to preview before live streaming, prepare back-up webcasts along with the right to start or stop the stream as per their wish.
Youtube live streaming is also advantageous from the SEO perspective as those videos appear in Google search results, unlike videos from other streaming platforms.
Instagram Live
The Instagram live streaming option appears as part of the Stories on the application. Battling with young audiences who use similar features on Snapchat, Instagram has around 100 million people who use Stories regularly.
The ability to communicate with your audience in real-time is Instagram Live’s best feature. No gimmicks, edits, or cuts are permitted! When your followers perceive you as being sincere about your business in the present, they are more inclined to believe in you and your brand. By going live on Instagram, you can interact with your followers on a more personal level and give them the option to engage and voice their ideas. Instagram Live is one of the best methods for encouraging big engagement and purchases on the platform.
Additionally, it’s a wonderful chance to promote your company’s products or services, or both. Businesses increasingly use this social media platform to personally engage with their customers or future customers. It can greatly improve brand awareness if you have a good Instagram presence.
Since the live videos from Instagram cannot be archived outside of the story highlight options, marketers prefer to push more casual content through this platform. If live videos usually disappear after 24 hrs, it creates a sense of urgency to view it live, but it does not increase the number of total views. Another feature unique to this is that live videos are smaller here, thus needing to be more visually appealing. The trending live streams appear in the Explore tab of the app too, so it is convenient for people to tune into them. You must read this: ultimate guide to Instagram Live.
Twitter/Periscope Live
Twitter live videos, actually comprising of Periscope live streaming, are very popular these days. It is a smart way to live stream where your video content is available on two different apps.
A Twitter live stream can be used for shorter, more unplanned streams effectively rather than more prolonged and more scripted event streams. While periscope live streaming can partake in both, lengthened engagement with the audience is not this platforms forte. That is why, short sneak peek videos, behind the scenes, teasers, etc are more likely to be seen here. After the live video is over, the video remains on your timeline similar to past tweets. Here is – how to broadcast on Periscope live streaming.
Personal Website
Another option to explore for live streaming is your website. With the onslaught of live videos in recent years, it has become easier to embed live streaming options on your website. Along with using other more generally popular platforms in your marketing strategies, niche platforms like a personal website has its advantage.
Along with the new audience, you get a platform that has your branding and does not distract your audience from what is important. No other notifications or content that seems more interesting than your ongoing stream. You can customize the content to your needs, you are not obligated to follow the rules and restrictions set by a third party, and the streaming experience stays intimate between the streamer and the audience.
Out of all these and many more live video streaming services available in the market, finding the one that is right for your needs is often difficult. Facebook live streaming may be one of the most popular ones out of these and Instagram live streaming may be the easiest to do, but they might not always the ones you need. Out of the many live streaming plans and options that Dreamcast provides, select the one that best suits the type of content you want to webcast and go live!
