Live streaming is the act of sending video-and usually audio-in, real-time. The term “live” can refer to broadcasting via television, radio, or the internet.
Live streaming has been around in one form or another for several years, but live streaming video content onto YouTube was not possible until 2009, when Google launched YouTube Live. This tool allows users to broadcast their videos over the internet and stream them directly on the website.
Even though this technology is new to YouTube, it isn’t entirely new for internet marketing. Many marketers have used other sites, such as UStream.tv, Stickam, or Livestream.com, which provides many attractive benefits to online entrepreneurs who don’t want to spend a lot of money.
In recent years business event live streaming has become more and more common, especially for meetings and webinars.
Here are ten benefits why this technology is becoming a standard for any modern business:
Table of Contents
Instant feedback from customers and viewers
YouTube Live gives you the possibility to interact with your viewers during a live video stream because it provides a chatbox on the right side of the streaming window where users can comment while watching your broadcast.
It allows them to receive instant feedback, which can be helpful when making questions and sharing experiences or ideas. You could have an ongoing Q&A session that doesn’t require either party to commit too much time at one sitting—a perfect way to build up a committed community around your business.
It can be recorded for later viewing
Once you’ve created your broadcast, it will remain on YouTube for anyone who might have missed the live version or would like to watch it at their convenience. That means you don’t need to worry about recording, YouTube has already done that for you, and all you need to do is the schedule when this video should go live after the last edit.
This feature allows users to rewatch the video if they forgot something or introduce it in another meeting so everybody can see what was said before. It’s also great for keeping track of any important details mentioned during an interview or presentation by using highlighting tools available through YouTube Live.
Build new relationships
As with any marketing, live streaming has the potential to make you an active part of your community rather than just another business on the block.
When you share valuable content or answer questions on YouTube Live, you will not only reach out to people who are already familiar with your brand but also attract new viewers that may find you through search engines like Google or social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks to this real-time interaction, it’s easy for anyone to see what you’re doing, and it can be a great way to introduce yourself as an expert in your field if done correctly.
Because the video is available for replay, users can go back and watch at their convenience when researching who they should do business with and share it as a marketing tool for their benefit.
Create an event around your product or service
If you have a large following on social media platforms or blog networks, live streaming can also be a great way to promote something big going on in your business.
- You could schedule a countdown clock leading up to a new product release.
- Announce the location of a conference you’re hosting.
- The countdown to the launch of an online course.
- Have your viewers help with the design of a new logo by asking for feedback from those watching.
The possibilities are limitless and can be used with your existing customers to sell it to possible future ones who would like to hear about what’s coming up next from you. In addition, it is an excellent way to earn some extra cash on the side by charging viewers for access to your live stream.
Improve search engine visibility
By choosing YouTube Live over other live streaming services, you are already boosting your online exposure through this world’s second-largest search engine. However, If you don’t feel experienced enough for broadcasting, you should consider getting a live video streaming solution that can help you with stream settings.
This increased traffic can help improve your site rankings by increasing the amount of time people spend on your website while simultaneously driving more traffic to show up in Google searches related to what you’re sharing during the broadcast.
It also benefits blog posts or guest articles embedded into a live video. All activity on these pages counts towards your overall domain authority and improves its SEO value, which helps attract new visitors.
Simplify conference calls
The video streaming feature on YouTube Live will save you the headache of trying to coordinate a massive group of participants for your teleconference or webinar.
Even if users are spread across different locations, they can easily log into your broadcast by going to youtube.com/webcast and watching the event as it happens instead of having to dial in at specific times. This ease of access makes participation more accessible, bringing down the barrier to entry, thereby increasing the opportunity for engagement.
Engage with an international audience
Many people have a drawback when launching a business is not attracting an international following right out of the gate. But thanks to YouTube Live, this obstacle can easily be overcome because you do not need any special equipment or software to participate in the streaming.
Whether you are hosting your event over Wi-Fi or LTE, devices can easily connect with YouTube no matter where their physical location may be, allowing you to attract viewers from everywhere on the planet.
Get creative
The best way to get results with YouTube Live is not by focusing on what’s most important for your business but what will make it stand out most among all the other live broadcasts online.
Come up with an exciting topic that hasn’t been covered before and turn it into something unique using animation, comedy, drama, or even music if you think your audience will respond well to this approach.
Also, consider how viewers can join in on the fun by asking questions or doing quick polls during the broadcast so that you can interact with them and make the experience more personable.
Go Live from anywhere
Given that it’s a web-based service, there is no need to download any special software, which means you can go live from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.
Whether you’re sitting in your car at a coffee shop or traveling for business around the world, YouTube has got your back since all you need is a device such as a smartphone or a tablet, and you’re good to go.
Gain valuable insight
By simply monitoring comments on your live stream, it’s possible to get real-time feedback about what viewers like best about what you do and where they think improvements can be made so that further improvements can be made in subsequent broadcasts.
You’ll also be able to monitor the reactions of your audience by watching how they react to your presentation style and whether it comes across as genuine or forced, which will give you a better idea of what topics should be covered in future live streams since there may be something you’ve been missing out on.
Conclusion
Utilizing YouTube Live can help increase traffic, boost brand awareness and enhance communication between you and viewers from all over the world, so make sure it’s part of your strategy in the future.
As long as your content offers value that people can’t get elsewhere, then you’re already halfway there, thanks to the power of word-of-mouth marketing that drives the online conversation about what interests them most.
Read also: Facebook’s Portal TV Device: Here’s What We Know