Live streaming is a great way to give an in-person feel to a virtual event. With live streaming, a virtual audience watches presenters in real time. At Chati, we recommend event hosts look for specific live streaming features and capabilities when planning their virtual event.
The top live video streaming services should offer:
- Registration
- Privacy and security
- Customization
- Engagement tools like live chat, Q&A sessions, polling, and gamification
- Video analytics
- A mobile app for streaming on multiple devices
- Multi-streaming capabilities where you can stream across multiple platforms
- Sponsor opportunities
- Customer service
All of these features can increase attendee and sponsor satisfaction, which means an increased return on your investment (ROI).
Projected event size factors into how to choose a live streaming service. For smaller events, look for a service that offers simple, straightforward tools. For larger events, look for services that offer more features, like those that help with event management, offer more variety in attendee engagement tools, and provide analytics that prove your event ROI.
Some popular websites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube offer free live streaming services for businesses to better connect with their audiences. Businesses may use them to sell products and promote content to their customers or might share demos and educational content with other businesses they’re working with. While these platforms offer features like event scheduling, live chat, live polling, graphics sharing, and monetization through ad sharing, they don’t offer multi-streaming capabilities across other platforms—if you’re using Facebook, your content stays on just Facebook. These platforms also do not offer customer support, and they interrupt your audience’s streaming with ads. YouTube, however, does allow you to remove ads for a fee.
A hit virtual event can take your brand to a whole new level. How do you decide what kind of live streaming service is right for you? Chati recommends you consider the following factors:
- Your budget. This doesn’t mean always go for the free live streaming service. Although they’re free, they don’t offer nearly as many features as the paid all-in-one event management platforms. All-in-one platforms have tools for registration and event management, which could save you overall if you have to pay for separate management software when using a free live streaming service.
- Event size and how often you’ll be using live streaming during the event. The larger your event, the better off you’ll be with platforms that offer more technology and features. Also Keep in mind that each platform has different pricing structures based on what features you’ll be needing.
- Goals for your event. If your goal is to increase audience engagement and interaction during the event, go for a platform that offers interactive features around live streaming.
- Good customer service. Hosting a virtual event can be complicated. Depending on how complex or how large you want your event to be, consider a platform that offers customer service to help you navigate its features and technologies.