1. Introduction to Live Streaming
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, live streaming Singapore has become a powerful way for businesses, churches, and other entities to continue connecting with their audiences. Whether you’re selling a product, offering a service, or just sharing knowledge, it’s important to connect with your audience in real time. Live streaming can seem daunting if you’re not familiar with technology, but these tips will help you do it confidently, on a budget, and in a way that makes you look professional. We also outline the current protocols for live streaming on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. There are some basic rules and best practices when it comes to the sound, light, and framing of live streams. These should be observed to give the speaker the best chance to connect with his audience. Be aware of environmental factors that may interfere with your broadcast, also about the use of privacy settings and other safety issues if you’re live streaming from home.
1.1. Definition and Importance of Live Streaming
The art of live stream service is creating quite a buzz in Singapore. From event launches to features in newspapers, the benefits and potential this trend holds are becoming quite clear. Furthermore, the introduction of live streaming apps such as Meerkat and Periscope (owned by Twitter) has propelled live streaming to a wider, accessible platform where anyone who has a smartphone can perform live streaming. Recorded videos on YouTube may contain similar content and are viewable anytime, but it just isn’t the same. With many special events happening left and right every other day, live streaming allows audiences to experience events as if they were actually present, at least virtually. It’s an excellent guerrilla marketing tool and can be a means of generating revenue online.
Spending huge amounts of money on live streaming with the absolute best equipment may guarantee a better quality broadcast, but is it really worth it? Depending on what you’re broadcasting, maybe not. There are also those of you who would like to live stream but can’t afford to invest large amounts of money. This article was written for you.
2. Choosing the Right Live Stream Service
We will start with a tip that has the greatest impact on your live stream. Because it will help you greatly in maximizing the video’s potential in terms of its output quality and result. This is crucial because no matter how great your video content is, it is ultimately your live stream service that brings the content to your audience. With that in mind, before you set out to live stream an event or organize a meeting, gain the right support and assistance from equipment rental vendors in Singapore. Not only will this help make your shoot professional, but this tip can also save you money in the long run. For example, you can save time and money spent investing in equipment and learning to operate them. You can instead take the professionally shot footage to give you peace of mind and the crucial professional presentation. You will also be free to focus more on your event.
In this digital age, live video streaming is a great way to connect with an audience even when you’re physically not in the same location as them. Over the years, it has become increasingly common to live stream events such as weddings, corporate meetings, ceremonies, and more. That said, producing a high-quality live stream isn’t easy – it requires effort, time, and money. This is all the more challenging if you are on a tight budget or doing it yourself without production expertise. No worries, we know that the show must go on, and we want to support passionate self-starters like yourself. Here are our top tips for live streaming on a budget in Singapore.
2.1. Factors to Consider
Equipment – Get the right equipment. Most smartphones, tablets, and laptops can go live. If you are going to stream more than one speaker, the easiest setup is to use a camera (DSLRs are usually great options), a computer, and video streaming software. Cameras with HDMI or mini-HDMI output can be connected via a game capture device to your laptop. External webcams may also be a viable option. The most crucial thing is ensuring that your computer is able to handle the footage and stream effectively. Some older models may not have the processing power to handle that.
To go live, consider taking the following factors into account:
- Factors to Consider
This chapter gives an overview of how you can go live for your next event. It is important to note that live streaming can be as simple as recording a video on a phone and sharing that online via platforms like Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram. To start live streaming, consider the following factors.
Chapter 2: How to Go Live?
3. Budget-Friendly Equipment and Software
WebCamMax is a freemium software that allows you to stream videos, screens, and pictures. It is easy to use and supports YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch as well. It features funny built-in video effects like background replacements with sand flu, adding puppet society, scenes, and attractive cursor effects. Another great way to stretch your dollar is to use live streaming platforms that offer advanced features in free plans. These features include live streaming 24/7, video camera quality controls such as UltrID, Auto Level, Auto Brightness, stream delay, expiration and token URL, thumbnail, privacy control, and watermark. The best free live streaming provider for all those advanced features is Restream. However, if you think you need more bandwidth since it’s only 30 GB for the free version, you may want to consider using live stream as your alternative.
Additionally, most smartphones are able to provide a Full HD resolution, which is often good enough for a live stream. Even though cameras of smartphones may not be as powerful as professional cameras, it is still very adequate to use for live streaming. Just ensure that your phone has a good lens and clean it at all times, because blurry smudging on the lens can make the image quality appear bad. While some free apps can be used for streaming and sharing on social media, most live streaming platforms require a monthly fee. That’s where open source software comes into play. Here are a few popular open-source and free broadcasting software that offer many basic and advanced functions such as audio video mixing, transitions, built-in transitions, audio filters, video compression, support for multiple video inputs, and more.
3.1. Essential Equipment and Software
Furthermore, if you have multiple participants in your live stream, in addition to the microphone and webcam, you might consider getting HDMI cables, an external monitor, and a connector to the HDMI such as Elgato Cam Link, converter plug. Also, Josh has warned that HDMI adapters, such as the Elgato Cam Link and ATEM Mini, require a decent amount of processing power and RAM to maintain the quality of the stream, so you might need a computer with a good processor as well. Finally, you will also need software that can help you stream live from your laptop. Some of the more popular software tools amongst streamers include Open Broadcaster Software and Loola.tv.
If you intend to live stream from your laptop, you will need at least two pieces of equipment to live stream effectively. The first piece of equipment is the external webcam that you need so that your viewers can see you during the live stream. Unfortunately, most laptop cameras are fixed at an odd angle that often produces poor quality videos, and this will not create a good first impression with your audience, discouraging them from watching your live stream. The second piece of equipment you will need is a standalone microphone. The same problem that occurs with laptop cameras occurs as well within laptops. Therefore, it’s advisable to get another microphone so that your audience can hear you clearly during your live stream.
4. Optimizing Live Stream Quality
- Avoid streaming during times with heavy internet traffic. Are you aware of the uploading behaviors of other tenants sharing the same block? Your shared connections might cause more drop frames, increased buffering, and general slow connectivity.
- Stream from a wired connection. You should consider stream services that can be set up easily with wired connections. It is more reliable than unstable Wi-Fi connections. With wired connections, you are less likely to have drops in your live broadcasts.
- Use a high-speed internet connection. You might already have Wi-Fi internet, but streaming video needs a high-speed connection to transmit the data. Your internet provider should confirm the upload and download speeds. If this test shows that the speeds are not consistently high, you might need to consider purchasing an upgrade.
When your live stream is of high quality, it certainly looks more polished. More than that, people are more likely to view and participate in a high quality stream. If a stream is blurry or jerky, viewers are likely to click away very quickly. Pixelated images and broken up sound are not enjoyable. To optimize your live stream quality, you can:
4.1. Tips for Improving Video and Audio Quality
The built-in microphones on most computers and mobile devices do not pick up sound well and create an echo. To improve audio quality, use a lavalier microphone or an external microphone that can be positioned closer to the speaker. If a lavalier and an external microphone are not available, use a headphone. Closed ear headphones do a great job of not only providing good audio and voice capture for users but allows them to hear what is happening around them while the screen is off. The microphone on the earbuds can also perform a good job of capturing audio. The four-pole to three-pole connector is needed to connect the earbuds to the computer. These are a few dollars and are available from electronic stores such as Sim Lim Tower. If getting a microphone: The highly sensitive Røde Smartlav+ Lavalier Microphone for around $90 plugs into the smartphone or PC microphone mini-jack. Smartphone broadcasters can use the Røde Reporter Omnidirectional Handheld Interview Microphone for $198 that connects via the 3.5mm tab. Desktop and laptop users can buy a $33 USB microphone, the Fiesta SG300 from Lazada. To accommodate both Windows and Mac systems, a USB device will allow professionals to link XLR mics and convert it to digital before inputting it into their computer. Think of it as a sound cassette for modern systems. This is the Behringer UMC22 audio interface, costing $50, available from City Music.
Use a smartphone with the back camera facing you. The rear camera of most phones is superior to the front camera and usually has a higher resolution. If a webcam is preferred, find one that records in HD. Check that the camera is not recording in 480p, as this will result in lower image quality. The lighting should always be in front of the subject and preferably all coming from the same source. If using natural light, avoid direct sunlight as it can create overpowering highlights and harsh shadows. Use a desk light to illuminate the face and eliminate shadows. If there is not enough sunlight, or if appearance is important and need a professional video: buy a small LED ring light for $20 to $50 from a photography store, such as Zhiyong Digital or T K Foto. The color temperature of the light should be around 5500K, the same as sunlight, to avoid a mix of color temperatures, which gives a less professional finish.
5. Promoting and Engaging Your Audience
You can create an engaging online experience by choosing your words and simply continuing to develop good friendships and audience relationships. You can also host posts for an exclusive group or offer subscriber-only downloads, as we mentioned earlier. This is a big part of creating a community. It’s always better if you have an engaged audience of people that are interacting with your content and supporting you in the ways they can. Treat your live streaming projects like a part-time job. Engage with existing fans and try to grow your fan network too. You should respond to all chats, messages, or comments on social media. Make sure your social media links are prominently displayed so others can connect with you. You can also let your audience know the real benefit of these donations. Perhaps limit it so that you don’t drag the event out too long though and lose some audience.
In order to engage your audience and convince them to watch your live stream, you’re going to need to make use of your social media or website to introduce your shows. You can upload trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, or teasers for your live shows to create buzz around them. Ask open-ended questions during your live streams so that you can generate traffic and comments. You can ask them ahead of time for them so that your guest or host can address those right away. A nice way to make your stream more engaging is to bring in themed elements such as music or interactive graphics. Encourage sharing and commenting, even during the live stream, as people are more likely to tune into your show if they see it’s popular.
5.1. Strategies for Audience Engagement
Make your content as interactive as possible. Go live using live streaming software that lets you add graphics, videos, and other multimedia to your stream. Streaming live to several places at once with platforms like Restream can drive higher viewer engagement. Provide opportunities for your viewers to interact with you in real time. For example, they can ask you questions, vote, or choose the direction of your live stream in real time. You don’t have to be a big event planner to be able to create an engaging event. With some creativity and the use of the right live streaming platform, any event can wow its online audience.
As we’ve moved online for many events during COVID-19, marketers and event organizers are waking up to the importance of audience engagement in live streaming. If your audience isn’t engaged, they won’t stay for your whole live stream. But how do you get audience engagement, especially when you’re on a budget?
