How to: LIVE stream school events
“Live streaming builds out that know, like, and trust factor at an super-accelerated rate.”
What is live streaming?
Most school marketers will be aware of live streaming, but many will not have tried it. Live streaming is a service that allows you to broadcast live feeds via social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
In the big, wide world, live streams are used to promote all sorts of things. Platforms like Twitch, allow video gamers to live stream themselves playing a game (this is a HUGELY popular feature on YouTube at the moment). Large sporting events can live stream games, adding more viewers to an event (and negating the need for a TV). The recent American election was largely broadcast to the world using live streaming.
You can even watch a stream of a fish in its tank!
Where can I live stream?
There is a growing number of streaming services but the important ones for your school to take note of are:
- Twitter: Periscope is Twitter's platform for broadcasting a live stream. We love Periscope, as it offers an instant method to share top #SchoolStories with your community. Gain more engagement by promoting your broadcast before it goes live. Follow Periscope's latest news, tips and features blog, to stay ahead with the platform.
- Facebook: with Facebook LIVE you have all the power of live streaming with the sheer reach offered by social media leader, Facebook. Feel inspired by these past Live videos, and see how people have been connecting with their followers.
- Instagram: users now have the ability to add live streams to give their Instagram Stories extra clout. This has proven an incredibly popular feature for Instagram. Live streams will disappear
The three above are the most notable for your school, as each can be implemented into your marketing strategy effectively. Below are a few more worth noting (but less inclined towards school marketing efforts).
- YouTube: the video-centric platform has taken to live video streams as naturally as a fish does to water (which you can watch live on YouTube - above!) There are some current stipulations to being able to broadcast on YouTube Live (such as 10,000+ subscribers), making this a harder channel for schools to obtain. Check the YouTube Live channel for a real smorgasbord of live streams.
- Twitch: the world’s leading social video platform for video game culture. Twitch is incredibly popular with the gaming community and younger people, with new consoles having their own Twitch services so anyone can broadcast their gaming to the world. Not a huge platform for schools to use, but a big one to know about!
Spectacular streaming statistics:
- The streaming industry is estimated to reach $70.05 BILLION by 2021
- 81% of internet audiences viewed more live content in 2016 than they did in 2015
- Facebook Live videos are watched 3x longer than regular videos
- YouTube Live was largest streaming platform in early 2016, with Facebook gaining ground towards the end of the year
- Live.Ly (the live streaming service from Musical.Ly) is bigger than Periscope, with 4.6 million monthly active users
- Twitch draws 10 Million daily active users, watching an average of 106 minutes every day
How to broadcast on multiple platforms (at the same time!)
For users of live streaming services, a common question is which one should I be using? This is not an easy one to answer as different services will reach a different area of your community.
The best answer then is: all of them!
For schools interesting in broadcasting multiple live #SchoolStories to the world, you will need to use tools to help you achieve this. There is a growing number of companies who can offer this service, with varying costs.
This livestreaming guide offers some great options which cover Facebook, YouTube and Twitter (Periscope).
Reaching your audience
Understanding the pros and cons of each channel is the first step to effectively reaching your audiences. Twitter and Facebook will offer different demographics, as well as different degrees of reach.
Be sure to promote upcoming broadcasts to your community. Kings Bruton have done an excellent job of this by having a dedicated page for their live streams.
The beauty of this is you can embed live streams onto your website. This means people can access your broadcasts without needing Facebook or Periscope, adding even more reach!
Live streaming is a fantastic way to reach and engage with your community. Research is proving that engagement levels are higher with live streams over conventional video content.
For schools, it is a top way to get parents more involved in their child's education. For busy parents - who perhaps can't make sports day or a drama production - offering a live stream can be just the answer!
We can see true value in live streams but as we all know, the proof is in the pudding! Give it a go and see what comes from it. We are here to help too! Contact us and let us show you how amazing social media can be for schools.
As always, please do leave comments below - lets get a discussion going on schools live streaming.