Thinking of doing a live stream anytime soon? If you answered yes, you should understand that keeping your audience entertained is a great way to share your live stream and invite more people in. If done right, it’s a good strategy to put your name out there. Before you know it, your live streams will become the most sought-after in the field.
However, as competition gets tougher, simply going live won’t cut it. Your audience has endless options at their fingertips—so how do you make sure they choose you?
Tips for Improving Engagement During a Live Stream
Here are some of the fool-proof ways to keep engagement high during a live-stream event.
1. Choose a Trending Topic
Discussing a trending or hot-button issue can attract more viewers to your livestream and spark interactive discussions. Being topical not only makes your content relevant but also entices your audience to share their own opinions and thoughts. It’s a great way to contribute to higher engagement rates. Stay updated on trends. Know what people talk about on social media platforms and news outlets.
Use tools to give you real-time data on what topics are currently generating buzz.
These platforms let you filter by industry to provide a list of trends relevant to your audience. Follow thought leaders in your industry. These individuals are likely to share or discuss the latest trends. Take this as a cue to dig deeper into these topics. Think about how you can integrate this into your live stream.
2. Use the Right Live Streaming Platform
Live streaming platforms specialize for specific industries. Some are better suited for gaming, while others excel in professional presentations or social interactions. Choosing the right platform for your stream allows you to reach your ideal audience more effectively.
For example, gamers can use specific platforms that offer a ready-made community eager to consume gaming content. If your target is more on the professionals, Zoom attracts a business-minded demographic.
When it comes to upping your engagement, one strategy you can use is pre-recorded video streaming. This feature lets you record your content in advance and broadcast it as if it’s happening in real time. Pre-recorded live streams allow you time to polish your content, ensuring high-quality delivery without the stress of on-the-spot performance.
Several platforms support this feature. It gives you the flexibility to create content that appears live but is pre-recorded and optimized for viewer engagement.
3. Pre-promote the Live Stream
As with any event, promotion is a must to ensure you get the most viewers to engage with. Use all your platforms to promote the event. You can release social media posts with the link to a pre-registration page (if necessary). You can also include a teaser video of what they can expect during your livestream. It’s great for increasing the likelihood they will tune in.
This is where the importance of knowing your target audience. Promotion comes easy when you know who you want to invite and target for your streaming session.
4. Optimize Technical Quality
You can’t simply go live and not think of technicalities. If you want to retain viewer engagement and deliver a seamless experience, focus on improving technical quality.
The most compelling content can’t be saved when a stream suffers from lag, low resolution, or poor audio. Viewers are likely to disengage or drop off entirely. Address these challenges by investing in foundational elements. Ensure you have reliable internet so your stream runs smoothly and is free from disruptive buffering.
You should also invest in quality cameras to make your life more immersive. Make sure your audio is loud and clear, so consider buying a good microphone. Keep in mind that you should also know how to troubleshoot in case something goes wrong during your stream. For example, you plan to do layering. Run a test before the scheduled live stream to ensure it provides a good viewing experience.
5. Follow a Regular Live Streaming Schedule
When you think about engagement, don’t focus on it being a one-time thing. You want to engage your audience every time you go live. You can achieve this by maintaining a regular streaming schedule. Your audience will tune in more if your streaming schedule can easily integrate into their daily lives. You want to make it habitual for them as if they are watching their favorite TV series.
Key Takeaways
Live streams are a new way of connecting to your followers. It somehow humanizes you and makes you more relatable. When planning a live stream, consider the following tips:
- Talk about a topic that your audience is most interested in.
- Choose the proper streaming platform to reach your target audience.
- Hype your livestream and build anticipation.
- Focus on technical quality.
- Follow a regular streaming schedule to encourage consistent viewership and build a loyal audience.
