Tools for live streaming can save some valuable times. What is more, they can make a big difference in terms of quality of the stream.
However, the field is relatively new. Music live streaming only really came into mass usage when the corona lockdown hit the world.
First, it is really important to figure out a proper digital strategy. There is no use for a nice live stream if you cannot follow it up.
The streams go wild after 7 pm. If you want to compete with the mass then you really have something up your sleeve.
Also, it is important to make sure that your schedule is doable. Don’t overestimate your energy and time.
You probably won’t stop your entire life just to go live.
Don’t stop your life just to go live
Another big factor to think about is the content concept overall. Yes, there are amazing tools for live streaming, we’ll get there in a second.
However, they can’t replace bad content management. You really should think about the long term strategy that you are forming with your live streaming.
Not to mention the major digital strategy of your whole project. What is the use of the nicest live stream if your website SEO is like a hundred years old and your mobile page speed is down to 15 in the google tool?
I’m a strong believer that people are rather online or they are simply not. What does that mean?
It means that your entire portfolio has to be bang on. If you can’t support an online format in an adequate way, it’s perhaps better to take it down altogether.
Only use a website if it is really so much better than Facebook. If it simply hosts an IFrame with the Facebook snippet you might want to skip it.
Is Live Streaming Going To Be The New Concert Experience?
3 tools for live streaming to help you go live with your music
- Get the fastest Internet connection possible. This one should be super obvious. But somehow it’s not, so here we go. If your live streams aren’t satisfactional for you, then one important metric to check is your internet. You’ve probably had the standard connection and never really bothered about it. Perhaps you live in a flatshare and simply got the password when you moved in. However, the stronger the connection the stronger the stream. Sometimes it is even a good idea to get the good old LAN-Cable out of the box. If you don’t need Wlan for the internet you can save some bits. If nothing helps then you might need to look into upgrading your contract. However, one important thing to keep in mind is that there a local limits to internet speed. What does that mean? It simply means that not all internet speed is working equally. The fastest Internet in Europe is surprisingly happening in Latvia! If your really serious about live streaming then think about getting your hands onto optical wires. This is at the moment the fastest locally available internet connection you can get.
Fast internet is the number one tool for your live stream!
- Check the timetable of your competition. Is this a tool or is it common sense? Anyway, I really want to emphasis this one. If you haven’t done a proper competition analysis already. Now is the time. There is really no use to go live with your precious live stream if the bands bigger than you with the same fan base are also live. You’ve probably don’t have ten albums to burn while trying to figure this out. So, this one is really not sexy tool. However, it is a really necessary one.
- OBS. Finally, a real ‘tool’ for live streaming. OBS or Open Broadcasting Software is an amazing tool for live streaming. And it’s all for free! It is the interface for your broadcast. You can set up multiple cameras as well as start with an intro or end with an amazing outro. What is more, you can connect OBS to any simulcast software such as Castr.io. That way, you can stream your performance to multiple outlets at the same time. This would end any worries on where to host the live stream. You absolutely can go full monty with OBS. There is also a strong community and learning material around this.
There you have it, three things to keep in mind when planning a live stream for your music!