The Live Streaming Industry at a Glance
What can we learn from the rise of the famous Chinese short-video platform TikTok and how does it apply to live streaming? For one, audiences love video more than they love the written word.
Previously, video has never been this easy to share, store, and view. However, with technological advancements, our attention spans are getting shorter, explaining the potential of the streaming industry. Live streaming and short and medium-length videos are among the most effective ways to connect with viewers. According to research by Livestream, 80% of consumers would prefer to watch live videos than read a blog and 82% of people like a stream over a social media post.
When it comes to consuming content, video is where it is at. 62% of people aged 18-34 regularly watch live streaming content. Overall, viewers are watching more live streams now than they were even a year ago.
Fun fact: Live streams hold viewers’ attention for 10-20x longer than VOD content
When it comes to live streaming, you want to stream in as many locations as possible. Multistreaming or simulcasting is when you stream to multiple platforms at the same time, such as:
- Business websites
- Social media platforms
- Video sharing platforms
Live streams have been shown on multiple platforms to hold viewers’ attention longer than VOD. So, to connect with modern viewers and hold their attention, you must create live streams.
What is a Private Live Stream?
Some live streams are private or for internal use only.
Private streaming offers the perfect solution to secure your stream while engaging a large group of selected audiences.
A private live streaming event is a broadcast meant to be streamed to a select group of people rather than to the public.
There are many live events where you may want to limit access and viewership, such as:
- Internal company meetings
- Internal company training
- Private streams to family and friends
- Paid virtual events
There are numerous paid private virtual events you could host, such as:
- Webinars
- Conferences
- Concerts
- Private meet & greets
- Classes
Live streams have many purposes in the world of business video hosting. For example, you could stream webinars, conferences, training sessions, and multiple platforms simultaneously.
Which broadcasts are public and private is to be determined by the broadcaster.
Typically, private video sharing would be intended for internal use. However, you can also use private video sharing for paid public events, where you only want those who paid for access to attend the event.
Public outdoor streaming, for example, would be intended for an audience beyond your company or authorized viewers. There are many use cases for private streams for businesses. Public streaming is when anyone, without any access requirements, can view your live streams.
How to Stream Privately
Setting up a private live streaming event is like setting up any other live stream. With a private live stream, you need measures that allow you to limit access to your events, such as password protection or domain restrictions.
Let’s run a quick tutorial on streaming privately using a private video streaming service.
Create a Plan
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That can’t be truer than in the case of live-streaming. Much planning and hard work go into each element of streaming since you can’t edit certain parts or make them look better during the post-production stages.
Winging it may sometimes work with a live stream; however, if you want to run continuous successful live streams, you need a plan. When planning a private live stream, you can plan it out on multiple levels:
Topic & Content
Once you know your audience and goals, it is time to choose a topic for your live stream. First, you should select a specific topic you want to cover. Next, choose a topic that addresses your audience’s needs.
After you choose your topic, start to write the content for your lifestream. You don’t have to follow a script. However, it would help to have a general outline you want to follow.
Once you create an outline, fill in the details. Are there stats you need to look up? Are there areas of your live stream where you want to share other audio or visual content? Having a plan allows you to add more depth to your live stream.
Live Streaming Setup
Finally, establish your streaming setup.
- Will you use a private or public free live streaming service for events?
- How are you keeping the stream private?
- Are you monetizing the live stream?
With a solid plan, you can run a successful live stream that meets the needs of your target audience, is engaging and entertaining, and hits your goals for the content.
Choose a Private Streaming Platform
When exploring how to stream privately, the best way to stream an event is with the help of a professional live private streaming platform equipped with the tools you need to reach your individual goals.
For example, monetization features are necessary for hosting a large paid event. However, if you’re leaning towards internal video streaming for the members of your team or organization, monetization is optional.
Streaming at the professional level also calls for branding customization and eliminating third-party ads and logos, something that’s missing from Facebook Live and YouTube Live.
Choosing a platform with an HTML5 white-label video player will help you achieve these things. Plus, an HTML5 video player is compatible with most internet-enabled devices. The nearly universal nature of that type of live video player will help maximize your viewership.
Other valuable features to consider when weighing your options for a live event streaming service include the following:
- Video and player API.
- Reliable content delivery through a global video CDN.
- An easy-to-use content management system.
- Video galleries.
- 24/7 customer support.
You want a private streaming platform allowing you to share the stream with an audience worldwide. In addition, you want a secure streaming platform with an easy-to-use content management system, a customizable video player, and 24/7 customer support.
It’ll help ensure you can create a successful customized private stream event.
Confirm Your Privacy Settings
Now, let’s talk about how to make a secure private stream. Password protection should be your first defense when you confirm your privacy settings for a private stream regardless of the live streaming solution you use.
Run through your online video player’s other privacy and security settings, and enable any additional controls.
- AES encryption
- Domain restrictions
- Geographic restrictions
- HTTPS video delivery
- Dynamic token security
Once you have your RSVP list, you can also set geographic controls on your stream for an extra layer of protection. For example, suppose our RSVP list only has participants from Canada, Guatemala, the United States, and Mexico. In that case, you can whitelist those countries to prevent access from viewers in any other country.
Start Streaming
Once everything is set up, it is time to start streaming. It’s a good idea to do a test run before you start the real stream to identify any snags in the system before you’re live in front of an audience.
It is a good idea to have somebody monitor your stream throughout so that you know if you go offline or experience any issues on the viewing end.
Leave a Comment