Many people dream of being video content creators. For the past decade, YouTube demonstrated a fast increase of users posting videos on all topics. There are over 500 hours of content that get uploaded per minute. With such huge competition, creators turn to hosting live streams instead of posting videos.
Yet, doing a broadcast is not the same as uploading a recorded video. That’s why some preparations have to be put in place. They deal with what’s going on before, during, and after streams. With their help, anybody can go live on YouTube.
Prepare for the Stream
Users have to understand why they stream in the first place. They should aim for a clear goal. Some want to show off gamer skills, discuss best custom writings tips, or talk about favorite books. Depending on the topic, the stream must have an appropriate setup.
There are always people working behind the scenes during live sessions. There are several hosts involved or a professional cameraman. Additional moderators are often present to keep chats free of spamming and foul language. Take the time to understand why you chose to go live instead of recording a video.
These preparations ensure the efficiency of broadcasts. Before hitting the Live button, check if your title is accurate and SEO-friendly. Write a short description of the live stream that covers its key points. Don’t forget about adding a thumbnail image and having at least a simple script ready.
Another key part of getting ready is making sure that your social media accounts are linked to the YouTube channel. This way, it’ll be easier to share videos on these platforms.
Time Your Broadcast
There’s no way to find an ideal time to have your broadcast. But users can select the most optimal time slot. There are a few things to consider.
- When your videos get the most views. This information can be obtained from YouTube Analytics. It gives data about when viewers are online.
- Where your audience is from. In a global world, creators get views from many time zones. That’s why you have to select the optimal time for most of them.
- Find a top location. It’s not unusual for viewers to come from too many locations. In this case, choose the time of stream based on the timezone with the most views.
Those planning a series of streams should be consistent in their schedule. Users will more likely include your broadcasts into their schedule if they know at what time they start. It will also create a potential audience for the stream.
Optimize the Setup
You can’t edit or redo something once it’s live. Check everything before any broadcast. First, make sure that the camera is positioned right. There shouldn’t be anything distracting or personal items in the background. The lighting has to be placed right with no backlighting and shadows.
One of the crucial things about the stream is checking if mics and speakers work properly. Soundproofing your room or using noise cancellation are also good ideas. This way, no exterior sounds will be heard on the live stream. Moreover, it’s important to know if your Internet connection can handle going live via such sites as Speedtest.
Streamers should keep distractions turned off. No phone calls or notifications should go off. Last but not least, remember to stay hydrated. You’ll spend a lot of time speaking, so your mouth can dry.
Invest in Promotion
Even with the best setup, nobody will watch a stream they don’t know about. Streamers have to promote their upcoming sessions. They should be treated like any real-life events. There are several things they can do to make sure enough people know about their upcoming content on YouTube.
You can first think about making a banner for the live stream. Next, it’s important to create a small trailer for the broadcast and place it in the highlights. Continue asking viewers to subscribe and enable notifications. This way, they will most likely tune in to new broadcasts.
Once you’ve come up with the time and date for a new stream, schedule it. YouTube also recommends adding an associated website to increase potential viewership. All of these things ensure a large audience during the stream.
Engage Your Viewers
Getting people to watch your stream is hard enough. Now comes the part where you have to keep them engaged. There are many things streamers can do to achieve this goal.
Offer Recaps
Don’t forget to let people know what’s going on in the stream. Not everybody joins broadcasts from the start. Recaps should be done whenever there are jumps in viewers. When talking to guests, reintroduce them once in a while. One should also talk about things that are coming up.
Build Anticipation
Viewers should have a reason to watch streams to the end. These can include a finished look of a product, special announcements, or a Q&A session. Another good strategy involves giving shout-outs to donors and top viewers. They will greatly appreciate this and return for more.
Turn on Live Chat
During live streams, you can have conversations with viewers via live chat. Assign additional moderators and set banned keywords. This way, you’ll be able to avoid inflammatory and offensive speech in the comments. It’s as important as asking viewers for subscriptions.
Analyze Results
Your work isn’t over after the stream. Streamers have to analyze the results constantly. They can look at YouTube Analytics during and post streams. These insights can make future broadcasts even better. Look for when the viewership was the highest. These are the things that attracted a larger audience.
Retention rates show the number of viewers that watch the broadcast to the end. When both average view duration and retention are low, the next stream should be more interactive. Users can see how their live YouTube sessions contribute to the channel growth. Future content also has to be tailored to the most popular demographics.
Conclusion
Working on a YouTube channel is demanding. That’s why users have to do their best to stay afloat and grow their influence. This can be achieved by following the mentioned tips. Prepare, engage, analyze, and you will succeed.
