Live Event Streaming – What Are My Options?
Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to support our customers with video services for both in-person and virtual events. And while the future looks promising for the return of in-person events, the virtual side is expected to continue, at least in some capacity, as part of the new norm.
So in this short post, I’d like to share a few popular platforms that have worked well for our customers’ virtual events, and why they chose one platform over another. Note that this is only a small sample of the endless options available. As you consider any given platform option, first take inventory of your event needs. That way, the best fit for your event will be much easier to identify!
Facebook Live
Recently one of our customers needed to pivot a community concert and fundraiser. They chose to host their event on Facebook, where people could virtually drop in on a more casual basis, and the event could have more chances of local visibility and sharing. Facebook continues to enhance their live streaming abilities, but for us the main draw of this channel is easy visibility and interaction for specific people groups and communities.
Zoom
For something with more complex needs, Zoom has a lot more features- you can have meetings with up to one thousand people, webinars with up to ten thousand people, breakout rooms, screen sharing, chat, polling, Q&A and integrations with other applications. There are really a lot of possibilities, and they’re still developing more features. Most recently, they’ve added a comprehensive solution for more elaborate virtual events.
Website Embed
For some companies, a far more brand-centric live stream is important, and for those we can stream the video to directly embed on a website. This way you can use a url with your domain, and really customize the experience and page around the video stream.
Platforms: Tip of the Iceberg
There is a world of event streaming options out there – YouTube, Teams, EventCube (for large and complex events), and even Instagram (good for fan-based events, i.e. a book launch) to name a few! Every livestream is unique, but there is truly a streaming option for everyone.
And one last note- you can often livestream to multiple locations simultaneously. For example, we’ve streamed to Vimeo and Facebook at the same time. The streaming landscape is truly your oyster; there is a great solution for every situation we’ve come across.
In Closing: Ask the Right Questions
To sum it up, know your event needs. How large and/or complex is your audience? Do you want registration-only access? Does your event include audience interaction, and what do those needs look like (i.e. audience polls, Q&A…)? What generation is your audience, and would they be more comfortable on a given platform? Where does your audience spend their time online? These sorts of questions will bring you closer to finding your perfect live event streaming solution.
Have questions? Just let us know how we can help. We’d be honored to partner with you to make your livestream event a success!
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