Live streams have the power to create a deeper connection between the creator and their supporters. “Your followers many times need to see and hear who and what you are all about for them to make an investment in you and your work,” said Jovan Hutton Pulitzer, creator on Locals. To ensure you get the most out of your community, we have put together five best practices for live streaming you may not know about.
Stream on a Schedule
Applying best practices during your live stream is only part of the equation. Setting yourself up for a successful stream happens before you go live. Promoting your live streams beforehand and on a consistent schedule (i.e., every Wednesday at 7 pm) can help you increase turnout and make for a more lively chat (p.s. remember only your supporters can participate in the chat). Schedule your live stream in advance so your community can be notified about your upcoming broadcast. This will help build up anticipation and excitement for your members. Not only does it give them something to look forward to, but it also gives them a chance to make time in their schedules, which increases your chances of high attendance.
Here’s how to schedule your live stream on Locals
Strong Title
Whether making one for your next live stream or a video, you need a title that will capture your member’s attention, so you need to make an impact with it. Remember that your stream title is the same as writing a headline for an article. Making it catchy and specific to the content you’re planning can give people information about your stream. A great title paired with a consistent streaming schedule should perk the curiosity of your community’s members, making them more likely to join your stream. “People like to do things they feel others are doing too! It’s FOMO (fear of missing out),” said Pulitzer
Planned Content
Many streamers go live without a plan hoping they can just wing it, but, more often than not, it leads to a lot of “eh”s and “um…”s. You don’t need to write an entire script for your live stream, just a plan of the topics you want to discuss. When planning your live stream, consider what your goal is so that you can maximize your results. You can even take the opportunity to show off your more creative side or other interests and hobbies, outside of what you normally show your audience. For example, ZDoggMD, whose content is usually centered around health advice and the medical industry, sometimes uses his live stream to do impromptu karaoke sessions for his members. He even starts taking song requests! It’s very entertaining and his audience loves the interaction.
Interact with your Viewers
As mentioned above, interacting with your viewers as much as possible is a fantastic way to boost engagement. Unlike videos on-demand, viewers join live streams to participate instead of watching passively. That’s why live videos can create such compelling and captivating content. Consider leaving some time for a Q&A, or ask your audience for feedback on what content they would like to see next. Get creative, let your hair down, but most importantly, stay authentic. Your audience will appreciate it.
Use Livestreams To Convert Members Into Supporters
Our latest update lets you start a live stream for free; then, with one easy click, you can transition a stream to supporters only. “You have a 60-second count down to get down to the nitty-gritty. Just like TV series have cliffhangers and movies have previews, this is your hard-hitting preview,” said Pulitzer. “We like to give about 5 to 8 minutes of pre-welcome content and make everyone feel a part of something” This accomplishes two tasks at once. It’s a great way to thank your supporters by giving them extra value, and it creates another opportunity to convert free members into supporters! Nothing like a little FOMO to tip a member into becoming a supporter.
Click here to learn more about the midstream support-only feature
It may seem like a lot to take in at first, so we suggest trying to take action on a few of these best practices at a time. Soon enough, “You’ll give those on the fence proof of your worth, and your conversions will go through the roof.” said Pulitzer
Check out our latest tutorial video on live streaming on Locals.