Live Music Streaming Best Practices

With live shows and tours on hold for the indefinite future, already popular live streaming is really having its moment in the sun, and like any other performance, a good live stream requires the right elements to execute effectively.

Guest post by Randi Zimmerman of the Symphonic Blog

With shows and gigs cancelled around the world, live streaming is taking over the internet at full speed. Before you go live, here are some best practices to help keep your audience engaged and make sure your stream is a hit.

Best Practices for Live Streaming

Promote. Promote. Promote.

Make sure to tell people ahead of time when you’re going to broadcast. The more you hype it up in advance, the more people will be ready to check you out once you go live. Announce your livestream on all your socials. Let everyone know which platform you’re using and exactly what time they can expect you to hop on.

Give sneak peeks into what’s to come, show your behind the scenes set-up, tease some new songs, get creative with it! Check out your analytics data on whichever platform you decide to use to get a clue into where your audience is and what they’re most interested in to optimize your efforts.

Not sure which one to use? Check out, “Virtual Platforms to Use for Your Next Livestream” to learn about what’s available to you and how to choose the right one for you.

Have a strong WiFi connection

The last thing you want is your internet to go out in the middle of your stream. Make sure you have a strong WiFi connection before you start. Let other people in your household know when you’ll be online to defer any mishaps. Have a plan B ready to go if you do lose connection. You can never be too prepared!

Set up a steady camera spot

Either use a tripod or create a steady base for wherever your camera is going to sit. You don’t want your stream to experience the dreaded slow droop of the camera angle from it slowly falling into oblivion (aka your bedroom floor). Keep in mind, you’ll be doing your thing, kicking ass, etc., so be sure it’s steady enough to handle a couple bumps here and there.

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Check these out…

5 Reasons Every Musician Should Be Using Twitch

Everything You Need to Know About YouTube Premieres

Host Your Next Livestream via Symphonic’s Social Networks!

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Engage with your audience

Interact with your audience as much as possible. Say hello to commenters, let your audience ask questions and be sure to respond as much as you can. Shout out the names of great commenters or those who send tips your way. Be as personable as you can. They came here just for you!

Broadcast for longer to reach more people

The longer you stay live, the more time your audience has to invite their friends, for people to get settled and log in or for those stragglers to stumble upon your feed. The ideal time to stream is AT LEAST 3 minutes.

Include a Call-To-Action

Once you finish all the action, be sure to include a call-to-action. Direct your audience to your socials, streaming platforms, your website, etc. Since you’re so incredible, people are going to want to know where they can get more. If you’ve got merch, now is a great time to do a quick promo.

In Conclusion…

The key to having a great live stream is meticulous preparation. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be one step closer to executing a perfect live stream. Good luck!