5 tips to increase views on your music livestreams

Our only lifeline to live music amidst the pandemic, livestreams aren’t going anywhere, and now that most artists have had time to iron out the kinks, we’re looking at few tips on how to get more views for your next virtual performance.

Guest post by Randi Zimmerman of the Symphonic Blog

Livestreams have served as a light in the darkness and a much needed remedy for our live show addictions this past year. With COVID-19 restrictions still underway all over the world, livestreams have only gotten better as time goes on. We’ve published multiple articles to help you improve your streams, and we hoped they’ve helped your efforts so far! If you’re interested in some additional tips and tricks, here are 5 tips for getting more views on your livestreams…

5 Tips for Getting More Views on Your Livestreams

Send Out Reminders

Many people have confessed to missing livestreams simply because they forgot about them. This is an easy issue to fix! A good way to remind your audience on your upcoming stream is to have them sign up via a landing page.

Consider creating a Facebook page with all the details of your event. With it, you can send out reminders and notifications to make sure nobody forgets to tune in.

In addition, having a Facebook event page makes it easy for your fans to share the event with their friends. That being said, it doesn’t hurt to incentivize sharing here. For example, offer a discount code for your merch to those who share the event with 3 friends.

Use Your Partnerships To Promote It

Brand sponsorships, partnerships, and collaborations are some of the most lucrative opportunities you can get as an independent musician. If you’ve got partnerships in your arsenal, use them! Reach out to your sponsors and see if they can promote your upcoming stream on their own platforms.

Keep in mind that brands typically aren’t going to promote you for free, so be sure to offer something in return like a product promo or brand shoutout during the stream. — If you are new to reaching out for partnerships, check out “How To Contact Brands for Sponsorships and Collaborations” to learn how to get started.

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Sharpen your skills…

Virtual Platforms to Use for Your Next Live Stream

5 Tricks To Get More Out Of Your Livestreams

How to Improve Your Live Streaming Audio

Creative Ways To Monetize Your Live Streams

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Broadcast For Longer

The longer you stay live, the more time you give your audience to invite their friends, get settled and log in, or for those loose stragglers to stumble upon your feed.

(The ideal time to stream is AT LEAST 3 minutes.)

Utilize SEO

Search Engine Optimization is wildly important for increasing views on any video content, live or otherwise. Make sure the title and description correspond, you tag and categorize your video appropriately, and be sure to use an eye-catching thumbnail. — Check out “5 SEO Tips for Musicians” for additional SEO tips to boost your views.

Promote In Advance

The more you hype up your livestream 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 platforms you’re using.
• Tell them exactly what time they can expect you to hop on.

In your efforts, consider giving sneak peeks into what’s to come, showing your behind the scenes set-up, teasing some new songs, etc. — Just get creative with it!

In Conclusion…

When it comes to live streaming, it’s important to move forward with intention. Choosing the most popular streaming platform at random is NOT the way to go. Make sure to look into your fans’ online habits to decipher where their engagement could stand to gain the most. Check your analytics on YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, etc. to see exactly where the highest concentration of your fans lies.

Wherever your audience is strongest, that’s where you’ll find the most success. By doing your research and planning in advance, your livestreams will get more views in no time.

Good luck!