There are so many solution to talk with audiences lately, and so many instruments at our fingertips, it will probably really feel overwhelming to decide on the very best ones to concentrate on. There’s one factor particularly although that doesn’t get talked about almost sufficient regardless of its immense energy. That is: dwell streaming.
In current years particularly, dwell streaming has grow to be a robust software to attach with followers, reaching them wherever they’re on this planet. This has allowed performers to complement their touring, or change in-person occasions altogether.
Your choices for livestreaming platforms embrace:
And by utilizing a service like Restream, you possibly can even go dwell to a number of platforms directly.
But if artists have so many alternatives to straight attain and interact viewers, and even construct a loyal fanbase, the place must you start? If you’re new to livestreaming or want a refresher, try our ideas under.
Understanding the platforms
There are lots of choices on the market for you, all of them completely different relying in your wants. One of crucial concerns is: the place is your viewers prone to be already? We listened a few of the dominant social and livestreaming platforms above, every with distinctive advantages and options. But you’ll additionally see some various platforms like StageIt which presents the advantage of promoting tickets to your exhibits. Or Volume.com which provides artists 95% of the guidelines they accumulate, together with Fan Subscriptions and Ticketed livestreams, which finally ends up being a extremely good solution to make slightly more money off your exhibits, whereas additionally gathering fan information and (in Volume’s case) getting into you for added perks like the prospect to play main festivals and different alternatives.
It’s not nearly livestream concert events
When you livestream there are SO many choices at your fingertips. It’s not nearly placing on an ideal live performance, which you’ll be able to (and may!) do. There are so many different choices like….what sort of dwell efficiency? Full band? Acoustic? Piano pushed? What a couple of Q&A session the place followers can ask you questions? Or host a panel with different musicians and mates. Then there’s behind the scenes streams, perhaps an hour every week the place you invite followers to “write” with you just about, otherwise you take them behind the scenes of constructing a video. You may even do digital meet and greets!
You can really become profitable off your livestreams
Yes, it’s true! You can monetize your livestreams by digital tip jars that enable followers to point out their appreciation for you, promoting tickets or unique VIP bundles, promoting merch (together with unique merch you possibly can solely get on the LiveStream), and ultimately sponsorship and/or adverts! Some platforms actually have a inbuilt foreign money for tipping, similar to bits (Twitch) and Stars (Facebook).
The cool factor about livestreams is how comparable they’re to in-person exhibits in that method. You can nonetheless present all the advantages of these exhibits, just like the tip jar or the unique merch, however do it in a method that means that you can attain extra folks
Try out the other ways based on what feels most aligned together with your model and the stage of your profession you’re at. You can all the time combine and match, commerce one for the opposite, and simply see what works.
Get out of your lounge
Speaking of the variations between in individual and digital exhibits, simply because it’s digital doesn’t imply it ought to all the time be in your lounge. While it won’t make sense to hire out a music venue for a totally digital present, you wish to maintain issues attention-grabbing by altering up your area. Even if it’s rotating which band member’s home you carry out in, doing an acoustic set in your yard or the park, or spending slightly to hire a small studio for a really particular efficiency, protecting your setting attention-grabbing is a key a part of protecting your viewers’s consideration.
Show your followers they matter
A dwell stream isn’t the identical as an in individual occasion, and you need to make up for a little bit of that interplay that you simply’d usually get in individual ,which suggests paying further consideration to your followers each earlier than, throughout, and after the occasion.
A easy method to do that is to thank your followers for coming, and reply to any feedback they’re leaving each throughout and after the livestream. You can even share the replays so followers who missed it will probably nonetheless watch (perhaps even share with their mates) and tease future livestream content material as a solution to maintain them and coming again for the subsequent one
Don’t be afraid to experiment
Live Streaming is an ever evolving factor and what’s working for you this month would possibly change in 3 months—that’s a part of the enjoyable! We noticed huge development for dwell streams through the pandemic and we discovered what labored then doesn’t essentially work years later when exhibits are again on. So it’s a continuing sport of experimentation however that simply means listening to followers, taking part in round with what you provide, and discovering the candy spot.
Final ideas
Live Streaming presents indie artists a singular alternative to attach and interact with followers in a totally new method; it’s a possibility to thrive in a web-based area. By deciding on the precise platform for you and your followers and creating constant, thrilling content material you’ll see the ability of livestream in rising your profession and cultivating a really loyal and excited fanbase.
Angela Tyler is the founding father of MP Co. (previously Muddy Paw PR) and has secured placements on Forbes, American Songwriter, Lead Singer Syndrome, & extra. She loves dessert, her canine Sawyer, and new music—be happy to ship her yours!