Canceled events due to Coronavirus – we present alternatives

How can livestreaming replace events?

Especially for presentations, press events or conferences livestreaming is the ideal substitute. Visitors not only experience events safely from home, but can also take advantage of many possibilities to interact offered by said livestreams. Upcoming events, to which speakers have been invited already, can be replaced by a stream, sometimes even at short notice.
But also for internal events like Townhall Meetings or trainings a livestream is suitable. And instead of public broadcasting on the Internet, it can be made available on the Intranet. A positive side-effect is that employees from other cities or countries can also participate in the event. And if the stream is recorded, it can also be viewed with a time delay. This allows more people to participate, even if they were unavailable on the actual event date.

What is required for a livestreaming production?

Live transmissions to the Internet do not have to be complicated. They can be realised in their smallest form by just one person. What is absolutely necessary is a camera, a streaming device and a connection to the internet. Depending on the requirements of the event and by using several cameras, livestreams can also provide a result similar to a TV show.

Additional benefits of streaming

Regardless of the number of participants, live streams have a number of other advantages which made them become more interesting over the last few years. First of all, livestreams are basically available worldwide as long as the host does not actively restrict the user group. This way, you are able to reach a huge audience as well as achieving a worldwide marketing effect with local events or even earn money through said events. Another important aspect is that a live streamed event always has the equipment for a recording on site already. This practically guarantees a recording for future use. Not only do you give people who were not physically attending an opportunity to watch the event live, you can also use the recorded material for other occasions later on. If you have your event professionally streamed, the sound for visitors on site is going to be significantly better, since speakers on stage are usually microphoned for the broadcast.
All advantages at a glance:

• Even possible with a small team
• Users will be able to access from anywhere
• Event can be recorded
• Sound on site is better with the use of microphones
• Worldwide monetisation of events
• Higher degree of interaction is possible

Higher audience participation compared to lectures

An important part of live events is the interaction between participants and speakers. So it is pretty convenient that especially livestreams offer particularly diverse opportunities for interaction. Through a chat function, viewers have the possibility to give live feedback and ask questions and even discuss as a group. Online, the hesitation to discuss is lower, which is why the interactions are often very natural and informal. And last but not least, requests to speak and other interactions can be reviewed afterwards to find out exactly what has appealed to users. In this way, formats can be developed long term through constant development.

Which platforms are available for livestreams?

Since the first stream and video call provider Skype started their service in 2003, a lot has changed. By now there are many services and websites that offer livestreams. But depending on the target group or type of stream, different providers are suitable.

Social media platforms such as Facebook or Youtube promise the greatest potential audience reach for your own livestreams. One advantage of these platforms is that they are easy to use for subscribers. This also makes them particularly suitable for public events for anyone can participate. The comment function and user base also speak for themselves. Facebook and YouTube are also well suited for spontaneous streams due to their easy-to-use nature and on top of that they can be used free of charge. However, these advantages can also be disadvantages if, for example, you only want to give access to selected people like paying customers or your own employees.

For this purpose, there are now plenty of live streaming providers that offer a wide range of services in exchange for payment. They are partly associated with high monthly subscription fees, but also offer more customisation options, analysis functions for user behaviour and control during production. One of these providers is Vimeo, which also offers features such as live Q&A, live surveys and a live chat. 

The choice of platform may not be as important if you are working with a production company that will implement the stream for you. Let us advise you which platform suits your requirements. Usually you rent the temporary use of the services for your stream from the production company.

Livestream for flowfact

Internal meetings with few participants

Smaller internal meetings are also currently in focus, as this reduces traveling and aims to have teams spend less time in close contact. Video call services such as Skype or Google Hangouts are ideal for internal meetings with participants in different locations.

If more participants are needed or other advanced features are required, webinar services are a good choice. Webinars were designed as interactive tools for training, and are ideal for this purpose. The main concept: several users are in a virtual seminar room simultaneously, equipped with their own microphone, webcam and headphones. They take part in a joint event, can ask questions and discuss with each other. Even if a training course is traditionally led by one person, the participation of several users is an important part of a webinar.

What is the difference between webinars and livestreaming?

Livestream is an umbrella term that can describe any kind of online live broadcast. So one could say that webinars are a subtype of livestreams. In any case, the scope of webinars is tighter and limited to trainings and workshops. On the other hand, livestream solutions that are not webinars in the narrower sense can also be used for training purposes.

Conclusion

Due to the recent cancellation of numerous events, tools for online conferences and training have moved into focus. Livestreams and webinars can be an alternative here, but also offer strong additional benefits. Regardless of the development of diseases, they will continue to play a growing role for companies in external and internal communication in the future. For all those focusing on events today and in the future, now is a good opportunity to start considering live streaming.

About mindnapped

mindnapped is a video agency and film production specialised in video-based communication solutions for companies and public clients. One of the core services of mindnapped are high-quality live streams with fixed price packages or individual productions.