Why Zuckerberg Believes that Live Streaming is the Future?

Why Zuckerberg Believes that Live Streaming is the Future?

In the current scenario, one of the most sought after live video streaming platforms is Facebook live video streaming. There is no doubt that live video streaming is the future and Facebook saw its potential and invested heavily to tap on its billion user base. Mark Zuckerberg is a pioneer in analyzing its utility and future and put forward his thoughts on live video streaming in the most logical way possible. Facebook invested a great amount in 2015 to give its user base the taste of live streaming videos. They launched live streaming for the public on April 2016, where it was first opened only to the celebrities. The future of video streaming is clearly evident in the below-mentioned points:

Video is the new Information Medium

Compared to the 8-10 yesteryear trends, when text was more prominent in the communication sphere, every social media platform was based on the text communication. It then gradually translated to photos. Facebook too hosted large number of photos till date and is continuously doing so. People expressed their emotions and thoughts through photographs. Facebook purchased Instagram to extend its user base in this zone. The internet trend now shows that at present, the maximum demand of communication among people is through videos. The video is easy to comprehend and one can quickly grasp things which are said in videos as compared to text. Analytic data shows that in the newer future, video will far supersede any other form of communication on internet. Keeping this trend in mind, Mark Zuckerberg and his team invested heavily in Facebook Live streaming.

Video gives the Sense of Reality

future of live streaming

People have a liking and inclination towards things which give them the feeling of reality. Video has that capacity over any other form of communication. You can almost sense the person sitting in front of you in the video. The emotional connect over video is far more than one can expect on a live chat. It greatly rules out the communication gap. It gives room to have a clear understanding of things as they are. Facebook live streaming allows people to be connected with their friends and family live. All you require is your smartphone with a good internet connection.  What we generally see in TV shows and events, is a scripted show.  Facebook live streaming allows seeing the event or showing live, without any script or planning. It is raw and immediate.

Accessible to All

Gone are the days when live video was believed to be a hefty task. The internet bandwidth available to normal users and companies was also low. The cost of instruments involved was high. There were less number of people exposed to this technology. But now, it is available to every person on the planet who has a smartphone and decent internet connectivity. The Facebook live streaming video just requires few taps on your phone to be connected live. People enjoy face to face conversations more. Also, it allows them to connect with people whom they seldom meet physically. Facebook Live streaming gives people the feeling that they are going places with their friends and family. The future of video streaming is bright, with many opportunities to unfold. Technology has actually taken out the inertia from the system. It has disrupted the concentration of power in limited hands. Anyone can post their live video. Anyone can post their views on the content being offered.

Two Way Communication

One of the most advanced features of live streaming is that people are allowed to comment. There is a two-way communication. Seldom, in a TV show, you see what is being recorded or pre-planned. Audience comments sent through phone or the internet are separately received. In Facebook live streaming, people can comment their views instantly. This also allows the presenter of the video to interact with the audience at the same time. In training videos, this helps to clear the doubts. In conversation video, this makes the room to answer the questions posted by viewers instantly. There is also a trend analytics that live video garners 10 times more comments than a TV show or a recorded talk show. The instant reactions seem more realistic to millennials. It gives an opportunity for celebrities to have a live conversation with their fans. Also, it gives fans an opportunity to pose their questions to their favorite movie star, soccer star etc.

New Platform for Television Content

Thanks to major television shows, content is also moving online. People no longer want to restrict themselves to any single device. They want to watch the latest season of their favorite series on mobile. Some prefer to watch them on Laptops and the choice goes on. There are many events, matches which people wish to see moment by moment. Live streaming allows them to have this opportunity at their disposal. There are many TV channels which pose their content live on internet. It is unlike past where the choice of content was limited. Producers of the content are on their toes to produce the best possible content. If they don’t produce quality content, audience is empowered enough today to give them live feedback.

Ideal for Business Enterprises

live video stream

Corporates can benefit greatly with the live streaming facility. They can have better work dynamics in the office. Live meetings allow people to have better communication with their respective teams. They can have good emotional connect with each other. Communication gap can reduce to a great extent. The text communication largely misses out the true emotion behind the message. Live video meetings can fill the gap. It can also reduce the time for action considerably. Facebook live streaming can allow them to showcase the event to a large number of people. They can benefit with the live feedback, which can give them opportunity to improve. They can use live streaming to conduct training and recruiting programs. The product launches, interviews, backstage activities all can be showcased on Facebook live streaming.

Emotional Connect

People in the world wish to say a lot of things to the world from their own personal space. Some would like to share his or her happiness. Many would seek accolades, appreciation for their recent achievements. Some people would like to share their knowledge. There are people who wish to seek help. Social media is connecting all these people on one platform to fulfill their wishes. The Facebook live streaming allows them to be acknowledged in more accepting way. People can directly communicate to the huge user base of Facebook and can spread their message and thoughts instantly. The emotional connect with the real person speaking, exceeds far than somebody posting a photo or expressing in text.

Use the Latest Innovative Solution for Live Streaming: StreamNow

StreamNow

StreamNow provides you a platform to live-stream any of your activity just like Facebook live streaming or periscope. It provides ample features to choose from. You can live stream the video from web, android or ios. It has the notification system similar to Facebook. When you follow any of your friends and he is live streaming than you get the notification in StreamNow.

One can login in StreamNow through Facbook, Twitter or Google account. It provides many live streaming, like sports live streaming, one to many live streaming, one to one live streaming and etc. You can also charge the user who will going to use live streaming through your set up platform. Users viewing anything of StreamNow can comment or be a part of the chat instantly. It is a good platform to have answers to all your live streaming session needs.

If you have any doubts or concerns, feel free to drop a line or two in the comments section. I shall reply in a day or two. To learn more about Facebook live streaming and live video streaming, keep watching this space. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep yourself abreast of Elon Musk’s opinions on Artificial Intelligence and how AI impacts live video streaming. Our best wishes are with you and your live video streaming venture. Cheers!

 

Youtube Live Streaming vs Facebook Live Streaming

Youtube Live Streaming vs Facebook Live Streaming

Live streaming has become a veritable sensation in technology circles, with the bigwigs of communication technology vouching for its relevance and potential. With the likes of Facebook and Google investing millions of dollars in live video features, live streaming has snatched the spotlight from its erstwhile, significantly larger counterparts like archived videos and on-demand content. Streaming has revolutionised the way that users seek content. Live streaming has been commoditised and a host of companies are jumping on board to make it a regular feature in their communication plan. Regardless of the nature of your communication, a live feed can be tailored to fit your content effectively.  

Today, we take a look at two technology behemoths who have taken the live streaming industry by storm: Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

Facebook Live Video Streaming

facebook livestream

Facebook Live is an intelligent extension to the Facebook core service. With the potential to tap thousands of people at a time, the Facebook Live service instantly notifies those following a page about the start of a live feed, drawing immediate users. The Live service is fairly simple on Facebook. The live streaming feature can be started from any Facebook-supported device and the system is as simple as posting a status message. However, it is important to note that live streaming is currently only supported on Facebook pages, not on personal profiles.

Initiation Process for Facebook Live Video Streaming

  • Create a Facebook account
  • Verify your account
  • Create a Facebook page
  • Set your video bit rate at or below 2500 Kbps
  • Set your resolution at or below 1280 x 720
  • Establish frames per second at 30
  • Configure relevant video and audio sources
  • Install encoding software
  • Visit page and select ‘Publishing Tools’ > ‘Video’ > ‘Live’
  • Enter the stream URL generated by Facebook into your encoder
  • Enter a description overleaf
  • Select ‘Go Live’ to kickstart your Facebook live stream

Merits of Facebook Live Video Streaming

  • Facebook has a pre-built audience
  • Facebook Live API is compatible with avant-garde cameras
  • Facebook Live API pairs high-quality cameras with its inbuilt workflows

Demerits of Facebook Live Video Streaming

  • Facebook Live content is not indexed in search engines
  • Search engine optimisation becomes challenging as a result
  • Facebook searches for live streams can be ineffective and complicated
  • Older Facebook live streams can get buried under heaps of newer content
  • The video interface on Facebook is no patch on specialised interfaces like YouTube
  • The upper resolution limit sits at only 720p HD and not full HD
  • The upper bit rate limit sits at only 2500 Kbps
  • A Facebook live stream cannot exceed 90 minutes
  • Facebook does not extend monetisation avenues to broadcasters

YouTube Live Video Streaming

youtube-live-stream

Google’s very own live streaming platform, YouTube live is a much more conducive live broadcasting tool than Facebook Live. And while it’s fairly basic, it has myriad features packed into its folds.

Initiation Process for YouTube Live Video Streaming

  • Create a YouTube/Google account
  • Verify your account
  • Create an additional AdSense account if you plan on embedding your stream on another webpage
  • Connect your camera or webcam to your laptop or desktop
  • Click on ‘Stream now’ to begin streaming
  • Alternatively, select ‘Events’ to schedule a live event
  • ‘Events’ lets you augment the quality of your YouTube live stream by using superior cameras and encoders

Merits of YouTube Live Video Streaming

  • YouTube live streams are indexable on search engines
  • YouTube live streams have the potential to stack quite high on Google as well as other engines
  • The browsing experience on YouTube is easy and user-friendly
  • YouTube has been developed to be be a forever archive of videos whereas Facebook is skewed towards current content
  • YouTube Live API allows concurrent streaming across services and also allows the integration of apps with YouTube live stream

Demerits of YouTube Live Video Streaming

  • YouTube live streams can result in a loss of content control due to its advertising policy
  • YouTube ranks amongst the most-blocked services in the world

Other Live Video Streaming Providers

While Facebook and YouTube are amongst the most recognised live streaming providers in the world, they are only symbolic of the vast opportunity that exists in live streaming today. For entrepreneurs and marketers who are in search of a more augmented, professional live streaming experience, a tailor-made platform could work best. By opting to host your own stream, you can leverage novel monetisation techniques, diverse concurrent live streams and personalised features. Exclusive turnkey frameworks can help in the following ways:

  • Monetisation of live streams
  • Absence of competition on the same platform
  • Gated access to specific geographical regions
  • Use of custom videos
  • Concurrent broadcasts
  • Preservation of content rights
  • Specialised technical platform support

Most exclusive live streaming frameworks encompass all of the aforementioned features at a certain fee. The pricing for these platforms varies greatly; while some are built for bigger businesses, others are built for smaller ones.

Here are the top 5 turnkey frameworks in the market.

Ustream

Ustream is a high-standing live streaming provider and has been leading the market since its launch.

Key Features

Ustream offers security features, embedding, playlist controls and social links. The framework also provides marketing intelligence, lead capture and analytics. Ustream comes with an API that allows streamers to navigate their content; in addition, it hosts a Player API and Channel API that control customisation.

Livestream

Livestream is rooted in inclusive integration. Along with its framework, it also offers hardware such as encoders and cameras to power an end-to-end installation.

Key Features

Livestream offers analytics, custom support and tracking tools, although these offerings are differentiated across pricing plans. The Livestream API framework is divided into three classes: API tools, Channel API and Player API, which work together to let you personalise, control and tweak your streams.

Brightcove

Brightcove has been designed especially for mid-range to larger businesses. It offers an array of monetisation tools as well as transcoding technology. The platform is directed at businesses that provide media and over-the-top content.

Key Features

Brightcove provides ad-block technology, lead capture tools and integration features that plug into partner platforms. Brightcove houses a Media API as well as a host of other APIs that underpin the product categories of Brightcove.

Wowza

Wowza has two primary offerings: Wowza Streaming Cloud and Wowza Streaming Engine.

Key Features

Wowza Streaming Cloud is a cloud-based streaming tool that upholds 4K streaming, security features and a white label service. Wowza Streaming Engine is a software that lets you establish a streaming framework on your own servers.

StreamNow

StreamNow is a versatile, inclusive software that has made waves in technology communities across the globe. Designed exclusively for small and mid-sized businesses, it is an ideal combination of utility and aesthetics. Plus, it is affordable and can be set up swiftly.

Key Features

StreamNow offers superior live streaming quality, customisation features, a sturdy admin console and fluidity across devices and operating systems. Its technology stack, which includes WebRTC, Node.js and Bootstrap, rivals some of the best live streaming frameworks in the world. StreamNow can be plugged into your existing technology stack.

Whatever your budget, objective and size, there’s always a way that you can use live streaming to build your business. Pick a live streaming technology that complements your business and get started on your journey.

 

Learn How to Choose Live Streaming Platforms for Your Business

Learn How to Choose Live Streaming Platforms for Your Business

Live streaming is a great option for getting the first impression for your organization. Live streaming is more powerful than one can even realize. It could be the first point of contact with your organization. And we all know that first impression is always hard to reserve hence, a company having live streaming could make a better progress compared to the one without it. Live streaming can also generate revenue, making its contribution to an overall success to your organization. The live streams are supported by live streaming platform provider that makes a good mark. A live streaming provider is said to be the best if it has got an excellent branding, viewing experience and messaging, support and monetization options.

Live streaming is significant for your business and here are the reasons why you need to choose it for your business:

Growing online videos:

Online videos are having massive growth in recent times. Companies like Cisco expect that online videos account for 80% of all the internet traffic by 2019. Huge social media websites like Facebook expects their platform would be all video by the next five years. Online videos improvethe communication medium that enables to capture the experience of the viewers. Videos are the best ways to communicate within technical limitations and the images added make it popular. The users expect more content of videos because they are easier to use and immediate connectivity within live streaming.

Engagement of audience:

Social media websites are very keen in making live streaming a significant option for their business. Facebook gives live stream content a boost on the live streaming platform and the videos generate more reach to the audience than any other content type. The videos need not be highly produced or scripted much and this is a great chance for brands, to promote their usage and live streaming is a great way to do that.

Future challenge for television:

TVs being an only entertainment device is now being replaced with online contents particularly video content. These videos promote the brands through ads which are mostly viewed through online resources. With time, more people started tuning-in to live streaming which resulted in a bigger opportunity for brands to reach targeted audience.

Live Streaming Platforms

Live streaming platforms

Live streaming platforms offer built-in marketing modules and in 2017, businesses have got a wide variety of social live options to promote their brands such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Periscope. Periscope is easy to expand to the audience and can easily gain new followers and viewers. But, each business has different live streaming needs.

There are few areas that need to be evaluated before selecting a platform. They are:

Messaging & Branding: 

A first impression is the best impression and this impression should be reinforced in the organization messaging and branding. There needs to be an attractive portal for viewing custom built for the organization, the ability to upload notifications and graphics and a notes or news section such that users can know about the social activity and announcements of the organization.

Experience:

The video content should be having relevant and immersive features for the viewers. It should have enhanced integration with social media, access from any device, highlights and live data feed.

Monetization:

This helps the business to get most of it from the live stream through pay-per-view (PPV) or ads and sponsorship. The funds generated in this way can help the program keep going or even improve it. Stretchable PPV options should be available on the platform. There should also be a flexibility to adjust inventory options and ability to generate 100% revenue from ads.

Support:

There needs to be an awesome support system not only for the business but for the viewers too. They need to identify the issue early and help the users and handle customer support problems and questions. When live streamed events take place, they need to work consistently.

Various Live Video Streaming Platforms

Live streaming services

There are various live video streaming platforms available in the market. Based on the features, one can choose a live streaming platform for their business.

  • LiveStream: This is a paid live streaming platform where a user can upload videos from cameras and mobile devices through the internet. It has more than 200 TV affiliates and it can be used with World Economic Forum, Spotify and many more.
  • UStream: it has more than 80 million viewers and it is used to helps soldiers to communicate and let their families know what they are doing and how they are rather than waiting for a letter or call. This can be used with Twitter which gives a chance to connect with more viewers.
  • Dacast: It is one of the widely used live streaming platforms for many users. This can be streamed through the cloud, which can save the device space. It is simple to use and monetize. It is used by many business individuals as it is customizable. Simple to use, particularly for beginners. The support system of this platform is round the clock which would be useful for the business.
  • StreamShark: To record and stream high profile events worldwide, StreamShark is a best live streaming platform for your business. Users can manage different parts of events streaming and reach them worldwide giving an opportunity to grow the business. Many people like to have an experience of 360-degree videos, with StreamShark they can get the feature and make it easier for their viewers to view it from any device.
  • Facebook Live: Social networks are the best place for live streaming videos. Facebook is one of the biggest social networking platforms, Facebook live streaming platform, it has many benefits. This has control over viewers who watch the videos and targeting a particular kind of audience is easy. Here you can target audience geographically which is great for business to reach out their purposes. There is no payment option here and live videos have been shown to be watched over three times compared to non-live video.
  • Periscope: This is a live streaming video platform that allows the users to shoot using cell phones. The app can be conveniently used with iPhone and other devices. Live streaming videos can reach the masses faster because they watch the video without edits. Through Twitter, people are notified about the videos and they are available to be watched for 24 hours allowing those who missed up.

The Best Amongst all Live Streaming Platforms: StreamNow

StreamNow

StreamNow is the best solution to start a live streaming business. StreamNow is highly scalable live streaming software with various revenue channels which includes features to serve as Ustream clone or Twitch. This live streaming software can transmit live video and audio coverage for an event over the internet. It is available to the audience for free of cost or through payment on a monthly or per view basis.

Features:

Communication system:

A peer to peer comment or chat system helps the user to discuss about videos, and can express their view or opinion. This can help the business to increase the brand value in a long run.

Unbeatable Live streaming:

The quality and continuous live streaming without any kind of technical issues make SteamNow a widely used live streaming platform by many business firms.

Follow-up:

A live streaming viewer or a user can easily follow others and gets a notification each time the person update anything or does any activity like attending an event or a session.

Subscription:

For viewing a premium live streaming sessions, the user needs to subscribe. StreamNow has got various plans for a subscription for its users.

Dynamic Administration:

It has a dynamic and robust admin panel which gives a wide range of options to the users. Such options include deleting a videos, flag or changing the social login configurations.

Pay per View:

Some users may not be convenient with the subscription plans. In such a case, StreamNow gives them a feature called pay per view, where they can pay depending on the live streaming videos they watch.

SEO Friendly:

Search engine optimization (SEO) has an important role in digital marketing. StreamNow has implemented different strategies of SEO to get more quality visitors or traffic through an organic search.

Payment Options:

The payment collections are through PayPal which seamlessly facilitates payments from all over the globe. It has other convenient payment options too.

Suitable for Android/iOS App:

52 percent online orders are from mobile devices. StreamNow is available as an app for Android and iOS for the users of streaming business.

Social Login:

StreamNow helps users to sign up or login through various social media networks such as Google accounts, Facebook or Twitter.

StreamNow is a live streaming platform which provides live streaming services for any business. Using it one can generate billions of dollars profit every year. This can happen through live streaming ads alone. The platform has a ready-made turnkey solution which can launch live streaming solutions. The business can launch their own live streaming videos and get the users subscribed for the same. StreamNow has various social features which make it the best live streaming solution. 

If you have any doubts or concerns, feel free to drop a line or two in the comments section. I shall reply in a day or two. Keep watching this space for insights on live streaming services and live streaming platforms. Do subscribe to our newsletter to know more about live streaming solutions. My best wishes are with you and your live streaming venture. Cheers!