White Label Video Streaming: How Does It Work?

White Label Video Streaming: How Does It Work?

Video streaming, both on-demand and live are essential tools for businesses of all types. As major networks and studios continue to launch their streaming services, you need to offer content libraries broad to attract new customers and retain existing customers. 

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to the remarkable growth of video streaming marketing due to the rising adoption of streaming as more people are subscribing to these entertainment platforms. To point out, the video streaming market is expected to grow from $42.60 billion in 2019 at an annual growth of 20.4% from 2020 to 2027

Here is what Asia pacific video streaming market size looks like from 2016-2017.

video-streaming-market-size-streamhash

Source

Considering this immense growth of the industry, many digital media and broadcast providers are putting in their efforts to build new platforms for customers to access different types of content like music, videos, and other types of entertaining and informative content. The emergency situation COVID-19 has positively impacted global video streaming growth and the adoption of white-label video streaming in general. 

What is white-label video streaming?

A white label product is something that is manufactured by one company and sold to other companies to be reused and sold as their own. When it comes to video streaming, white-label streaming means broadcasting your content with customized features and branding of your own. 

Simply put, white-label is a term that refers to something without branding. For example, a video streamed from youtube will have its logo on the player.  

Now, what is a white-label platform? A white-label video platform is an online video platform that comes equipped with a white-label video player and the necessary tools to customize it according to your needs. When your audience watches your content, they will associate your brand with the content and not the service you used to host or stream it. 

With easy-to-navigate online video platforms and new integrations, white-label video streaming no more requires technical expertise to get started. Whether you are offering video on demand or live streaming solutions, you can benefit from a white-label streaming service to promote your unique video content. 

Advantages of using a white label video streaming

The advantages of white label streaming to business are several. While label streaming platforms do not just offer professional video players for video on demand and live streaming solutions, it also offers offer branding solutions, video monetization, and a lot more. 

In particular, white-label video streaming allows you to add your logo to your video content which helps to facilitate greater recognition of your brand to your audience. It also supports the aesthetic and functional personalization of the website in terms of colors and dimensions. The fundamental idea of white-label streaming is to allow broadcasters to maintain ownership of their content through the streaming process both from the customer and legal perspective. Not just that, there are more advantages to white label video streaming. Let’s look into those. 

Control over the content

You might have heard stories of videos or live streams taken down from major platforms without any prior warning. The problem might not be always about copyrighted content. Your content could still be taken down even if you own the copyright or follow the rules. Paid solutions generally don’t monitor the content in the same automated way like social media platforms or other free services do. With white label video streaming, you have control over the content and if you meet all legal requirements, you can reduce the risk of your content being taken down without any explanations. 

Advertisement free watching experience

Most free platforms allow you to host your content for free. Instead of a monthly fee, you pay for it by allowing advertising on your videos. But, you won’t have any control over the content of advertisements either. It could be advertisements of your competitors or something not relatable to your content. 

In both cases, you might lose your customers to your competitors. If you have watched videos on youtube you might have noticed the advertisements that come before the content, in the middle, or at the end. Some ads might be non-skippable as well so your audience might stop watching your videos. With white-label platforms, you won’t have to give someone else the control to interrupt your content. 

You choose the quality

Free services put limits on what you can upload or stream Thye can limit the file size, playing time, bitrate, or support a few video formats. When it comes to live streaming, it can restrict the resolution, streaming time, bitrate, and the number of viewers. However, white-label streaming service allows you to choose the quality of your videos, streaming time, resolution, playtime, and other factors that you cannot get with a free service with limitations. 

Control over video placement 

With white label platforms, there are no limitations on content placement. If you want to place your videos on the homepage of the site, you can place it there. Or if you want to put your videos behind a paywall, you are free to do it as well. The player you use is customizable so you can personalize it to deliver the viewing experience you want. 

Video monetization

With a built-in paywall of the white-label platform, you can accept payment in the player and your viewers can easily pay for the video content. This built-in paywall integration allows you to control rates, offer exclusive offers, and offer easy access to your content. 

Conclusion

If you are planning to invest in creating videos for your business, it is worth using a white-label platform that allows you to maintain control and ownership of your content. 

These affordable streaming solutions are designed to offer your streaming services the support you need to establish a successful position in the industry. With white-label streaming, you can customize your video player with your branding, colors you like, monetization integrations, and more. Not sure whether to use a white label streaming service or not? If you need assistance in choosing a white label solution for your video streaming business, get in touch with us for further guidance. 

The world of video streaming: Top players and what they do

The world of video streaming: Top players and what they do

Video streaming is a buzz now! The old cable TV is having less deal now. Those days are gone where people used to wait to watch their movie on the television. With time the scenario has changed when online content came into existence.

With the digitalization, users are shifting from analog to digital, which helps to make a choice and get the required content, resulting in increasing their entertainment experience. Also, Viewers can access personalized content with various devices of their choice and record the same content to watch the same in the later period.

The most dominant type of VoD content watched across all regions is movies, followed by TV programs. The other most-watched content types include comedies, series, sports, documentaries, and short-form video content. VoD service providers are continuing to expand their offerings to include a diverse set of content programs. For much better experience users deal with a single video streaming provider rather than managing multiple accounts can be easier.

The Video on Demand Market globally is estimated to USD 56.26 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach a value of USD 93.99 billion by 2023 at a CAGR of 8.93% by the research done by Mordor Intelligence. The research says that video on demand industry has a wide range of scope and for both cable operators and content providers to generate revenue.

With the increasing popularity of online videos, the CDN (content delivery Network) and MVPD (multichannel video programming distributor) are being pressurized.

The overall improved customer viewing experience and cost of the service are the two potential drivers for boosting the video on demand to the peak. The world of video streaming is now crowded by the many dominant players in the industry.  If you are looking for cutting the cord, then the infographics below would help you choose the best streaming service by price, usability, and content to try.

 

Top 5 Tips for Sports Live Streaming Success

Top 5 Tips for Sports Live Streaming Success

In a study conducted recently by A. T. Kearney, the global sports industry was pegged at between $480 and $620 billion. There has always been enormous opportunity in sports; whether in merchandising, tickets or sports celebrity-led influencing; but the internet has catapulted sports into a titanic league of its own. Thanks to sports online streaming, cable and satellite supplied sports matches are no longer a novelty and navigating traffic-riddled lanes at supersonic speeds are no longer a necessity to catch a live game in time. With live streaming, a sports event can be accessed from anywhere. All you need are a device and an internet connection.

Amongst the various sorts of video programmes, sports occupy the top spot in terms of popularity, across both conventional and digital realms. And numbers are multiplying furiously. An estimate made by Adobe suggested that sports streams on its video service has jumped 640% between 2012 and 2013. Interestingly, this engagement isn’t restricted to professional leagues and teams. Even little league games, university matches and school-level tournaments are garnering interest on live streams.

If you’ve been considering cashing in on the sports live streaming trend, here are five tips that will get you going. Stream live sports online, the easy way.

Tip 1. Strive for Quality

Live sports streaming online is a unique brand of live entertainment. When you stream sports online, every millisecond counts. You don’t have many other segments of entertainment where things could change in an instant. Flashes of activity need to be captured seamlessly and in real-time in online sports streaming. There are several elements that will influence your quality: the weather, the lighting, the capability of your technology to carry your stream through. Here’s a closer look at some of the factors that will play a role in determining the quality of your live stream.

Technology

If you pick a sturdy technology, your quality will automatically be taken care of. Of late, the sports streaming niche has taken a shine to a technology called StreamNow, a superlative turnkey framework that delivers sports streams fluidly and flawlessly. Built on an excellent technology stack, StreamNow doesn’t disappoint when it comes to broadcasting in real-time.

Hardware

Your hardware is your biggest asset for your online sports streaming platform, aside from technology of course. Live sports streaming online requires superior equipment and sturdy gear in order to capture minute elements in excellent clarity on the go. Remember, that you may encounter adverse weather conditions during your outdoor schedules so it’s important to carry waterproof sheets to cover your equipment. When it comes to picking your camera, pick one that works optimally in dim lighting. Many sports games are evening events and capturing them can become a challenge if you’re not equipped. Consider options with a large sensor and a broad aperture.

Clarity

Resolution can impact your stream in a big way and it’s worthwhile to invest in a camera that sits above a 1920 x 1080 full high definition threshold. You’ll also find that a lot of live streamers are gravitating towards 4K-compatible technology, but there’s still time before 4K sweeps the market and becomes mainstream. If you want to invest in a technology that lasts you several years, go for a 4K camera. It’s always good to be future-fit. While we’re on clarity, let’s also talk about zoom. During a live stream, it’s likely that you’ll operate with a minimum set of cameras, especially if you’re recording an amateur game. Thus, zoom becomes incredibly important in capturing the little details. These can be big for your stream and your audience. When you decide on your zoom capability, evaluate your options in light of the sport that you will be primarily capturing. Some sports entail finer details than others and are played on more expansive grounds. Basketball, for instance, is played across an entire court whereas a ping pong match is confined to a limited space. Autofocus is another critical feature you ought to keep as a criterion.

Frame Rate

The more the frames, the clearer your stream. Think of frame rate as an animated flipbook. When you turn the pages of a flipbook quickly, you see a fluid, crystal-clear story take form. On the other hand, if you turn them slowly, your story doesn’t make any sense. The same way, when you stream sports online, a high frame rate is a must. 60 fps is a good place to start. Make sure your camera is compatible with your frame rate.

Tip 2. Focus On Your Software

We’ve already spoken about the merits of selecting a specialised technology. But there are other factors that belong in your technology ecosystem. If you do invest in multiple cameras while live sports streaming online, purchase a camera encoder that will allow you to toggle among cameras. This is known as live switching. A mixing software should also find a place in your software suite. This can help you create instant replays, slow motion recaps, titles and transitions and on-screen score cards.

Tip 3. Marketing and Promotion

Marketing your live stream is the only way to get your word out there. Plan a marketing campaign around each of your live streams and prepare well in advance. Use marketing vehicles like newsletters, blogs and social media to promote your stream. Also, release teasers of what is to come by having players talk about the impending match. This can build excitement and energy in the lead up to your game.

Tip 4. Monetisation

There is a range of monetisation tools you could pick from when it comes to live streaming sports online. Advertising, pay-per-view, content sponsorships and dynamic subscription plans are some of these. While advertising makes sense only once you have a considerable user base, you could begin with other routes immediately.

Tip 5. Offer Extra Highlights

Everybody likes a little extra. Reserve the time before and after your game to engage with your viewers. Give them inside news on what’s going on, which players have entered the fray and any other updates you may have. You could even involve members of the audience for additional engagement. Your after-match highlights could include recaps, player interviews and a game summary.

The online sports industry has ballooned into a veritable force to reckon with. And it only seems to be growing. A compelling business model can help you become a part of it. Get creating.

How to Start Video On Demand Business

How to Start Video On Demand Business

First things first, setting up a video on demand platform isn’t a tremendous feat reserved for the high and mighty. It’s a real possibility for anyone intending to pursue an audience in the online video space. The best part? Thanks to turnkey frameworks, your tools are already ready for you. The internet is brimming with ideas and innovations and the e-marketplace is an abundant store for turnkey technologies. One that stands out is StreamView, a bellwether framework that can have you set up your on-demand video platform within days. The advantage with picking a turnkey video on demand platform is that your user interface, customisation features and experience building tools are yours to the tailor. And you get to pick and choose content that goes into each template.

There are several things to consider on the road up to launching a video on demand business model. Start by addressing a few questions:

  • Is your content repository adequate to sustain a video on demand service?
  • Does your content belong exclusively to you?
  • Have you established notable partnerships for new and cutting-edge content?

Once you have taken stock of your content repertoire, it’s time to piece together a platform for your users. At this stage, it’s important to note that purchasing a turnkey technology could prove wiser in the long run. The advantage? Well, the turnkey framework is products of years and years of development, design, and refinement. They work on a license model, meaning that you acquire a copy of the framework that is free to be customised on your terms. A turnkey framework is a more economical, aesthetic and functional option than a self-crafted technology.

Here are some steps to build a successful video on demand platform:

Step 1. Pick a Good VOD Platform

Your video on demand platform provider will supply the wings for your business and so, it is crucial that you pick a service that supports you around the clock. An effective way to sift through options is to keep customer service as a primary criterion. Certain video on demand platforms offers superlative customer service controls when compared to others. StreamView, for instance, ensures 24×7 technology support, seamless feedback handling, and professional troubleshooting services. Make a list of criteria that are important to you and draw up a checklist against each of your shortlisted videos on demand platform providers.

Step 2. Explore Potential for Diversification

With the internet burgeoning with communication tools, it is a good idea to set out a future path for your business with respect to the communication. Think of adding communication tools like live streaming and video sharing to your roster. The beauty of turkey technologies is that they are mostly compatible with associated frameworks. If we go back to the example of StreamView, you’ll see that the framework is one of a trifecta of technologies. Of the other two, one is for live streaming and the other, for video sharing. This means, that if you ever plan to introduce one of these forms of video to your platform, all you have to do is slide in an additional technology layer and you’re good to go!

Step 3. Set Up a Monetization Model

Once you’ve woven your content strategy together, the next step would be to set up a quantifiable marketing model. There are several tools that you could include; the key is to assign metrics for every idea that you want to push. This is the best way to measure the success of any campaign.

Tool 1. Advertising

Advertising is the most preferred monetization tool employed by companies that ride exclusively on content. And for good reason. Advertising can garner significant revenue for a content-based business as long as its audience is sizeable. A point to consider here is that ad-based revenue can be sustained only by volumes because a single advertisement contributes very little revenue. A video is an expensive form of content and you may spend exorbitant amounts of money sourcing, creating and producing content for your video on demand platform. Determine how many users you’ll need to reach in order to break even for each piece of content. If your number is far higher than your current user penetration, consider an alternate means of monetization until your user base reaches the required threshold. If you’re not sure where to start, a good yardstick would be one million page views per month.

Tool 2. Cross-Platform Production

The power of video has caught on for not just those attuned to online video, but even stakeholders of alternate content platforms. More and more content entrepreneurs and marketers are beginning to add video to their existing content mix. Many of them, however, don’t have the expertise to create quality videos. That’s where you come in. By catering to corporate clients seeking video content, you could cross-promote your brand while also charging at a per-video rate.

Tool 3. Subscription Model

Coveted content can sell well on a subscription model. However, introspect to gauge whether your content really warrants a subscription. Would people fork out money for your service? There are plenty of video on demand services in the market. What value can you add? To establish a sustainable subscription model, you must introduce novel content, seek exclusive rights for premium content and create in-house shows. Anything that you can offer that your neighbor can’t is a good differentiator.  

Tool 4. Pay Per View

If you’d rather sell your content on a piecemeal basis, pay per view is your answer. This is the format you’d find on iTunes, where every item is priced individually. If you haven’t got a vast archive of content, this is a good model to adopt, because you can still engage with users without going all the way.

When it comes to picking the technology backbone for your video on demand platform, you should make several considerations. For starters, find out whether your shortlisted VOD platforms come with inbuilt content delivery networks. A content delivery network is a web of global servers that can deliver your feeds seamlessly to various corners of the globe. So, if you’ve got a considerable international audience, this is a worthwhile point to note. Some technologies also come with a slew of superior support features like intelligence and analytics tools that could come in awfully handy.

When you are on the path to starting a video on demand service, there are a variety of factors to consider: conventional marketing, technology, influencer-led promotions, referral programmes. The list is endless, really. By picking a specialized prebuilt technology like StreamView, you can channel your energy into building the foundation for your video on demand platform. It’s remarkable how quickly and easily you can breathe life into your brand. All you need is an idea.

A Beginner’s Guide to Start Live Streaming

A Beginner’s Guide to Start Live Streaming

Live streaming videos are quite trendy in today’s time. To start a live stream, one needs an internet connection, a smart phone, and live streaming software. This simple setup is enough for starting a low scale streaming. However, if you are planning for a high quality streaming, then you require a camera, a capturing device, a software encoder or hardware encoder, and a video streaming host.

The process of live streaming which involves broadcasting the video over the internet in real-time, has become seamlessly easy. The technology on which live streaming works is quite easily accessible and anyone can leverage it to the fullest. With best in class reliability and superior internet bandwidth, you can stream the video in HD. StreamNow is a live streaming software, which has made streaming quite easier.

How to Live Stream?

Here is a quick run-down on the equipment required to live stream:

  • Camera:

The most important thing for starting a live stream is a camera. You have various options to choose from: smartphone or a tablet camera to a Digital SLR (DSLR) camera. The best option would be using a USB connected webcam which can produce HD quality videos. USB can also simplify the process of live streaming through the computer on the internet. Irrespective of the camera you use, make sure that it can shoot full HD i.e. 1080p video and can give output through a HDMI.

  • Capture Device:

These are used to take the video input from the camera and transmit it to the computer or to send it directly to the live stream. There is a wide range of choices available in the market for encoding devices. Quite a few are available as cards or as plug-ins between computers and cameras. There are few encoders which can help one do away with computers.

  • Software and Hardware Encoders:

Encoders play an important role in video streaming as the cameras can only record the videos in a format that is suitable only for recording. For live streaming the same, one needs an encoder which can import videos from the capture device or USB and subsequently transcode it.

The price varies to a great extent between open-source options and free ones. Examples of open-source encoders are Flash Media Live Encoder, Wirecast Pro, and VidBlasterX. After choosing an encoder, the user has to download and install the software to explore the features. Subsequently, he / she is required to set the settings. One can become proficient after the usage progressively. There are various high-end encoders which can be opted if you don’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks.

  • Internet Connection:

For live streaming, the internet is an essential requirement. It is easier to connect with a cell phone or a webcam and if a video camera is used, one can connect to the internet using a laptop connected to a transcoding device. A Wi-Fi connection is suggested as video files are large and a slow connection may not be useful.

  • Video Streaming Host:

Video streaming host is the last but not the least requirement for a live streaming. For all intents and purposes, a video streaming host is an online platform which has enough bandwidth and is configured to take video inputs from all the viewers across the world. The hardware or the encoding software should be connected to the video streaming host. Download the video streaming host and signup to create a hosting account and provide a password or URL provided by the streaming host to the encoder. This way, the streaming host can broadcast the videos.

How to Start Streaming?

To start live streaming, you need to keep the entire equipment ready. Once you have the equipment, connect to the internet and begin live streaming. The most important step is to get the live stream available for the viewers and for this, copy the URL on your video streaming host website and share it with your viewers. Now, connect all the devices and start live streaming. The video shall be broadcast to all your target audiences.

Live Streaming Guide:

Live streaming is a great option to get the first impression for an organization. Live streaming software is a powerful means to facilitate live streaming. This could be the first point of contact with an organization. First impression is always hard to reserve and hence, a company having live streaming could make a better progress compared to the one without it. Live streaming can also generate revenue, thus making its contribution all the more pivotal for the overall success of your organization. Live streaming software is said to be the best if it provides excellent branding, superior viewing experience and messaging, support and monetization options.

Few important things to consider while live streaming are:

Planning the production

Acquisition of source

Preparing content

Streaming

Interfacing audience experience

A pre-event page has to be created in advance so as to avoid confusion to the viewers and to make everything clear. Therefore, before planning a live video streaming, you need to create a web page showing the date of the event and through that, you can manage the viewership of the live feed. Another way is to create a template. Through this, you can reduce not only time but also effort. You can even think of pre-event promotions and other creative ways to increase the number of viewers.

The live streaming environment need to be responsive to mobile and it should have a high quality. The best way is to make the video compatible to be broadcasted on iOS, Android devices, and the web. This is because many videos are watched on mobile phones.

A huge amount of effort and time will be spent in making, promoting and executing videos; so one has to make sure that videos garners enough eyeballs both during and after broadcasting.

There are various ways of increasing the number of viewers for live video streaming, such as the following:

  • Blogs: Create blogs and mention the details about the videos. Transcribe the video content and create summaries.
  • Emails: Draft emails having the information and details about the videos or about the speakers in the video. Send the emails to groups and cover as many people as you can.
  • Website: Build a webpage as an event resource and a hub so that the next upcoming videos can also be published monthly, quarterly or annually. People who have an intention to attend can learn through the website.
  • Social Media: Social media is one of the best ways to advertise about the video stream and when correctly targeted, the video can generate a great brand experience. The live video feeds can be clipped on online video platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Multiple sets can be created for multiple usages. 

Video Streaming For Dummies:

For people who have got no experience, video streaming is a big challenge. Here are few ways of video streaming for dummies which can help a beginner to stream a video.

  • Computer: Get a firewire cable which is faster than a normal USB cable. Firewire cables are compatible with MacBook Pros. For a beginner, they are the best options.
  • Camera: A DSLR camera or a webcam fixed laptop can be convenient to use. The firewire can be plugged in to the camera and MacBook for swift streaming.
  • Microphone: A camera microphone can do the job but, using a handy recorder can improve the sound quality to a great extent.
  • Internet: Having Wi-Fi connection helps to upload huge video files faster rather than a mobile data connection.
  • Finding a Platform: StreamNow is a live streaming software which can transmit the live video and audio coverage for an event over the internet. One can download it and it is available to the audience for free of cost or through payment on a monthly or per view basis. It is also available as an app for Android and iOS for streaming the videos. You may sign-up or login through various social media networks such as Google accounts, Facebook or Twitter whichever is convenient to use.
  • Marketing: You can create your own blog or website to create an idea about the video streaming. Using social media can also help in marketing. Social media networks include Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
  • Evangelize: Make simple events to create awareness about the videos and in this way, they can catch up the live streaming when it gets broadcasted.

Use the Best Live Streaming Software – StreamNow:

StreamNow Live Streaming

StreamNow is the best solution to start live streaming of the videos as compared to any other platform. StreamNow is a highly scalable live streaming software. It has many revenue channels, many features and is extremely easy to use. All its features make StreamNow a perfect platform to design either a Ustream clone or a Twitch clone. StreamNow transmits the live video and audio coverage for an event over the internet. It has an inbuilt chat system which helps the users to discuss about the videos and can express their views or opinions. Superior video quality and continuous live streaming without any sort of technical issues make SteamNow the popular global software for live streaming.

StreamNow has got various subscription plans for its users.

 

StreamNow’s admin panel is robust and dynamic which provides a wide range of options to its users. Some options include deleting videos, flagging or changing the social login configurations, etc.

 

Viewers and users can follow one another and get alerts whenever any update is made by the person. For viewing a premium live streaming sessions, the users are required to subscribe

 

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 organic search.

 

A few users may not be okay with subscription based plans. StreamNow has a feature called pay per view, where they can pay depending on the live streaming videos they watch.

 

Payments can be done through PayPal. More often than not, payments are facilitated without any chaos and one can also explore other payments options.

 

StreamNow is a live streaming platform which provides outstanding live streaming services for any firm to help them in generating billions of dollars profit every year. This can happen through live streaming ads alone.

 

StreamNow is a ready-made turnkey solution where you can launch live streaming events. Thanks to its built-in growth hacking features, you can get users subscribed for your video based events. It has various social features which made it the best live streaming solution.

 

StreamNow is available as an app for Android and iOS for the users of streaming business. It helps users to sign up or login through various social media networks such as Google accounts, Facebook or Twitter.

StreamNow is an easy live streaming platform and it doesn’t require much technical knowledge. This makes it readily available for all the users to engage in live streaming.

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 to learn more about live streaming and live streaming software. Subscribe to our newsletter to keep yourself abreast of live streaming best practices. Our best wishes are with you and your live streaming venture. Cheers!