What is Live Streaming?

The inspiration to live stream comes from reality TV, where anything that's happening in any part of the world can be accessed right there at the moment through a TV screen.

Live streaming platforms let you watch, create, and share videos in real-time. All you need is to be able to live stream is an internet-enabled device (such as a smartphone or a tablet) and a live stream platform.

Unlike pre-recorded content, live streams are live and uncensored. They can be private like a video conference through Skype or Zoom or the live stream can be public and being watched by hundreds or thousands of people at the same time.

Live Streaming Platforms and Their role

Live Streaming Platforms are solutions that host videos and allow users to upload and broadcast video content to their audience.

Live streaming platforms are used by businesses to share videos for various purposes and objectives like generating leads, brand awareness building, advertising, or providing paid access to video streaming.

Some features that live streaming platforms offer are:

• Professional video hosting and streaming
• User and Payment management
• In-Platform advertising
• Live to VoD
• Per-User access controls
• User-level analytics
• 24/7 live support
• White Labelling options

Live streaming platforms can be used across industries and purposes. Some of the areas where live streaming platforms can be used are:

• Corporate or Social Events
• News and Sports broadcasters
• Educators and Coaches with online courses
• Sports events streaming
• Content Creators for live shows
• Church and worship streaming

How do Live Streaming Platforms help?

Live Streaming platforms take away all the technical hassle that’s involved with setting up a live stream for your business or brand and pave an easy way to live stream. Setting up a live stream of your own does need some technical skills and can be expensive with costs like that of the server. Live streaming platforms can make your life easier by simply allowing you to live stream in a few clicks.

1. High-Quality Live Stream

In order to deliver a high-quality video stream to your audience you would need a robust infrastructure and a good CDN (content delivery network). On your own setups, the chances of clogging your servers are very high. Live Streaming platforms are designed to keep the same in mind and can ensure that your stream runs smoothly and without any technical glitches along the way. For example, Catapult partners with top tier CDN partners and ensures a smooth live stream.

2. Wider Outreach and Potential Audience

Live Streaming can help you reach out to a much wider audience than any physical event. You could ‘invite’ a lot more people/ attendees for your events. You can reach anybody in any part of the world through live streaming. The only limitation can be the server bandwidth of the live streaming platform you choose.

3. Easy and Hassle-Free

Live streaming platforms bring along ease and a hassle-free way of streaming live. All you need are relevant video and audio equipment, internet connection, an encoder, and the right choice of a live streaming platform.

4. Analytics

It is always important to measure the result and ROI of activities undertaken, unlike offline events, live streaming platforms make it possible to track the right metrics and share an analytical report of the activity. Metrics like engagement, viewer numbers, behavior let you assess and identify the areas of your live stream that bring you to result and the ones that don’t which helps you make data-driven decisions for your upcoming sessions/ events.

5. Customer Support

If you plan to live stream on your own, you will only have Google to resort to in case of any technical errors or glitches. Whereas, in case of a reliable live streaming platform you can simply reach out to your customer care executive and garner the right support to deliver a glitch-free live stream to your audience. Live streaming platforms like Catapult ensure round the clock customer support for any inconvenience that you might face.

6. Revenue Streams - In-Stream Ads and Paid/ Ticketed Events

Now you might be wondering, how do I monetize my live stream? The most effective solution a live streaming platform provides is to be able to monetize your live stream. You could use your live streaming platform services to run in-stream ads for your partner brands or businesses. Another way would also be to keep a paid ticket or entry to your live stream. Live streaming platforms make the payment process really simple and convenient for both, your business and the audience.

In the times we live in, it is of extreme importance to be acquainted with the right kind of live streaming platforms for the business that help you take your business to the next level by staying in trend and upgraded with the current technology. Catapult has been delivering these solutions to businesses worldwide and has a great success rate with delivering high-quality live streams at an affordable price point while maintaining the highest level of client support and satisfaction.

Now that you know what live streaming does and how live streaming platforms can be of great help, why not try it for yourself?

Sign up with Catapult and get your journey started!