How to Work Like a Professional Streamer
If you’re just breaking into the scene of professional vlogs, YouTube videos, and live streaming, your rookie videos may end up being overlooked. There are many resources out there with tips and tricks on how to improve your videos. However, if you’re looking to really step up your live streaming game, there are foundational things you can do to successfully run with the big dogs—planning and scheduling.
Planning Makes Perfect
Especially when it comes to live video, the single most important way to increase your level of professionalism is to plan. Once you have an idea for your video — whether it be a game sequence, a religious service, or a makeup tutorial — creating a layout for the topics you want to discuss will give your video a solid flow and rhythm that winging it just can’t touch. Most importantly, you need to ask yourself:
Who is your audience?
Knowing exactly who your target audience will help determine the rest of your planning needs. Make sure to factor in things like the location of your ideal viewers, certain holidays, time zones, and your audience’s related interests.
Because different viewers gravitate to different platforms, styles, and topics, do your research and check that you’re streaming to the best platforms with the best format for your message. Once you’ve chosen a platform (or several) do some homework on that platform’s best practices to ensure your video is the highest quality relative to the technical limitations of your viewership or the platform.
What kind of video are you making?
Think of what category your video falls into and give it an appropriate title to improve conversion (clicks) and searchability. This is the part of the planning process where you should focus on what commentary you want to include and how you will segue from topic to topic. If you are incorporating a lot of live engagement, consider designating a moderator to help keep the conversation moving.
Where are you streaming and what are your limitations?
Poor quality video can significantly affect the perception of your brand and make streaming difficult. This part of the planning process includes factoring in your technical limitations as well as those of your platform and your audience.
If you have technical issues on your end, consider streaming pre-recorded video with Scheduler so that your internet bandwidth doesn’t limit streaming quality. If you’re targeting areas that struggle to get top-of-the-line connectivity, transcode your stream to optimize stream quality according to platform, audience, or timing.
And of course, part of planning is practice. Run through the major points of your stream before actually recording, so you can feel it’s natural flow and tweak things as needed.
Schedule Live Video to Maximize Content Planning
With Restream’s Scheduler tool, you are able to pre-record video and schedule it to stream live, which creates efficiencies through batching, allows for more consistent posts, and enables full-scale content optimization—three critical components of creating a successful streaming brand. With Scheduler, you can:
- Stream when you are on vacation or unable to create a live video
- Target viewers from different time zones, where previously it wasn’t practical to stream
- Hone and perfect platform-specific content and technical stream details to enhance performance and engagement
- Fully prepare and script your videos for a more polished and complete product
- Enjoy the flexibility of being able to edit your video before actually posting it
With Scheduler, there is no need to use broadcasting software, additional bandwidth isn’t necessary (as there is with live streaming), and best of all, it does not require your undivided attention at the time of streaming.
It’s as simple as that: Planning and scheduling your content will greatly increase the quality of professionalism of your videos.
