Over the last year it's likely you've swapped in-person conferences for live streamed events. With many things postponed or outright canceled in 2020 - including events and large gatherings - many folks have pivoted to live webinars or virtual events to replace their normal conference schedule.
But let’s face it: while it's easier (and fun!) to attend a virtual conference in sweatpants, moving an event online can be stressful. So for event planners and marketers making pivot, how do you make it all happen?
The answer is live streaming. In this post, we’ll share how to stream a conference in a few easy steps. And spoiler alert: it isn’t as complicated as you think — as long as you have the right tools and plan ahead.
6 reasons to live stream a conference
While you might miss out on the hotel coffee and pastries, there are some key advantages to live streaming a conference. Check out our top reasons event planners and markers should make streaming conferences a part of their strategy.
1. Adapt to any circumstance.
To start off, live streaming a conference is a great alternative to in-person events. The virtual environment allows conference planners an easy way to comply with public health guidance and keep attendees safe. As an example, the CDC identified virtual-only gatherings as low-risk alternatives to outdoor and in-door gatherings during COVID-19.
Additionally, live streaming a conference is growing in popularity with 93% of event planners saying they expect to invest in virtual for the future.
2. Create an accessible environment for conference attendees.
Live streaming helps broaden your event audience. Think about it: without the need to travel, more attendees and speakers have the opportunity to participate in your event.
Got a partner or event sponsor located in another hemisphere? They can attend your event without footing the bill of plane tickets or a hotel room. Cutting out travel may also help you book that busy c-suite exec or celebrity speaker who previously nixed the idea due to their busy schedule.
Additionally, tools like live close captioning, Q&A, polling, and live chat allow more attendees to access and participate in your event session in real time.
3. Scale up events.
Another great value add to live streaming conferences is growth. Live streaming can help planners reach a larger audience, lower overall event costs, and provide an opportunity to source a bigger pool of speakers.
4. Drive more revenue opportunities.
While live streaming a conference may seem like a short-term solution to pivot from in-person events, it has plenty of revenue-based benefits. For example, adding paid ticketing at your conference is one way to make money. However, Global Web Index found virtual attendees are willing to donate money, pay live performers, and buy merchandise. So consider adding opportunities for attendees to make in-event purchases or donations.
5. Easily record and distribute event content.
This one is a biggie. Live streaming production has the flexibility of being as simple or complex as you want.
Presenters and speakers can live stream from a laptop using the built-in audio and webcam or set up lights, a mic, and external camera to stream high quality video to virtual attendees. And at the end of the event, you can share the recording with attendees, registrants, or gate the content for future viewers.
6. Reduce the carbon footprint.
Let’s not beat around the bush: businesses need to think about their environmental impact. Choosing to stream a keynote speech or VIP seminar is an eco-friendly choice that eliminates travel, printed materials, and other wasteful aspects of an in-person event.
How to live stream a conference in 9 steps
There’s a lot of value to live streaming a conference. But how do you get it all set up? We’ve got a few tips to help you hit the ground running.
1. Create a run of show
When filmmakers set out to produce a movie they begin with the script. Similarly, event organizers planning out a conference should iron out a run of show before worrying about the production aspects of an event.
Some common items on a show rundown list are:
- Kickoff by the event host or emcee
- Introductory remarks by a chairperson or executive
- Segments or sessions for each speaker or panel discussion
- Keynote speaker
- Final remarks
As you plan out your run of show, don’t forget to build in breaks! Just because there’s no lunch in a ballroom doesn’t mean virtual attendees don’t need time to grab a bite or take a break.
2. Choose a live streaming platform
Next, you’ll want to choose your live streaming platform. A live streaming platform hosts and broadcasts your video to attendees. There are a lot of options out there, so we’ll break down the common live streaming platform types and what to look out for:
All-in-one platforms: These are live streaming platforms that provide end-to-end support for hosting, editing, and broadcasting your video content.
Social platforms: Social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Twitch, and Instagram support live streaming to help users reach their community.
Video conferencing platforms: These video solutions primarily serve 1:1 use cases where individuals will meet to collaborate in real time.
Broadcast TV: This is a more traditional outlet to broadcast live streaming content.
Event planners should consider where to host their virtual conference. A live streaming solution like Vimeo allows you to live stream directly to Vimeo or embed it on a dedicated event site. Additionally, simulcasting is a great way to expand your reach to other channels.
In addition to the type of live streaming platform for your event, you'll want to consider the features and functionality to bring your experience to life. If you’re planning to host a live streaming conference, there are four factors to consider:
- Streaming quality and playback
- Attendee engagement tools
- Privacy tools
- Distribution features like simulcasting to other destinations
- Analytics
- Video content management and branding
3. Choose a dedicated production team
This one will depend on your budget, staff, and programming requirements. There are pros and cons for both options.
Using an in-house team is a great option. Just make sure your team has the tools, resources, and headcount to go live.
Hiring a production team allows you to be totally hands-off so you focus on the event content. For event planners new to the live streaming game, hiring a team can feel pricey, but the investment will ensure your event can go live without a hitch.
4. Choose the perfect gear setup
Next, it's time to determine what gear you’ll need to make your livecast a success. A usual live streaming event set up includes:
A video source: This is sort of a no-brainer. You’re going to need cameras to produce a livecast seminar. Make sure that you have a way to capture high-quality video. If you’re recording a conference on stage, you’ll want to have at least two cameras to properly capture everything.
An audio source: You’re also going to need quality sound. This starts with your microphone choice. Decide whether speakers will wear a lapel mic, a mic on a lectern or a handheld mic. Position sound outputs to avoid feedback from moving microphones.
Capture cards: A capture card is a device that takes the video and audio signals and turns them into digital data that can be uploaded to computers.
An encoder: An encoder is a hardware device or software product that transmits data or feedback to the computer.
An output channel: Your output channel, most simply, is your streaming platform. Make sure you have a good, strong internet signal with speedy upload and download speed to run the output channel.
An external display: It’s always a good idea to have an external monitor near the presentation setting to see exactly what’s going on with the broadcast. This way you’ll get to see what the viewer is seeing, and if something isn’t quite right, you can fix it right away.
Having the right equipment is crucial, so make sure you do your research before you choose your ideal setup.
5. Consider simulcasting to reach your event audience anywhere
If you’re an event planner who pours everything into event programming, you probably want to share it with the world.
Simulcasting is a great way to broadcast your content across several platforms at once. For example, you can live stream your conference on a dedicated event site and stream directly to Facebook Live, YouTube, LinkedIn, or choose a custom destination with RTMP.
6. Schedule a dress rehearsal
There’s no excuse for leaving the details to chance, which is why a rehearsal with all your presenters and production crew is a must.
You can have your cake and eat it, too! First, your presenters can get a real feel for the live show and second, the production team can mitigate any technical issues before they occur. Checking your streaming equipment and internet connection ensures your conference will go as planned.
7. Leave plenty of prep time the day of the live event
Make sure you have all of the equipment and key players in place well before the start time. With major projects like customer conferences, multi-track events, or even an internal experience for the team — there are always lots of moving parts that take up more time to prepare than you might think.
8. Go live!
Once you’ve gone through all of the necessary preparations, there’s nothing left to do but go live and have fun!
Make sure that each session begins and ends on time. Give your speakers and presenters a friendly reminder to look at the camera and not the external monitor. You should also make sure your attendees know how they can interact during the event — whether it’s using a Twitter hashtag or participating in a live chat, Q&A or polls.
9. Make the live conference available on-demand
Make sure that your entire live conference is being recorded. As mentioned, you’ll have an extremely valuable piece of content post-conference. Generate new opportunities for your content with a lead form so you can share and sell it long after the live event. Carve time post-conference to edit your recording and create a landing page where it can exist on demand.
Budgeting for a live streaming conference
Just because a live streaming conference is virtual doesn’t mean you can forget about budget. When thinking about your budget, be sure to remember each component that might have a cost associated with it, like:
- Speaker fees
- Equipment purchase or rental
- Upgrading your internet speed or bandwidth
- Outsourced tech support
- Conference live streaming services or platform
Even though there are important costs to remember, in the end, your live streaming conference will likely be more cost-effective than a similarly sized in-person event.
Wrap up
Hopefully, this article helped demystify how to live stream a conference. No matter what may keep us close to home, there’s no reason that professionals can’t continue to meet, collaborate, and network. We predict live streaming will help businesses grow long into the future.
Go live with Vimeo
Vimeo offers streamers tools for content hosting, a text-based video editor, timeline editing features, visual graphic tools capabilities, and an image-to-video converter.
