Anything news station reporters can do, you can do, too! Well, at least that’s the case when it comes to live video. Thanks to progressing technology, anyone with access to a smartphone or a laptop with built in microphone and web camera capabilities can be a content creator. The key is now how to stand out from the thousands of content creators out there. Making these changes will shift your brand from novice to a trustworthy brand.
Create one (or several) controlled environments with good lighting.
This tip shouldn’t come as a surprise. Whether the set is in a newsroom studio, a film studio in Hollywood, CA, or a home office, live stream videos always have some sort of organized set. This can easily be accomplished by using an unique backdrop or shelving. Also, rather than relying on natural lighting from windows, consider investing in a single ring light.
Use a real camera.
You may not know this, but there’s a high probability that built in camera in your smartphone and laptop are wide angle. This makes you appear wider than you actually are. Yikes! On top of that, their quality is not comparable to the quality of a real camera. If you’re wondering what the difference is between a smartphone camera and a real camera, it’s a portrait lens.
Quality microphone.
Like built in cameras on laptops and smartphones, the microphones that are built into laptops and smartphones are poor quality. We recommend microphones that plug into a camera or an USB microphone. Don’t put off getting a microphone too long-a quality microphone is just as important as a camera!
Understand your audience.
When you understand and appreciate your audience, you will know which platforms to use to host your content. Instagram is not always the answer! Your audience will also show you what content they are interested in by the feedback they give.
Practice, practice, practice!
As with mastering any skill, practice is essential. Run through your content several times and make sure you hit all of your desired speaking points. Taking notes right before your recorded take will keep your content fresh on your mind.
This by no means is an exhaustive list, but this is an excellent starting point to produce top quality live streams.