Tips for Your First Livestream
Livestreaming is a lot like walking on a tightrope: one wrong move and you fall down, very far down.
Congratulations on…well, deciding to go live! It’s a big step — one that I will not be taking — but this could be the leverage your brand needs. This article will be a general guide to live streaming that applies to every new and small YouTuber.
Outline your broadcast. Until you become experienced, do not “wing it.” Don’t create mental notes because you’ll forget them; physically write them out. List an abundance of topics, plan an end time, and add personal notes.
Even if you want a casual hangout with your viewers, you don’t know if that’s what other people want. Aimless conversations can annoy people, even fans, to a point where they won’t re-enter another lives-stream with you. Check yourself and don’t be so egotistical to think your followers will spend their valuable time watching you lying on a couch. (As the writer, you can probably tell that I hate when live streams go lazy. I know that I’m not the only one to think this!)
For guidance, people are casual on YouNow, Instagram, and TikTok live, but they may not want low-action over on YouTube or Twitch. Know the platform and your audience. Experiment. Poll your followers. Add the proper thumbnail, title, and category so viewers know the vibe you are setting for that live stream.
Over time, you will accumulate a loyal following that will crave the chill hangout session with you. That’s amazing! But right now, you want to strategize to stand out.
Don’t allow an AMA. An “ask me anything” segment only works if you know you want your brand 100% open. Some influencers pull it off, others get canceled. If you want to reveal your truths really, really badly, promise me that you’ll save it for your 10th stream.
Be the host. Commenters may attempt to derail your outline. Some people may pressure you to discuss politics and YouTuber controversies. I will always support speaking up and following your heart, but certain topics come with backlash. If you don’t have the mental capacity to deal with these things, take charge of the conversation.
You may not be very well-spoken when answering questions off the cuff. That’s ok, me too. (I have a language processing disorder.) It is okay to want to speak on things through edited video or typed out instead.
Just remember that you lead the way. Unless you should be taking accountability and apologizing for something, but you’re instead live broadcasting a Q&A while obviously ignoring the issue, then you don’t really owe anyone anything.
Always test run. You can research and plan all you want, but glitches happen. Expect them. Learn from them. Don’t be hard on yourself. (If you want to check your internet speed, visit speedtest.net.)
Think before collaborating. You may not want to be alone during your first live moment, but also consider the partnership. Does this person curse or say things that make you uncomfortable? You can keep a friendship without tarnishing your brand.
Set up your station. Set up a good light system or position yourself in natural light. Good lighting can make Mac’s iSight camera significantly more clear. Prepare all of this ahead of time because viewers don’t want to watch you mumble around.
Also, wear pants. It’s not worth it.
Eliminate other devices. If you are doing a sit-down Q&A, don’t make the spontaneous decision to share screens from your other devices. You may reveal private information or your search history. You might even reveal something through the reflection of one of your screens.
Remember to advertise. Perhaps you want to keep your first attempt on the down-low; but if not, make a note of all the platforms where you wish to distribute the link. Marketing will drive 95% of your audience if you are a smaller channel.
Ignore the hate. If there’s a chatroom, every comment will be broadcasted to your live viewers. If you start engaging with hate comments in any way, other viewers will submit negative comments to also get your attention. It’s a fast way to poison the well.
Also, when you turn off the camera, you may have people in your real-life send you hateful messages. Your first reaction may be to feel embarrassed, but you shouldn’t be. They took the time to watch you and feel jealous.
I may not be a live stream expert, but I’ve witnessed plenty of live stream fails. Although I genuinely believe in the “fake it ’til you make it” mantra, the general public will always have a natural bias towards small creators. They don’t know you. They don’t feel compelled to linger on your live stream, let alone even click to start watching. So, if you can be prepared to jump into the action to keep their attention, no doubt you can convince viewers to become subscribers. Good luck!
