How to set up a live stream of an event

Almost 30% of internet users worldwide watch live streaming content weekly. There’s a vast online audience out there, so it’s no surprise that businesses and event organisers are turning to live streaming to expand their audience reach.

From concerts to conferences, sporting events to product launches, the demand for event live streaming is greater than ever. There’s just one catch – how do you do it well?

For a professional-quality live stream that captivates your at-home audience just as much as your in-person one, there are some things you need to consider. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know. Let’s get started.

Why live stream your event?

Live streaming your event is a great way to increase your audience reach. It removes limitations like venue capacity, time zones and geographical barriers, allowing you to maximize event attendance with ease.

It also improves your event’s accessibility and inclusivity, making it possible for a wider audience to attend in whichever way best suits them.

Live streaming your event helps to amplify your organisation’s online presence and creates opportunities to increase engagement both during and post-event. For relatively little cost, you can make a big impact on the event’s overall success.

Can any event be live streamed?

With the right internet solution, pretty much any event can be live streamed. It doesn’t matter whether you’re hosting a small festival needing wifi in the middle of a field or a thousand-person indoor conference – you just need to ensure in advance that your WiFi is up to the job.

What is the best way to live stream an event?

The best way to live stream an event depends on what the event is and what you’re hoping to achieve by live streaming it. For example, a brand launching a new product will likely find the most success by broadcasting via Instagram, while a business conference is more suited to LinkedIn.

Social media isn’t the only way to live stream an event – you can also use a specialist virtual event platform or embed the live stream directly onto your website. It’s just about what works best for your audience.

And remember, you don’t have to only pick one platform!

Step-by-step guide to setting up an event live stream

Planning your event live stream

The best time to start planning your event live stream is early on while you’re planning the event itself. This way, you’ll be able to make sure that your setup is equipped for the demands of live streaming and that your virtual audience’s needs are catered to, rather than being an afterthought.

Things to consider during the planning stage include:

Your live streaming budget
How live streaming fits into your event communications planning
How to promote your live stream

Getting the right equipment

A basic live stream requires nothing more than a camera, microphone, laptop and solid internet connection. This might work for some events, but if you want to elevate yours to professional level, there’s some additional equipment you can utilise:

Multiple, high-definition cameras to capture different angles
Lighting equipment to improve video quality
Video mixer to transition between cameras
High-quality microphones and an audio mixer to help control sound
An encoder to transform video and audio signals into digital formats

Choosing a suitable internet solution

A great internet connection is the backbone of a great live stream, so it’s crucial to get this part right. High-quality streaming requires a fast upload speed – usually at least 5-10 Mbps – but this isn’t the only thing to consider.

In-person attendees at your event will also be using the WiFi, as will event staff. The more people using the internet, the greater the speed and bandwidth requirements, so your solution will need to be sufficient for everyone’s usage.

If your event venue’s existing WiFi isn’t enough for your requirements or there is none available, the best option is to set up a temporary WiFi network. You can hire WiFi for an event by reaching out to a specialist provider such as Click, who can work with you to design a bespoke event WiFi solution that perfectly meets your needs and budget.

Picking your live streaming software & platforms

Getting your live stream in front of your online audience requires the right mix of software and platform. Choosing software that lets you manage multiple video and audio sources is key if you’re using more than one camera or microphone.

You can also look for features that allow you to:

stream to multiple platforms at once
see and respond to all live chats in one place
overlay graphics or captions onto your video

When it comes to platforms, there’s an array to choose from. Almost every social media platform has some kind of live stream functionality, such as Facebook Live, Instagram Live and LinkedIn Live.

Alternatively, a live webinar or virtual event platform, or even broadcast the live stream directly to your own website. YouTube Live is another popular option and like many other platforms, lets you schedule your live stream in advance to build audience anticipation.

Doing a test run

One of the best tips for ensuring a successful event live stream is to do a full test run beforehand. This will help you figure out effective lighting, camera angles and microphone positions, as well as how the crew will communicate with each other and manage all of the necessary technology.

During the event

Once the event is underway and you’re successfully live streaming, never just walk away and leave it running. Issues are bound to crop up, so there should be a dedicated person or team to watch over the stream and ensure everything’s working as it should.

Your virtual audience is just as important as your in-person audience. Make sure they have a great experience by addressing issues quickly and encouraging remote participation (choosing a platform with interactive features makes this much easier).

After the event

After the event has finished, shut down your live stream promptly to avoid accidentally broadcasting more than you want to!

Following this, you can post the live stream online for viewers to access on-demand. You’ve put on a great event, so it makes sense to extract the most value possible. You can also follow up with live viewers by sending out thank you emails and other event-related content. With Click, you really can get connectivity in the middle of nowhere!