The Rise of Livestreaming Today and why, why, why, why do people watch, and how brands can benefit.

You’ve heard that video livestreaming today is all the rage, but what is this trend all about? And how are brands using it?

Livestreaming today has a “can’t miss” factor—tapping into people’s FOMO (fear of missing out)—according to an infographic by direct response marketing agency Koeppel Direct. Facebook users comment 10 times more on live videos than on regular videos, the infographic says.

And, of course, Facebook isn’t the only platform for livestreaming today. Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and Live.ly are all options as well.

How can brands get on board? The infographic offers some ideas, such as going behind the scenes of your company, hosting live interviews, and showing how products are made. It goes on to explain how these videos can be monetized.

To see how viewers and brands are using livestreaming—and to see how you can get in on the action—check out the infographic. Just tap or click to see a larger version:

RISE OF LIVESTREAMING TODAY: TRENDS & MARKETING TIPS INFOGRAPHIC

HOW BRANDS AND ADVERTISERS CAN TUNE INTO THE TREND

Livestreaming today is a relatively new phenomenon that was, at first, simply a curiosity. Today live streaming marketing has turned into a very real and viable way for brands to reach out to their fan bases, as well as generate an additional revenue stream.

The rise of livestreaming has created yet another way to engage customers in a truly genuine way, which is the heart of the matter when it comes to social media marketing.

In the infographic below, we’ve delved into live streaming trends in order to bring you accurate data that you can use to help develop better live stream marketing and live stream ads for future campaigns. There are several platforms available for live streaming, where your brand can literally reach millions of views using engaging live streaming marketing.

WHERE ARE THE LIVE STREAMERS?

When it comes to live streaming today, the first question you’ll need to answer for yourself is which platform you’ll embrace.

There are five major players in the field as of the development of this infographic, each with different advantages. They are:

Facebook Live:

Over 360 million users watch regularly

Videos are watched three times longer than other video content

Features live reactions in real time and ability to replay later

Facebook Live Map makes live broadcasts across the globe easy to find

Viewers can re-watch content or share after the broadcast is over

Instagram Live Stories:

About 200 million regular users watch

Features real-time likes and comments

Presenters can choose to pin comments for all viewers to see

New Live Stories are easy to discover through “Top Live” section on Explore tab

May be engaging a new market, Snapchat growth slowed 82 percent after launch

YouTube Live:

One billion people use YouTube

Live streaming is only for verified channels

Option available for mobile live stream once you have 1,000 subscribers

Real-time comments are in chat mode

Super Chat gives viewers a way to highlight their comments during broadcast

Twitch:

Active daily users of 9.7 million people

The average user spends 106 minutes watching live streams each day

Real-time comments and emoticons available in the chat window

You can cross-promote other streams when your channel is offline using Host Mode

Bit Emoticons are able to be purchased so fans can give additional donations to streamers

live.ly:

6 million total users view content monthly

Average users spend three sessions per day in the app, or about 3.5 minutes a day

Features real-time comments and “emoji-loves”

Guesting option allows live streamers to include fans as guests in the broadcast

Fan-purchased virtual gifts and icons can attach to comments and stay on screen longer

WHAT DRIVES LIVESTREAMING VIEWERS?

Livestreaming today has a very passionate and dedicated fan base for quality content, but what makes them feel that way for their favorite broadcasts might surprise you.

Two significant contributors to the live streaming trend are a built-in element of urgency since the broadcast will only be live for a limited time, as well as the fear of missing out entirely.

When surveyed, 87 percent of users say they’d rather watch online than on traditional TV so they can be privy to behind-the-scenes content. They also indicated that 82 percent of the population would prefer to watch live video from a brand instead of engaging with social posts. And, don’t forget, quality is a big factor for live streaming, according to 67 percent of viewers.

LIVE STREAMING TODAY TIPS FOR BRANDS AND MARKETERS

Livestreaming today can be a risky endeavor, but the payout can be equally impressive.

Based on survey data and experience, we’ve developed a list of live streaming tips to get you started. No one tip will work for every brand on every platform, but they’re a solid place to start if you have no experience with live streaming marketing.

Consistency is key. As with any sort of marketing, consistency is key. For live streaming, that means keeping themes consistent with what you want your brand to be, broadcasting consistently so users know when to expect you and choosing a solid, consistent connection for the best quality video.

Narrow the broadcast’s focus. Some podcasts and even live streams meander, but your brand stream should be focused so that users who want to learn about or discuss a particular topic will be able to do so. This might require designing a rough outline so that the presenter doesn’t wander too far off topic, making the broadcast uninteresting to your target demographic.

Interact with viewers. The key to live streaming is giving your viewers something more than just a little brand song and dance. There should be a personal level of interaction, which can be achieved by going behind the scenes of product manufacture, interviewing people in your organization, allowing Q&A sessions with brand representatives or doing exclusive product launches on your live stream. Whatever you choose, remember to acknowledge viewer comments as they happen.

Our infographic includes additional helpful information, including monetization tips for live streaming marketers. From donations to pay-per-view models, there are many strategies that brands can employ to further improve both engagement and revenue generation with livestreaming.