Many
industry experts have dubbed the year 2016 as the year of live streaming”, the
year when viewers will not only enjoy but expect media, organizations, and
outfits of all sizes to be able to stream live video on their website and other
media resources. Several have even
predicted that this will be the year when live broadcasting surpasses the
growth of podcasting.
With
such high expectations for streaming video broadcast services, it is surprising
how few organizations have taken the initiative to provide real-time video
seriously to their customers and clients.
Many have chosen the old way of recording videos and uploading them at a
later time, and a handful of others are lowering expectations by using
smartphone applications to stream inferior and choppy video to their videos.
The
best way to choose the right streaming video broadcast provider for your needs
is to ask yourself a series of questions which will reveal your budget, your
intentions, and your ultimate goals.
What
Are My Support Options And What Are Their Costs?
A
free service may sound like the most attractive option, but they often offer
little to no support. This means that if
you experience problems at a live event, you will have no number to call and
all of the time, preparation and money you have spent advertising the event
will go to waste.
As
for the cost, users must look beyond the price tag. What you should be looking into is what you
get from the service when weighed against your needs. Look at factors such as:
·
The amount of bandwidth you receive
each month
·
The amount of viewer hours you
receive each month
·
The storage space allotted to you on
a monthly basis
·
How support is provided to you (some
only offer email support for free or starter/basic packages)
What
Is The User Experience?
Beyond
your own branding, you will want to be able to customize the player so that it
integrates nicely into the website you will be using to stream live broadcast media
from. This may mean that the vendor will
allow you to offer DVR functionality, enable chat or comments, and enable
access to social media.
Do
You Plan To Monetize Your Videos?
Some
users may wish to monetize their videos in different ways. Some will have a marketing company set-up to
take over the monetization and advertising of other companies and vendors in
the video or on the website while others will want to depend on third-party
companies to offer them monetization opportunities.
How
Important Is Picture And Audio Quality To You?
The
answer to this question should be as much as you can afford. Picture and sound quality is paramount in
this area where so many small media outfits and enterprises are lacking. Renting a unit quick provides a reliable and
high quality wireless video uplink often delivers the best results rather than
depending on a free service where you are ultimately at the mercy of their
servers.
