Questions to Ask Yourself Before Investing In A Streaming Live Video Provider

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.