Corporate live streaming and the benefits of live streaming for business

Streaming isn’t just for gamers, influencers, and TV production companies. Businesses in any industry can gain serious benefits from streaming, from live streaming global company-wide events, to hosting webinars. In this blog, we’re exploring the world of live streaming for business purposes. 

What is corporate live streaming?

Corporate live streaming refers to the broadcast of video and audio content in real time for business purposes. Essentially, it’s a wide umbrella term that shares a lot with the kind of live streaming you see done by gamers, influencers, and content creators online – but for businesses! 

You don’t need to have a live streaming business model or pay-per-view streaming service to start live streaming for your business. There are a wide range of ways that companies in every industry live stream, including the following use cases:

Celebrate launch events live 

From large conglomerates like tech giants and fashion houses, to medium-to-small enterprises, companies can reach even more potential customers when they take launch events online. Live launch events are a great way to celebrate, promote, and build hype around new collections., while allowing brands to give detailed answers to customer questions in real time.

Invite global crowds to live and virtual events  

Live and hybrid events allow organizers to share events with people on the other side of the world – and people who face restrictions like time constraints, health reasons, or financial concerns as the cost of plane tickets and international travel climbs. This means more attendees, more accessibility, and the ability to invite hosts and speakers who would otherwise be unable to join due to scheduling conflicts. Companies around the globe regularly broadcast awards, ceremonies, fashion shows, cooking competitions, charity events, TED-style talks, and much more to international audiences. 

Host company events globally

Multinational organizations can live stream company-wide meetings to ensure that everyone can join. Live streamed company events are a lot more personal than automated emails, and can even include Q&A sessions with company founders. Live streamed company events also are more likely to see real time engagement from employees than in-person meetings, and are usually more reliable than a 500-person Zoom call.

Share knowledge and network with webinars

Online seminars, conferences and other educational events boost attendance without additional cost. They are a great way to share knowledge and showcase innovations, reaching a diverse audience that are empowered to interact directly through live chat or other feedback channels. Webinars and live streamed conferences are far more cost-effective than hiring out conference centers and flying everyone in.

The benefits of live streaming for your business 

No matter what your industry or your target audience, these are some universal live streaming benefits for business purposes:

1. Social media presence and marketing. Live streaming increases brand awareness, reaching more clients, team mates, partners, and prospective customers than traditional, in-person channels.
2. Generate more revenue through avenues like exclusive events, pay-per-view streams, and by running sponsored ads. Depending on your chosen streaming platform, you can also make income from subscriptions.
3. Gain audience insights. Most streaming platforms will offer viewer insights, often at no extra cost. This means companies can find out which parts of your live stream people engage most with – or even when your team members usually drop off from a live streamed company meeting. 
4. Save more money. Live streaming usually means less people to fly in, less people to seat, less catering, less electricity – and a more budget-friendly event! Plus, live video content doesn’t require expensive and timely post-production editing.

Of course, live streaming isn’t without its challenges. Corporate live streaming in particular can sometimes come with higher expectations for professionalism and polish. You also want to ensure any live stream aligns with your corporate goals, while resonating with your target audience. 

Here’s what it takes to start live streaming for your business

Time, effort and planning are key to running a successful live stream. Here are some things to consider when setting up and running your first live stream as a company:

1. Prepare an agenda. Decide who will be speaking and create a rough schedule. Remember, some people will not be used to speaking live on air and will need practice!
2. Choose a streaming platform. Consider your aims for the live stream, your brand image, and the audience you want to reach. TikTok has a wide Gen Z base and is expanding in other demographics, but might not be perceived as professional as a B2B-friendly streaming host like Vimeo.
3. Set up your filming location. Avoid using boring meeting rooms and places that lack lighting or visually engaging features. Consider factors like internet connectivity and sound pollution which can make or break a live stream.
4. Find equipment that fits your budget. Invest in good cameras, microphones, and lighting. This won’t be your only live stream, and having good video and audio will pay off. The most important thing, however, is your internet connection. Audiences are more willing to forgive mid-level sound than a laggy or interrupted stream.
5. Promote your live stream. Make sure people know when and where to tune in by sharing the date, time, and link ahead of time. Promote via company social media accounts, send email reminders, and feature key details on your official website.
6. Be aware of privacy and copyright issues, since dealing with copyright breaches and requests to remove content after the live stream is an exhausting, costly process. It’s always better to stream content you own (or open source content), and to ensure you have everyone’s permission to film them.
7. Add overlays for improved aesthetics. Professional, well-designed stream graphics don’t just add visual appeal. They’re also useful for highlighting key information and give the effect of a well-produced, well-planned stream.

Luckily, overlays.uno has a wide range of overlays designed by the same professional team that creates graphics for leading news broadcasters from around the world – like this Christmas-themed lower third. 

If you want more tips on how to live stream for business purposes, find the help and support you need on the official uno Discord.