2020 and 2021 will certainly go down in the record books in many ways—including how much the Internet is being used. One result of work-from-home orders is the expanded use of live streaming to keep businesses functioning. Zoom and Teams meetings have become the default way businesses operated internally. Experts expect this trend to continue even in a post-pandemic world.
But there’s more to live streaming than Zoom and Teams. According to Grandview Research, live streaming (as opposed to on-demand streaming entertainment) accounted for 61% of the total global video streaming market in 2020. That global market was valued at 50.11 billion USD in 2020 and expected to grow at a compound rate of 21% to 2028. Fortune Business Insights disagrees on the numbers (they have 342.44 billion in 2019 with projected CAGR of 12% to 2027) but agrees that live streaming has the largest market share.
Whichever set of numbers you pick, the dollars involved are impressive. Consequently, retailers need to sit up and take notice. Because when someone decides to become a social media influencer or needs to upgrade their equipment, there’s profit to be made in selling the live streaming gear they need.
For example, according to uscreen.tv, the number of live stream events on their Uscreen platform increased by 300% between March and August of 2020. 300%!
Likewise, Twitch, THE platform for gamers, is growing by leaps and bounds. According to restream, Twitch’s active streamers nearly tripled in 2020. They grew 56% in hours watched from Q1 to Q2 of 2020—passing 5 billion hours watched. And in October 2020, users watched 1.6 billion hours on Twitch—a 99% year over year growth from October 2019. Furthermore, Facebook Gaming continued to grow in 2020, hitting 346 million hours watched in August.
Just what are the components needed to live stream? Depending on budget, they can be minimal or broadcast-television-station worthy. But essentially, it boils down to six overall categories:
For business meetings, webcams are ideal. They combine the video and audio components into a small package. However if audio is problematic, a headset or headphone with microphone can be a better alternative.
Wanna-be YouTubers and online influencers may think a webcam is too restrictive. However, they could purchase a USB repeater extension cable to add some distance. These moderate that troublesome tether between a camera and a computer.
Given how expensive gear can get, live stream platforms recommend starting with what the new content creator can afford. Then, if they are successful, they can upgrade.
YouTube has their own Creator Academy—complete with lessons! One of them deals with production equipment. For the video component, they recommend something that can shoot 1080p resolution. The ones below are listed in terms of budget:
Dacast adds a few more ideas:
Adorama also points out that single camera setups are best for vlogging, video podcasts, and small events or seminars. Larger events require multiple cameras, video switchers, audio mixers, graphics generators, etc. Consequently, those are in a completely different, bigger-league ball game.
Tripods make hands-free shooting possible. A steady image lets the audience focus on the presenter by eliminating bouncy, jittery images. Tripods can range from small ones designed to hold a smartphone to more sophisticated ones with pan, tilt, and taller elevation levels.
Many cameras have a built-in microphone. But if the distance between the speaker and the microphone is more than three feet or if there’s a lot of background noise or wind, built-in solutions won’t work. And without strong audio, watchers won’t be able to understand what’s being said and consequently will abandon the live stream.
Consequently, external solutions, like a directional or shotgun microphone, a wireless lavalier microphone, or a wireless headset are excellent alternatives.
Relying only on sunlight can lead to poor-looking, high-contrast images—especially if beginner-grade cameras are being used. It’s best to make sure there’s enough fill light to nicely balance things out.
In the pro world, when it comes to lighting people, 3-point lighting is the norm. A key light lights one side of the face, a fill light lights the other, and a back light hits the back of the head and shoulders to separate the person from the background. Other lights fill in the rest of the background. Photography or studio light kits with LED or fluorescent bulbs, reflectors, umbrellas, tripods, and maybe even soft boxes are the norm here.
In the more off-the-cuff, streaming world, simple LED ring lights are used to evenly light faces. In contrast, natural ambient light, bounced/reflected LED work lights and more pro-like studio light kits eliminate harsh shadows in the background.
An encoder sends the live audio and video to the chosen streaming platform through a computer, transforming it to the platform’s required digital format. Different platforms may require different formats, so it’s important that encoder settings are adjustable. Webcams already have an encoder built in. Most other types of cameras do not. Sometimes a capture card may be needed as well.
Encoders can be hardware or software. Hardware ones are more expensive and are designed for 24/7 use. Software ones are more affordable and install on a laptop or computer. They can pair with a capture card if one is needed to get the camera’s video (and audio) signals into the computer.
Nearly every popular social media platform has some sort of live streaming feature. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok all have free live feeds as does Periscope, Resi, Dailymotion, and Twitch.
Panopto, IBM Cloud Video (formerly UStream), Dacast, Vimeo Livestream, GlobalMeet Webcast, and Brightcove platforms are popular subscription-based sites used by businesses, enterprises, educators, and broadcasters.
As mentioned above, each platform has its own live streaming requirements. Make sure your customers understand that and do their research BEFORE they make their purchase gear.
Lastly, it’s crucial to have a fast and stable Internet connection. Buffering or low video quality can kill interest in a live stream. So just how fast should upload and download speeds be?
Boxcast recommends upload speeds of 3 Mbps for 480p, 6 Mbps for 720p, and 13 Mbps for 1080p. Minimum speeds are 600 Kbps for 480p, 1.25 Mbps for 720p, and 2.75 Mbps for 1080.
Speedify breaks things down by major platforms, with their numbers including 40% bandwidth buffer, just in case:
Users should check their chosen platforms for what they recommend. Those platforms will also have codec information, bit rates, and more. This is true whether its subscription-based service or a free streaming platform.
As for download speeds, at least 4 Mbps is recommended. For 1080p or higher, think between 7 and 25 Mbps, depending on the platform. This is especially important for businesses and gamers.
Whether you want to sell gear that supports the social media influencer, vlogger, or the gaming world or provide equipment to businesses who are trying to solve technical hiccups involved in live streaming, there are many products from which to choose. From vlogging equipment for beginners and video gaming accessories to routers with fast Internet upload speeds, webcams and more, Petra carries a wide variety of gear that can improve the live streaming experience of your customers—and help you boost your profits at the same time.
For other ways that Petra can help support retail and ecommerce businesses, be sure to check out our customer page for all the tools and services we can provide.