Live video is an incredibly powerful way to drive viewer engagement when done correctly. Forget stale straight-to-camera presentations. Today, we’ll show you how to take your live stream to the next level by mixing in multiple presenters, slides, and video inputs. In case you need to cover the basics, refer back to our previous episodes on setting up a live stream, and using multiple sources in a live stream. In this episode of our How To Video series on live streaming, we’ll show you exactly how we executed our very first live stream demo a couple of weeks back. We’ll cover our camera gear, software, and the creative elements we included throughout the stream itself. Keep reading to learn how to create your own professional live stream presentation. Watch as Nick LaClair, Creative Director at SproutVideo, takes us behind the scenes of our first live stream. If you missed our live demo, you can watch the recording of it in our post, “An Inside Look at Our New Beta Live Streaming Features.” Technical SetupSince we are all social distancing, we needed to make sure that we had the right equipment on hand to achieve the look we wanted. This included cameras, adapters, dongles, and some software. Let’s take a look at both Nick and Ikey’s setup below. Nick’s Gear & SetupBroadcasting from his home in upstate New York, Nick was the hub of our operation. He controlled the whole live stream from his iMac using OBS and our SproutVideo account. His video and audio were sent to OBS via video capture device as a source for the broadcast. To control OBS during the broadcast, he had the OBS remote browser app up on his iPad, which made switching between scenes easy and quick. Gear List
Ikey’s Gear & SetupIkey, broadcasting from his home in Brooklyn, New York, interacted with Nick primarily through Skype. This allowed him to interact with Nick and see the screencast in real-time. He had his boom mic connected to a mirrorless camera, which was connected to Skype through a video capture device. Gear List
Software SetupThe hardware setup was relatively straightforward. However, on the software side, we had to be a bit more creative with our process to deliver the experience that we wanted for our viewers. Our main goal was to create a look that allowed for both people to be front and center during the broadcast, with the ability to add slides, pre-recorded videos, and various other elements. OBSIt all started with Nick preparing all of the scenes and sources in OBS. We had six scenes to work with: the intro, on-camera, convo, desktop, slides, and outro. We set it up this way to allow for easy and effective switching during the broadcast. Intro & OutroThe intro was all one video file that was made up of a 15 minute countdown graphic and a 30 second promotional video. We set it up in this fashion because OBS allows you to choose a media file as your source, and will play it from the beginning when you cut to it. The outro was the same format. It consisted of a “thank you” video that was queued up to play in its entirety at the end of our broadcast. We felt it was important to have an intro so our viewers would have time to “take their seats” so to speak. An outro is equally important as an opportunity to deliver a call-to-action, and to avoid the broadcast ending too abruptly. Video ScenesWe implemented two video scenes, one featuring just Nick on camera, and one with both Nick and Ikey. Nick’s feed was straight from camera using a capture device to connect to OBS, but our conversation scene had a few extra elements, including custom graphics and Skype. Connecting SkypeFor this scene, we had to make sure that not only the audience could see and hear both of us, but we had to be able to interact with each other in real-time. While Nick was able to use a direct feed from his camera as a source for OBS, we had to use an NDI for Ikey’s source. An NDI is a network device interface, which allows you to communicate, deliver, and receive video in high quality on the subnet of your computer network. Skype allows you to tap into its NDI and use it as a source for OBS. All you need to execute this is install the NewTek NDI plugin for OBS, enable the NDI usage within Skype itself, and then choose “NDI source” as a source in OBS. At this point, you can adjust your windows to allow the Skype feed to show up as you’d like. Skype ScreenshareWe chose to use Skype because of its NDI connection capabilities, but also because we needed a way to have Ikey see Nick’s screen in real-time so the interaction would seem natural. We couldn’t monitor the actual broadcast because of latency. Latency happens to every live broadcast. It is the delay that occurs between what is captured in the cameras and what your audience sees. Completing the LookSince both video feeds import into OBS with the same dimensions as the video source, we created a simple, branded PNG to use as a frame. This made the look and feel a bit more professional, as you’ll see below. Desktop & SlidesThe last two scenes we’ll cover are the desktop and slides. These were our easiest scenes to set up in OBS. OBS lets you screencast either a window or your entire desktop. For this live stream, we used an application window with our slide presentation as one source for that scene, and had another scene with our desktop as the source so viewers could see the platform during the walkthrough. AudioAnother important consideration we had to make was surrounding our audio. While we ran our mics through our cameras, OBS allows you to separate audio from your video source, meaning you can add audio separately to whatever scene you’d like even if the video feed isn’t included. This is exactly how we got the voice over for our slides and desktop screencast, and silence from the speakers during the intro and outro. After a lot of practice in the weeks leading up to the event, we were able to pull the live stream off more or less flawlessly. We have high hopes for future live events like this and would love to know what other topics you would like to be covered. Let us know in the comments below. The post Behind the Scenes of our First Live Stream appeared first on SproutVideo. from SproutVideo https://sproutvideo.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-of-our-first-live-stream.html via IFTTT from https://johnsmith0190.tumblr.com/post/624997697676541952 from https://alvindukes.blogspot.com/2020/07/behind-scenes-of-our-first-live-stream.html
0 Comments
Are you looking to install 12V LED strip lights? Well, you have come to the right place. These bright, beautiful lights seem to be everywhere at the moment. The lights easily transform spaces to give people a fantastic first impression, and can add character to a room. If you are planning to install LED light […] The post How to Install 12V LED Light Strips appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/29/how-to-install-12v-led-light-strips/ There are few things harder in life than losing a pet, even though we know that our partnership will end in heartbreak eventually. On average, pets live about 1/8th as long as we do and, as a result, it’s not unusual to own six, seven, or more dogs in a lifetime. But, whether we own […] The post Saying Goodbye to Our Furry Friends: How to Help Someone in the Grasp of Grief appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/28/saying-goodbye-to-our-furry-friends-how-to-help-someone-in-the-grasp-of-grief/ With the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic, going out to meet with dealers and sellers isn’t the safest choice. While social distancing works in curbing the coronavirus, the best way to remain safe is avoiding human contact as much as possible. We are not telling you to fully isolate yourself from the rest of the world, but […] The post Is Buying Used Cars Possible Online? A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/27/is-buying-used-cars-possible-online-a-comprehensive-guide/ Sometimes, it seems like there’s more SEO advice on the internet than cute cat videos. Some of the advice is very high quality, while some is conflicting, and still more is just wrong. Today, we’re cutting through the noise to look at a proven, evergreen method for driving organic traffic to your site that you can easily replicate for your company. It’s all about how-to video content. Here’s a deep-dive into why it’s such an effective SEO strategy, and how to use it to attract your target audience. Why ‘How To’ Video Content Works So Well For SEOThe “why” is truly simple. The first thing people tend to do when they don’t know how to tackle a problem is to search for an answer online. By providing those answers, you can attract organic traffic to your site. This strategy has a lot of appeal. For starters, when offering solutions, you can plug relevant products and services. And, you not only have the opportunity to improve your brand recognition, you can position yourself as a thought leader to boot. Finally, by solving an issue for your audience, you’re providing value, which improves brand affinity and helps establish your website as a useful resource online. Why Adding Video Boosts This StrategyYou might be thinking that you could just write out answers in a text-based article and call it a day. However, adding video provides specific SEO benefits that you would otherwise miss out on. Video Helps With Onsite SEOSearches that begin with “how to…” signal a specific type of search intent. A search engine choosing which content to deliver for that type of query will be looking for certain attributes in the results. A thorough, structured article that fully answers the targeted question is definitely a cornerstone of this strategy. If you also include multimedia, your page stands a better chance of being ranked highly by search engines. Adding video indicates that your page is high quality and is likely to be more useful to visitors than pages without video content. Including video also enables you to enhance your keyword strategy by optimizing all the video metadata on the page. That will help improve your keyword density and overall relevancy to your targeted keyword phrases. And, a video sitemap can help your page get indexed against specific search terms. It also increases the likelihood your site will appear in multiple search listing tabs for a query (example below). While video metadata and sitemaps sound very technical, here is a video guide that shows just how easy it is to set them up using SproutVideo’s built-in SEO tools: Finally, video also helps improve average time on page, which sends a signal back to search engines that visitors are finding useful information there. By providing engaging video content, you’re reducing the chances they’ll quickly scan your article sections and bounce. From our own blog, of our top twenty-five articles for organic traffic, nine include original video content. The average time on page is 17% higher on average for those articles. Video Helps With Offsite SEOA solid backlink strategy is an essential part of growing your organic traffic. Video content can help with that because it is highly shareable. It adds an engaging, personal touch and boosts the perceived value of your page. If your article and video are high quality, you’re more likely to earn backlinks to your content because other websites will link to it as a resource in their own articles. Of course, outreach is always recommended as part of your backlink campaign efforts. Video Helps Your Search VisibilityOf course, the number one goal is to appear at the top of the first page out of all results on Google. However, using multimedia in your content helps improve your visibility beyond page one. Here’s an example from our own blog, where we are currently ranked in the number two spot for “studio lighting best practices” in the All Results tab in Google: However, if you click over to the Videos tab, we are in the number one spot: And we’re also ranked number one for the image results as well: This example shows that by adding rich content to your article, you can improve the overall visibility of your website across the different types of search results. In turn, that increases the chances someone will click through to your website. So how can you get this to work for your website? The trick is knowing which questions to answer, and doing it in a way that stands out from the crowd of other answers. Which How To’s Are Right For You?There are endless options for the types of questions you could answer for your audience. So how do you know which are worth spending your time on? It’s important to pick a subject that is closely related to your business. It’ll be easier to grow leads and sales from that traffic if your site visitors are ultimately looking for answers related to something you offer. Inspiration can come from many places. Check your customer support channels to see what types of pre-sales or implementation questions people have before signing up. Or, look at competitors and thought leaders in your space to see which subjects they’re addressing. Events and conferences can also provide ideas. Check the topics of keynotes to see what’s top of mind for industry experts. Once you’ve got some ideas, there are a few key factors you have to consider when planning your video SEO strategy. First up is your authority on the topic, next is search volume and relevancy to your target audience, then the search intent of the user, and finally, your competition. AuthorityWhen deciding which results to show on the first page, Google and other search engines try to determine which sites can be considered an authority on a given topic. In this context, authority is another word for expert, or thought leader. It’s important to play to your strengths. If your company is uniquely positioned as an authority on a subject, even if it’s fairly specific, you can attract a lot of organic traffic by focusing on that niche. If you’re just starting out, you can build authority by publishing consistently on a given subject, and earning backlinks from other websites with content on the same topic. Featuring or linking out to other experts and high authority websites is another tactic to try. There are very few shortcuts to building authority. Usually, it just takes time and sustained effort. Volume and RelevancyThe next factor to consider is the search volume for your target key phrases, and their relevancy to your audience. The goal is to ensure you’ll actually hit your mark when producing your content. After all, if your area of expertise is not relevant to your target audience, or is something hardly anyone searches for online, it won’t be worth producing videos about it. Usually, it’s a bit of a trade off. Typically, you’ll find that search volume is lower for “long tail” and highly specific keywords, but the relevancy will be high for certain segments of your audience. Conversely, search volume will be higher for broader, shorter phrases, but the relevancy to your specific audience will be lower. For example, searching for the term “home repair” will deliver very broad results online. In contrast, searching for “how to repair windows” will deliver much more targeted results. Although more people search for “home repair” in total, if you are selling window repair services, you’re much better off optimizing against the more narrow term to reach your target audience. Ideally, you’ll identify a topic that fits your expertise, with sufficient search traffic from your targeted audience. Search IntentIn the past few years, Google has changed up its algorithm significantly to reflect the ultimate goal of the user typing the query. Today, search intent is one of the biggest ranking factors for SEO. For example, if someone searches for a specific product, Google understands they are likely shopping or looking for reviews. If someone starts a search with “how to…” Google knows they are looking for guides and step-by-step articles. The results pages will reflect that. The key here is framing. How you frame your content around your chosen key phrases has to match the intent Google understands for that search. If there is a mismatch between the search intent and the type of page you’ve built, your chances of ranking are very low. Basically, your blog post about your product is unlikely to rank for a search to buy that product. Your product landing page will rank instead. Your homepage is unlikely to rank for comparison research. And so on. When researching your how-to topic, make sure your content is a close match to the intent of the search. You’re not necessarily trying to imitate the other results, just making sure your page will be a fit for that particular type of search. By focusing on the ultimate goal of the person you are trying to reach, you’ll be much more likely to get it right. CompetitionWith SEO, your competition might not come from other companies you actively compete with for customers. It comes from other websites that have already published content on a subject that’s ranked highly by search engines. When planning your content, start by searching the Internet using phrases your audience is likely to use when researching a question related to your niche. What does the first page of results look like? What kind of content is being displayed? Ideally, you’re looking for results that indicate low competition for that particular key phrase. Low competition is usually evidenced by sites with low authority being ranked for the term, content that is inaccurate, outdated, or no longer being updated, or content that could easily be improved upon by a new or more thorough approach. You can also use tools specifically built for this purpose to evaluate ranking competition for keywords. We use Ahrefs and Google Keyword Planner, but there are many other options out there. Although low competition is ideal, it’s somewhat rare for search terms that aren’t incredibly specific. Of course, you can successfully target high competition search terms with your video content. You just have to ensure you’re offering something better and differentiated compared to existing search results. Where To ShareTo maximize the benefits of your how-to video SEO strategy, you should share your video content on your own website. And, use a professional video hosting platform with built-in SEO tools to host and embed your videos. The best place for how-to video content is usually a blog or a knowledge base, but it could live elsewhere on your site. It really depends on the type of content you produce, and the layout of your website. Then, be sure to take these four steps for technical SEO.
To build on that last point, you can either follow the guidelines for structuring “how-to” content (if your article is a series of sequential steps to achieve a specific task) or for video (applies more generally to video content), whichever is a better fit. We have a guide with seventeen video SEO best practices if you want to take things even further. Measuring SuccessUnless you have a perfect understanding of Google’s algorithm, you’re not always going to get this right (even Google doesn’t). Despite your best efforts, not all of your how-to content will rank as highly as you’d like. And, search trends can change over time. A post that doesn’t rank initially can suddenly start attracting a lot of traffic, while a popular one can fall out of favor. The key to success is to get the fundamentals right, and make a sustained effort to improve over time. Track your results to see what is working, and where you can improve. Ideally, you’ll start to see patterns like this chart, taken from one of our own blog posts about color grading in Adobe Premiere Pro: At first, this post did not attract much in the way of organic traffic. However, around October of 2019, it started to gain some traction. Finally, in February, right after we redesigned our blog, it really started to take off. This illustrates why you can’t just publish one how-to and call it a day. If we’d only made this one post, we might not consider our strategy to be much of a success. However, by targeting multiple niche queries with compelling how-to video content, you can see how the organic traffic really starts to add up. Have you had recent success with video SEO? Share your tips in the comments below, or ask questions to get expert advice! The post Why How-To Video Content is SEO Gold appeared first on SproutVideo. from SproutVideo https://sproutvideo.com/blog/why-how-to-video-content-is-seo-gold.html via IFTTT from https://johnsmith0190.tumblr.com/post/624378603752374272 from https://alvindukes.blogspot.com/2020/07/why-how-to-video-content-is-seo-gold.html Explainer videos are used in marketing to answer many questions about products, companies, or services. They can help your business increase web conversions, improve SEO search rankings, keep viewers on your page for up to 2x longer, and much more. These great videos come in many forms, ranging from animated and whiteboard to live action. […] The post Great Explainer Videos: 5 Top Examples appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/22/great-explainer-videos-5-top-examples/ As a motorist, it is essential that you know how to keep your car in top condition. This way, not only can you avoid any potentially costly and inconvenient breakdowns, but also so that you can keep the car performing to a high standard each day. While car maintenance may seem intimidating if you have […] The post Vehicle Maintenance Tips For Motorists appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/21/vehicle-maintenance-tips-for-motorists/ Sometimes it might seem that the idea of saving money and saving the environment are two very different things. It’s hard to do both, and trying to do one over the other can lead to guilt and worry. The good news is that, in fact, saving money at the same time as helping the environment […] The post How to Save Money and Save the Environment appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/15/how-to-save-money-and-save-the-environment/ Have you ever seen a live stream where there are multiple people, slides, images, or cameras? Then thought to yourself, how are they possibly doing all of that? Well, in this episode of our How To Video series, we will be going over how to successfully execute a multi-source live stream. In this post we’ll cover the benefits of multiple video sources, possible drawbacks and how to fix them, and examples of how people use this setup regularly. What is Multi-Source Streaming?A multi-source live stream is a live broadcast that switches between more than one video input. It could be more than one camera, a camera and a screencast, a webcam and pre-recorded video, or any combination of video sources you can think of. The sky really is the limit to what you can use as an additional source. In the video example below, Nick LaClair, Creative Director at SproutVideo, showcases how to use two professional cameras, an iPhone, and an iPad with a switcher to jump between the different video sources at the touch of a button. Why Use Multi-Source StreamingFirst and foremost, it’s just a great way to spice up your broadcast. Adding additional sources allows you to cut away from yourself, add different angles, and include information that makes the broadcast more engaging. It allows you to operate like a mini TV studio, especially if you’re using a switcher. You can use it to easily add effects, transitions, and elements that help make your production look and feel more professional. Optimizing Your Setup for Multi-Source StreamingIf you’ve already mastered our 6 Simple Steps to Live Streaming for Business, you’ll know what it takes for a single-source broadcast. For a multi-source setup, we’d recommend at least two video inputs, a computer, encoding software, and a switcher instead of a video capture device. For example, in our setup, we used the following equipment for the “cooking show” segment with four video inputs:
Ensuring a Smooth Live StreamTypically, problems with a live stream don’t arise from the cameras, microphones, or switchers you’re using. Instead, your computer or your internet connection are much more likely to cause trouble when live streaming. Multi-source live streaming is very resource intensive for computers. Unless you already have a really powerful machine and fast internet, you may want to make some improvements. The two areas to be especially cognizant of are your internet speed and processing power. Internet SpeedSlow internet speeds can cause buffering or even your stream to pause mid-broadcast. In most cases, you won’t be able to improve your internet speed prior to going live, but there are some things to check for and adjust to improve your stream. One of the easiest ways to make an improvement is to use an ethernet cable. If that’s not available, move closer to your wifi router when streaming. You’ll want to make sure that your upload bandwidth is twice your broadcast bitrate. You can check your bandwidth by doing a simple speed test. If you have lower bandwidth, outputting at a lower bitrate will help ensure that your video gets to your viewer more smoothly. Your bitrate is whatever your sources’ bitrate is added together. For example, if you have three video sources and one audio source, all four would contribute to the strain on your internet. Finally, be sure to close all unnecessary tabs and windows, and if possible, ensure no other streaming, uploading, or downloading is happening on your connection while broadcasting. Computer ProcessingThe more sources you add, the more processing power your machine is going to need. The reason is that all video sources are processed concurrently regardless of whether they are on screen or not. If your computer can’t keep up, issues will start to crop up. For instance, your video and audio may get out of sync, or your video will be choppy. Switch to a SwitcherUsing a switcher is one of the best ways to mitigate this potential problem without shelling out thousands for a more powerful computer. While you could have each individual source going into your encoder software separately, meaning your computer has to process each one individually, a switcher combines them all into one source. In our video above, we use the Blackmagic ATEM Mini. It has 4 HDMI inputs that allow you to transition seamlessly between sources during your broadcast. As a result, your computer only has to process one source instead of four. Benefits of Using a SwitcherBeyond offloading processing power from your computer, using a switcher has several benefits that will improve your live streaming process. Right off the bat, switching sources becomes easier because of the big button layout of the ATEM Mini. Instead of having to click each source individually with a mouse while recording, this makes switching effortless. You can also configure two different audio sources, which could be an additional microphone or even a music source. Using the Auto button, you can inject automatic transitions and effects when switching sources. Lastly, with built-in picture-in-picture functionality and chroma keying for the green screen footage, the ATEM Mini is an amazing piece of tech for enhancing your live stream. If you upgrade to the Pro version, the benefits multiply. In addition to ease of use, the ATEM Mini Pro allows you to record your stream as a separate on-demand video in real-time. This means you’ll have a high-quality backup of your broadcast even if your stream gets disrupted. Ways to use Multi-Source Live StreamingThere are endless ways you can incorporate different sources into your live videos to make them more engaging. Below, we’ll list out some basic examples anyone could execute, along with some more advanced ideas. Product LaunchThink of Apple product announcements. The fact that they’re live adds tremendously to the buzz they generate. You’ll want at least one source on the person presenting, and a camera, screencast, or pre-recorded video file to unveil the product. Software Product DemosUsing a multi-source stream for a product demo is a great way to show off the inner workings of your product. Similar to a product announcement, you can have cameras on the presenters, and then also a screencast of the application tour. To see an example, check out our recent demo of our new live streaming features. Fitness ClassesWhile one camera could suffice for a fitness class, having multiple cameras would enable you to showcase different instructors, or provide clearer demonstrations of exercises from different angles. This would be especially useful if you have someone doing a modification of the main exercise. Cooking ShowsCooking programs typically use multi-source feeds to add variety to their streams. While there is generally one camera on the chef, there are frequently multiple cameras set up to get a shot of the food from above, maybe a handheld camera, or even a shot for when the food goes in and out of the oven. For more tips on how to film food, see our How To Video episode “Four Simple Tricks to Making Mouthwatering Food Videos.” InterviewsThis example is one that applies to most businesses. Doing interviews or having conversations on camera is one of the most basic, but important types of live stream methods. Having three individual cameras as sources allows you to have a camera on each subject and one covering the whole scene. Not sure where to start with interviews? Read our guide to executing the perfect video interview. Company PresentationsWhile talking directly to employees works for some updates, having an extra source that has presentation materials is bound to provide even more information. Being able to switch back and forth between slides, pre-made videos, and the presenter keeps even the most mundane presentation upbeat and lively. Public Speaking EngagementsPublic speaking events are a great time to get a live stream up and running. It not only lets you get the information out to those who couldn’t make it in person, but can be recorded to be shared later on. Using multiple cameras allows you to get a variety of angles of the speakers, and capture audience members that ask questions. While not every situation calls for a multi-source setup, this is a great tool to have in your arsenal, whether you have a full team or are filming solo. Let us know in the comments below how you plan on using multi-source live streaming for your business. The post How to Pull Off a Multi-Source Live Stream appeared first on SproutVideo. from SproutVideo https://sproutvideo.com/blog/how-to-pull-off-a-multi-source-live-stream.html via IFTTT from https://johnsmith0190.tumblr.com/post/623265024670105600 from https://alvindukes.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-to-pull-off-multi-source-live-stream.html Cleaning the office and other business spaces is essential. We are impressed with the services rendered by City Property Services, a commercial cleaning company. We observed that the cleaning company had created a perfect schedule and operating model to meet our needs. For everyone out there who is considering ways to keep their office space […] The post 5 Tips for Cleaning Office Spaces appeared first on Viral Viral Videos. via Viral Viral Videos https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/07/09/5-tips-for-cleaning-office-spaces/ |
Alvin DukesYour channel page is another often great opportunity to alert the algorithm about your content. Make sure that you fill out every aspect of your page. Archives
April 2023
Categories |