Live Streaming Your Event: Is It Worth It?
Updated: Jul 13
In this article, we’ll delve into all the concerns you might have about livestreaming and help you come to a decision that’s right for your event.
Not all events are compatible with live video production. But all events can have social exclusive livestreams.
Our experience has proven that weighing the pros and cons of live video production for each event is vital.
When Should I Live Stream?
Certain types of events lend themselves well to being livestreamed. Video production enhances experiences that are performance-based and that have some narrative component.
Music concerts are obvious candidates for live video production. Livestreamed concerts give viewers a more intimate, clear, and high-quality view of an artist’s performance. They also allow fans unable to attend the concert in-person to experience the performance.
The same principles can be applied to conferences and town halls. In these cases, video can amplify a speaker or presenter’s message. For example, cutting to tighter shots at pivotal or emotional moments of a speech helps subtly communicate the importance of the point to the audience.
Other events that benefit from live video production include sporting events, training, and product launches. The through-line between these event types is performative or narrative elements that can be complemented through video production techniques.
When Gradient partnered with Viktor and Rolf Fragrances to produce their "Good Fortune" popup event, the client was faced with the question of whether or not to implement a live video component. Typically, pop-ups appeal heavily to an in-person experience and lend themselves poorly to livestreaming. However, when a musical performance by FKA Twigs was introduced, the dynamic changed completely. The event had over 12m in-person impressions and was covered by Bazaar.
When to Keep it IRL (In Real Life):
Only some events are worth livestreaming, which include anything that lacks action, visual appeal, or narrative. Parties and popups don’t typically feature performances and often fall into this category. They are built on interactions and sensations of being physically present; however, at Gradient Live, we like to say that "while not every event should be livestreamed … every event is the backdrop for social-first live." Our clients often double-dip on their initial investment to create a visually stunning pop-up by directing virtual viewers to social live activity created by Gradient Live. Our innovation and strategy teams are highly versed in framing ideas for social media and put that to use in creating engaging second-screen engagements.
Pros and Cons of Livestreaming Your Event:
Livestreaming is one of the best ways to extend an event's reach. With the opportunity to include remote participants and viewers, live events can reach larger and more diverse audiences than exclusively in-person events. Beyond this, think of how many more visual options are available through the medium of live video. By incorporating a variety of camera angles, visual effects, pre-recorded video, and interactive options, you bolster your connection with the audience and deliver a stronger emotional impact.
Live video events can also give you precise analytical tools to evaluate ROI. Platforms like Vimeo monitor audience size in real-time, view when you have the highest engagement, and so on. At Gradient Live, we combine data from multiple sources to create custom data visualizations and reports that help you measure success more accurately. This is the greatest benefit of live video production. The interactive features of livestreaming, its potential for global reach, and the ability to measure that engagement result in something really powerful.
On the other hand, one of the primary constraints of live video is the cost. Professional equipment, setup time, and an experienced production crew add to a budget's bottom line. In THIS article, we go into more detail about the cost of live video and how to measure it against metrics like "reach." If your KPIs don't align with a video format (on-person attendance), or there is a high probability for some key metric to be ineffective (like "views/reach"), then it may be difficult to justify a livestream.
Reach Out to Gradient Experiential About Live Events
At Gradient Experiential, we strive to produce high-quality experiences, whether exclusively IRL or livestreamed. Our track record speaks to the attention and consideration of every event. Partner with us to craft a carefully tailored event experience for your audience. For inquiries on live production, call our office at (212) 997-9742, or email us at Livestream@WeAreGradient.com.