With live video expected to soon occupy 5% of mobile video traffic in the coming five years, it is of little surprise that YouTube is getting their foot in the door with the debut of their long anticipated mobile live-streaming feature, a new tool which could prove invaluable to bands and artists.
____________________
Guest post by Chris Lejuez of The Orchard on The Daily Rind
This month YouTube rolled out it’s long anticipated mobile live-streaming feature which aims to help content creators better connect to their audience. According to recent data from Cisco, live mobile video will account for 5% of all mobile video traffic within 5 years, so it is to be expected that YouTube throw their hand in such an expanding market.
To be eligible for streaming on YouTube, content creators must have at least 10,000 subscribers to their channel. So while not quite reserved to only the most “elite” of YouTube channels, you will still have to prove that your brand page has a solid foundational following before being able to beam yourself in real-time to your audience.
This feature has a variety of potential for new outreach such as:
Tour Diaries
Giving fans a glimpse of the day-to-day activities of life on the road is a great way to keep fans engaged with your content.
Live Performances
Everyone loves a private show. Live streaming private sessions can give fans that same sense of exclusivity without having to leave the living room.
Q&A Sessions
Building a community is a key part of being an artist in the modern music world. Having Q&A sessions gives artists a chance to connect with their audience and shrink the gap between the stage and the crowd.
Behind-the-Scenes Studio Access
Put your audience at the mixer board and give them a glimpse of the creative process that goes into recording an album.
The extent of the live feature is limited only by the users creativity. It will be interesting to see the unique ways artists decide to utilize this new tool.
With an ever increasing number of younger people turning to YouTube as an alternative to cable television, don’t be surprised to see more and more live content being broadcasted exclusively within the digital sphere. The future of video streaming is here, and it’s live.