Previously, only the film industry did live “on-air” video events; but today, it’s an accessible marketing strategy any education brand can utilize. Here’s how to get started with live streaming your school’s events.
According to Wikipedia, the very first live event broadcast on air was in 1929, when the BBC began broadcasting live transmissions. At the time, live streaming was the only way to broadcast.
Videotape technology wasn’t invented until somewhere in the 1950’s. And when it was finally available, it was so costly that many television programs continued to air their shows live until as late as the 1970’s.
What’s the big deal with Live Streaming?
So what’s the point of that history lesson?
The point is that we, as education marketers, need to recognize the amazing opportunity that we have in live-streaming technologies today.
Because most video content people see today is recorded and edited before broadcast, live streaming events add value to the audience.
Your audiences are drawn to live events because watching live, stream-of-consciousness thinking from their favorite thought leaders, or the unpredictable or charming antics of their loved ones or the unedited accomplishments of their family members makes the moment special.
Live streaming is the second best thing to being there in person.
And for family and friends of your student body, faculty, and staff, live streaming events means that they can participate in some way with their loved one with the help of your school brand.
Think about that. Your educational institution can make it possible for families and friends to participate in life milestones like graduation, academic awards, and sports events through your live streaming.
And you don’t have to wait for the right television or broadcasting equipment! You can be live streaming with a setup as simple as a mobile phone and an Internet connection.
Very few content mediums have this much personal (and sometimes professional) value in them for your marketing personas.
Live Streaming: Value Rich Content
For many schools, live streaming is a brand new idea, and you might be hesitant to jump into it. You might be holding back because you don’t know how much it costs, what equipment you need, how to coordinate your staff and students to do it, etc.
But whatever is holding you back, I encourage you to find a way to get live streaming into your array of marketing tactics.
We can help you put together the strategy. We can help you find cost-effective yet quality video equipment. We can even show you what you need to be live streaming, like spring commencement.
But first, you’ve got to see the immense value this medium holds for your audiences—and how it can raise your brand awareness and loyalty like few other marketing channels can.
A Quick Breakdown
Live Streaming Equipment
- Smartphone or Video Camera(s) for streaming the event
- YouTube Live app
- Facebook Live
- Instagram Live
Events You Can Live Stream
- Commencement
- Lecture Series
- Speaker Panels
- Sports events
- Homecoming
- Student campus events
- Zany or random events like this national TV sensation on (of all things) firewood
- Community Service Projects
Livening Up Your Live Streaming
The whole idea of live streaming is about being off-script, right? That’s true, except that it doesn’t work out practically that way.
Real life can be quite boring as it plays out minute-by-minute, so if all you do is broadcast the crowd milling about on graduation day, you’ll bore your audience to tears.
For example, if I were to live stream the happenings in my office right now, you’d be tortured by watching me typing this article. Not much action.
So, you need to have a plan when you live stream your events.
Of course, when you’re live streaming a lecture, a chapel worship service, a panel discussion, and the like, you don’t need to plan how that will work.
But let’s say you want to engage the throng of family and friends that have come for commencement. Or maybe you want to catch up with someone on a campus tour.
For those times, I recommend designating one or two hosts to engage people in the crowd with pre-selected questions or prompts like an on-the-street interview where you can get reactions and comments from family members like this school did:
Now, this graduation video was recorded and edited, but I think you can see how you could do this live just as well.
It’s the action of the event in the background that makes it stand out. It makes the viewer feel as if they’re right there on the school grounds feeling the excitement of the moment.
Go For It
Bottom line: You can do this!
Live streaming is an accessible, affordable means to cram incredible amounts of value into your education inbound marketing content to draw family members, friends, and others to your enrollment website.
If you need a hand getting started, or you need a marketing audit to find out where you are and how you can up your education marketing game, get ahold of us today.
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Featured image by pressmaster via Adobe Stock
