During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus was on the basic levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Our health, our family, and safety were the priority. Businesses closed and we stayed inside.

Now that we are 6 months into the pandemic, we have adjusted to our new lifestyle and survived the short-term. However, the next stage has presented itself as a longer-term battle for economic survival. As we adjusted to our new lifestyle, businesses have realized they needed to adapt to survive or they would slowly fade into bankruptcy.

This leads us to today, where we are seeing business come back from hibernation with new strategies that are designed for the long haul. These businesses are no longer planning on when they can reschedule an in-person event, but are instead canceling them altogether to be replaced with virtual gatherings and digital products.

One client we (Visual Captive) recently worked with has embraced this digital transformation amid COVID-19. They turned their in-person annual award ceremony that usually involves champagne, hugs, and congratulations into a virtual premiere. Choosing to continue their event to honor the recipients while still engaging with their members.

Recording for a YouTube Premiere by Visual Captive

YouTube Premiere With Live Chat

Adapt Your In-Person Events

So how do you adapt your marketing strategies that heavily relied on in-person interaction, viewership, or engagement? I will discuss and compare two options. Live streams and premieres. Both utilize video and have an element of viewer engagement through chat systems or live feedback.

Live Stream

A live stream is what it sounds like. Video content that is created live before the viewer's eyes. Generally, what you see is happening in realtime, however, some companies are playing back pre-recorded video over a live stream. For the sake of this comparison, we will assume that live streams are not pre-recorded.

Benefits:

Authentic experience for viewers. They feel like they are part of the experience as it unfolds.
Adapt content on the fly with live feedback from viewers. Ask questions to your audience that steer the direction of the live stream.

Negatives:

Livestreaming can be expensive. The equipment required to take high-quality camera footage and share it through a stream online is not cheap. It’s especially expensive if you have multiple cameras, hosts, and locations you are trying to simultaneously stream. You can do a live stream cheaply with an iphone, but in this comparison, we are assuming your business is looking for a more professional video.
Reduced control over the message. The video is live which means all mistakes or interruptions will be visible to your viewers. This can make a stream feel authentic, but it also opens the door for inappropriate content to accidentally get into your stream.
There is a small margin of error between a professional live stream and an unwatchable amateur production. Long pauses in content, shaky camera, poor camera angles, delayed camera cuts will all make the stream feel distracting and boring with low engagement.

Resources: Learn how to setup a live stream here.

Premiers

Premieres are a feature available on platforms like YouTube. They combine the benefits of a live stream with the controlled message benefits of a pre-recorded video. A premiere is filmed ahead of time, but is revealed during a scheduled premiere event. During the online event, viewers and the host join for a countdown and screening of the video. The organizer and viewers can live chat together to discuss what they are seeing. This gives you some of the engagement benefits of a live event, but also the benefits of more control over the message that you get from a pre-recorded video.

Benefits:

Videos can be edited as complexly and professionally as your organization desires. The finished video is scheduled as a premiere so there is no live editing required.
The video message is crafted and precise. There is less improvisation and you have the freedom to re-record sections of video that you did not like.
The cost can be lower. Instead of using 3 cameras live, you can use 1 to record multiple subjects and locations separately. The power of editing will make the final video look seamless as if it was all shot at the same time. Streaming equipment is also not needed with a premiere. A file is uploaded to YouTube like any other video upload, but is premiered on a specific date.
When a premiere or live stream finish, you can choose to keep them online for people to watch later. With a premiere, your video is polished and professionally edited already and will present better in the long-term.

Negatives:

The pre-recorded nature can detract from the authenticity, but this depends on the message your sharing and if that is important. Accuracy and clarity can be more important than authenticity.
If you would like to put content out frequently, a live stream may be better because it can require less editing and audiences are usually willing to accept a lower production value for a live stream. AKA you can be fast and loose with a live stream.
You still have a live chat to interact with your audience, but you cannot change the content on the fly.

Resources: Learn how to setup a premiere here.

Recommendation

For the average business, I recommend using premiers given their lower cost to produce and the control over the content. Businesses that are not experienced with live streaming will have a steep learning curve. Not only with technology, but training their employees to speak fluidly and comfortably on a live camera. Pre-recorded video allows for multiple takes and creative editing that can increase the perceivable production value.

Blended Approaches

A live stream can be manipulated to playback a pre-recorded video similar to a premiere. A premiere is Google’s term for when they help manage this process for you through their platform. If you have a preference for a different streaming platform, but want to use pre-recorded video, you can also do this. Just be conscious of your authenticity and careful to not imply that your video is happening live when it really isn’t. There is no need to explain that the video is recorded, but there is also no need to imply that it’s live either.

Next Steps For a New Strategy

Hopefully, I’ve inspired you to not live in the pre-pandemic past, but instead, think innovatively about how you can engage your audience and clients going forward. Surviving 2020 requires new strategies.

If you are new to video and streaming, feel free to reach out to me to discuss your unique business and what strategy might fit best for you. We are a video production company and can help recommend equipment or produce your video for you. If you are ready to hit the ground running, YouTube has some useful technical guides on how to start a live stream or upload a premiere here.

Have Your Own Thoughts About Streaming Vs. Premiers?

Please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear more opinions on the two options.

Author Biography: Phil Skulte is the owner of Visual Captive, a Minneapolis-based video production company. He specializes in commercial video work and enjoys sharing his knowledge with aspiring creators and business owners.

Adapting In-Person Events to Live Streams is a 2020 Marketing Survival Strategy