If there is an industry trend that will define the decade, besides an image moderation api, it is likely to be the wholesale embrace of live-streaming across virtually every industry. According to research from Findstack, the live-streaming industry reached a record $70 billion in value in 2021, with hundreds of millions of us tuning into live streams across the spectrum of entertainment, services, and more.
That being said, the art of live-streaming is a tricky one to get right. There are many variables that can go wrong, and countless examples of brands failing to understand the technological and practical aspects of an effective, engaging piece of live-streamed content. If you’re looking to up your live-streaming game in 2022, take some notes from these brands that did it right.
Target’s Live Music Videos
The global department store chain Target almost never misses with its punchy and memorable marketing campaigns, so it should come as no surprise that its forays into the world of live-streaming have been nothing short of perfect. One of the most memorable examples is, of course, Target’s professionally shot live-stream music videos. Its most famous endeavor is its 2016 live music video with Gwen Stefani for her single Make Me Like You, which also served as a snappy and tongue-in-cheek promotion of Target’s product line. This is live-streaming as pure art.
Home Depot and Christmas DIY
The best live-stream content isn’t just entertaining, but informative too. Your live-streaming can have maximum impact when you give your audience practical advice that they can use, at a time when they need it most. Such is the case with Home Depot’s stellar Christmas DIY tutorials, live-streamed with the help of none other that Martha Stewart and perfectly editing in real-time to look like a flawless Martha Stewart Channel segment. The initial live stream, in which Stewart shows the audience how to make Christmas ornaments, quickly racked up more than 500,000 views on Periscope, setting a new standard for what can be achieved through the medium.
Live eSports at Twitch
The gaming live-streaming platform Twitch has excelled from the fringe technology it once was to being one of the most talked-about platforms in the world, one that has immeasurably shaped how we consume games and gaming content. While the examples are too numerous to list, this company deserves a shoutout for the ways in which it has popularized competitive gaming and eSports with its faultless live-stream coverage of the biggest events. Twitch’s success is evident from the numbers. Its live streams of major events such as The International, EVO, and the Fortnite World Championships garnered millions of real-time views, something that few other platforms could ever achieve.
Las Vegas in Your Living Room with Online Casino
We’re only just beginning to see the possibilities offered by interactive live-stream content, where the viewer directly engages with the content to provide new and novel forms of entertainment. One industry that has embraced this format with gusto is the online casino gaming industry, with some offering live stream poker, blackjack, roulette, and more to players around the world. One platform that has truly mastered the art is the increasingly popular bingo casino pairing, which offers, in addition to casino games, the option to play live bingo tournaments. While bingo tournaments are currently a fairly niche and unique offering, as interactive live-streaming continues to gain ground, expect to see a lot more of this sort of thing.
Apple’s Livestream Events
The technology giant Apple has always been a forerunner in the live-streaming space, with its live-streamed product launches garnering millions of views as far back as the turn of the 2010s. As such, it should come as no surprise that the company continues to set standards in this realm. With its sleek, highly informative, and beautifully shot live-stream launch of the iPhone 12 racking up to 10 million views at a time, it’s clear that Apple continues to be the one to watch for anyone looking to incorporate live-streaming into their own product marketing campaigns.
Nestle’s Summer Moments
Another rapidly emerging field within live-streaming is the use of user-generated content. On platforms such as Periscope and IG Live, UGC can be a great way to expand the reach of your brand and encourage huge amounts of engagement in real-time. Such was the case with Nestle, which launched its #FirstDayofSummer campaign with great success, to make some major inroads within these platforms. During the campaign, Nestle asked both influencers and the public the live broadcast their favorite summer moments, such as a trip to the theme park and a backyard barbeque, often in exchange for summer hampers of Nestle products. The content garnered some serious traction, with thousands taking part in this positive campaign.
Not every brand has perfected the art of live-streaming, but the ones that have can show us exactly how it can be used to maximum effect. Take notes from these brands for your next live stream.