Livestreaming has been around since long before COVID-19, but in 2020 it’s become essential to reach your audience. According to a survey conducted by New York Magazine and Livestream, 82% of people would prefer live video from a brand over social media posts. And we’ve updated our online event tools, because there are many more livestream options to choose from than there were five years ago.

Bringing your virtual event to your attendees live is more accessible than ever thanks to livestreaming apps like Zoom, Twitch, and Instagram Live. Here are five common myths about livestreaming your event — debunked.

  1. Livestreaming only makes sense for massive events

Livestreaming isn’t just for massive, sold-out events like Coachella anymore. In the wake of COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings, we’ve seen livestreams of everything from concerts to author readings to high school sporting events, so there are plenty of ways to use livestreaming to support your ventures.

These days you’re probably asking yourself how to livestream an event and what livestream service is right for you, not whether you should do it in the first place. There can be a lot of value in hosting intimate events with a smaller number of attendees. Zoom and Vimeo even support interactivity through features like Q&As, polls, and breakout rooms, giving your attendees some of the human interaction we’ve all been craving.

  1. Livestreaming can’t be as effective as in-person events

Even when we don’t have the opportunity to host events in person, it can still be hard to believe that potential attendees will still be interested in an event without the draw of a hands-on experience. According to the Washington Post, the 92nd Street Y, a popular cultural center in New York, had nearly 4 million views of their online programs and events in 2020, compared to the 300,000 attendees of in-person events they have during an average year.

Livestreaming events gives you both the opportunity to reach new audiences all over the world and the ability to keep engaging with your already loyal attendee bases. Just look at Daybreaker: They’ve spent seven years organizing in-person morning dance parties, or what they call joy practices. In the wake of COVID-19 restrictions, the parties moved to Instagram live as Daybreaker LIVE, and their livestreams continue to bring joy to their Zoom attendees every Saturday morning.

  1. Live video is too expensive

Livestreaming can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re on a budget, options like Facebook Live, YouTube, and Twitch are free. Plus, you likely already have a high-quality camera in your pocket thanks to your smartphone, which can help keep your livestream costs low.

If you do choose to splurge on some pro equipment to elevate your livestream setup, upgrades like getting a Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera or hiring a sound engineer for a livestreamed music event can really up your video and sound quality.

  1. No one will watch your livestream

It can be scary to think about investing money and time in a video that no one will watch, but as the 92nd Street Y learned, livestreaming has the potential to reach millions of new audience members. According to Facebook Live, users watch live video three times longer and comment ten times more than on recorded footage. Posts that use video already see far more engagement than those without, so that’s a huge increase.

The key here is how you’re marketing your event and building your brand awareness on social media. Need some tips on how to increase the size of your audience? Learn about 5 marketing tools that will help you reach new people and up your viewership.

There are also creative strategies to increase views of your video, like focusing on elements of your event beyond the speakers or performers. You can film a behind-the-scenes video to loyal fans, partner with influencers as guest speakers, and send special announcements. Our site lets you create exclusive content by restricting content access by ticket type, so you can offer videos or webinars as extras to VIP ticket holders.

  1. After the event, the value of your live video disappears

The best part about live video? When the event is over, you can download livestream video and repurpose it for different marketing materials. You can use the footage to create teaser videos for future events and to engage followers on social media year-round.

According to Unruly, enjoying a recorded video still increases purchase intent by 97% and brand association by 139%. That’s a valuable opportunity to sell more tickets and increase loyalty among attendees. Most livestream services allow users to grant attendees or new viewers access to the recorded video after the event, and YouTube automatically posts videos to your channel.

Ready to get started on your next live video experience? Nail your livestream setup with some tips on how to expand your audience.