Brands and promoters are starting to see the value in using live webcasting services over other means of promoting and connecting with an audience. The classic example is the numerous live streams seen on Facebook and Instagram. This is because it has become more affordable. Live casting can be simple or elaborate and can also reach a larger audience. This is especially true right now with the pandemic and social distancing rules taking place. Live streaming events are a great way to stay connected with an audience. Live webcasting is also a great way to protect yourself from piracy. It is harder for piracy to occur with live webcasting, and if it does happen, there are various ways to prevent it.
With live webcasting, the viewers are given the chance to experience the content at the same time as it is happening. This is a major benefit over standard webcasting and can be seen in many sectors using the webcast as a promotional tool. Go-to-webinars are very popular for businesses used for marketing purposes. A live webcast allows you to promote to a larger audience at the same time and provides a great platform for selling a product. Viewers can watch a live demonstration and ask questions about the product. This is also more cost-effective than other forms of marketing. Services like webinars, online learning, streaming a live event, live casting, and more can be seen in various sectors like education, health, fashion, gaming, tech, and many more.
What are live webcasting services? A live webcast is essentially the broadcast of a single content that is taking place. It requires a live camera from which the video is taken, a web server which will take in the live footage and a software encoder which will digitize and encode the content. It also requires a content delivery network in which to distribute the live stream and make it available to the viewers. A webcast is similar to watching a television show, but it is watchable anywhere there is an internet connection. The content can be viewed at a later date also on-demand.
What are live webcasting services?
Webcast may be a media presentation distributed over the web utilizing streaming media innovation to disseminate a solitary substance source to numerous simultaneous audience members. A webcast may either be conveyed live or on demand. Basically, webcasting may be a shape of communication which includes a speaker, orator, or moderator, and an gathering of people. Frequently webcasting is utilized to convey keynotes, courses from inner or remote areas, wide gatherings and so forth. Webcasting too envelops live and on-demand sound, slide and video. Live webcasting is found with expanding request in an inconceivably extending extend of contexts. Webcasts are being utilized for a few sorts of purposes such as commerce, instruction, social events, the therapeutic field and so on. Businesses are more utilizing webcasts for interior and outside communications, deals and advertising, and exchanging data to representatives within the worldwide work force. Schools and colleges are utilizing webcasting to communicate their lessons to removed understudies. Utilizing webcasts will too offer assistance to standardize the point conveyance form by giving brief get to to bleeding edge information. This would empower companies and teaching establishments to incite feedback from their gatherings of people and make strides their conveyance strategies. Inquire about has appeared that retainment of data increments generously for webcast watchers with access to substance on demand. In wrap up, the ability to convey an address from anyplace within the world to any target group may be a exceptionally alluring element in today’s quick paced worldwide society.
Importance of live streaming in today’s digital landscape
In today’s digital era, the process of disseminating information that is done with outdated ways such as the delivery of text information or written is not enough to draw the attention of the audience. Given the current conditions where the delivery of information is getting faster, you are required to be able to present the information in a relatively brief time but give a strong impression. This is what underlies the importance of using a live webcasting service in an effort to disseminate information. By using the live webcasting services, the information you present will be better understood by the audience because they can see the activities performed in delivering the information and are able to establish the perception of the audience on the information provided. Webcasts that include visual display will certainly be more interesting and easily remembered by the audience compared to the information delivered in the old way.
Live webcasting service is an activity that is to display and record video and/or audio visual display in real time (live), either in the form of desktop or portable that is connected to the internet network. Recorded displays are generally often called the webcast. Live webcasting service is a service aimed at the delivery of information to wider audiences in the form of video and/or audio with fairly good quality and really show the activities transpired.
The whole world is experiencing digital transformation. New digital technologies are becoming ubiquitous and these days the majority of activities are done in cyberspace. Living in the digital era has forced every institution to adjust, ranging from educational institutions to companies and the government, to make use of technology in the delivery and dissemination of information. Where the digital era has brought the world into something fast-paced and practical. One of the adaptations of this technology is the activity of disseminating information with live webcasting services (LWS).
The demand for live webcasting services in Singapore
Market demand for live streaming services in Singapore is stated by the Media Development Authority as a form of services and technology in communication to produce and share live or real-time content – text, voice, audio, visual presentation, an event by aggregating and integrating a bundle of electronic media. Live streaming technology is not something new in Singapore. The earliest form of live streaming started in the early 2000s when the internet was at its adolescence and streaming technology was very basic in delivering video and audio content. Companies and government agencies were exploring cost-effective ways to reach out to their targeted audience or customers and also the public in disseminating information through various topics, for example, health talks, job advertisements, white paper presentations, live coverage from events/homes/studios, etc. Customers were piling up VHS tapes to view event coverage or seminars conducted by companies/government agencies. During that olden era, live streaming technology may have been expensive to implement, but the feasibility and demand for a solution were already there. From the last decade, live streaming technology has already matured and is widely used by companies and consumers to express a wide array of media content and events through the internet. The increase in internet broadband penetration and speed has given the ability to execute and view live streaming in a more cost-effective and good quality way. Customers now have alternative access to acquiring information from audio, video, and real-time event coverage. Providing webcasting services may prove convincing to customers with vast content of information wishing to reach a targeted audience and consumers. The demand for live streaming is also boosted by online gaming and social media communities. People enjoy live broadcasting their gaming experience and media content, sharing it with the vast web community. Internet learning is also blooming from the last decade. Educational institutions and company learning teams may find live streaming an alternative way to conduct learning events or seminars with convenience and cost-effective ways of reaching out to people located at different locations. The public sector’s demand for live streaming technology did not diminish through the years. It still proves to be an effective way of disseminating information and engaging the community with content of media and events from public agencies to the end public viewer.
Features of the Best Live Streaming Service
Seamless integration with various platforms is very advantageous for anyone hoping to expand their audience. Most live streaming services offer a free embedded streaming player. This is especially useful for event organizers who already have a high traffic website, as it means they can easily integrate the event with their website, and the people who regularly visit their site. An embedded player is also offered by popular video sharing websites, it’s one of the best ways to market and it’s never been so easy. For better or worse, flash video players are becoming a thing of the past, however as of now HTML5 players have varying browser support. The best live streaming service will offer an HTML5 player that is fully compatible with all browsers and mobile devices. This means that while watching your event, the audience will have the same viewing experience wherever they are.
If you want to pay for a service, it absolutely must be top-notch. That’s why live streaming, especially popular with event organizers, demands the best service available. To determine this, let’s explore the defining features of a live streaming service done right. High quality video and audio streaming is a must. This seems obvious, but many services lead you on with a promising initial image, only to have the video resolution suddenly drop as the server becomes overloaded. The best live streaming service will offer video resolution options up to HD, which will automatically be selected according to your audiences’ internet speeds. Another factor is audio quality. An event with revered speakers presenting to experts in the field may justifiably demand high audio definition. On the other hand, an online webinar has no use for high audio quality and will want to reduce audio quality and its cost. In this case, the best live streaming service will offer the ability to separately control video and audio quality, so one does not impede on the other. An audio-only streaming option may also be desirable in some cases. High quality video and audio streaming must be maintained for the full duration of the event. This requires a reliable streaming infrastructure, which will be touched on in the following sections.
High-quality video and audio streaming
Live Webcasting Services: The best live streaming service in Singapore. Today, webcasting services have revolutionized the way to connect to larger audiences. In a globalized world, a personal message delivered directly to an individual or small group is no longer an effective way to communicate valuable information. Webcasting has made it possible to deliver a single message, live or on-demand, to millions of people around the world. The benefits of reaching a larger audience are obvious. Imagine the ability to expand the following statistics: Enterprise was the most active segment, generating 61.5% of total web events. The Software, Hi-Tech industry held the lead for vertical markets with over one-fifth of attendance in its own segment. High-quality video and audio streaming. A webcast is only effective if the audience can see and hear the presenter. Unfortunately, many webcasts on the internet today offer choppy video and inaudible audio. It is crucial that your webcasting service be able to provide cinema or television quality streaming for video and audio. A webcast reflects the image of the presenter and their organization. If a webcast consists of poor quality video and audio, audience retention will be low and may also damage the reputation of the presenter or organization. View streaming services offered by other companies and compare the quality to that of the webcast. Keep in mind that streaming services which are still providing the option to choose between “56k or DSL” quality is a sign that they are using outdated technology. High-quality video and audio streaming will engage the audience and give a positive reflection of the presenter and their organization.
Seamless integration with various platforms
Another feature is its option for mobile streaming. Almost everyone has a mobile device which can be used to access the web. So, to reach the maximum audience, live webcasting allows users to view the video from their mobile devices, which includes smartphones and tablets. This, of course, goes along with the same smooth, high-quality streaming. These days, various events are publicized through social media or specific apps catering to a specific audience. With mobile streaming, users can access the video wherever they are. This is especially useful for work-related seminars or events where people are on the go.
This provides a high quality of service to the viewer in the form of a smooth, clear video with no buffering disruptions. Viewers can access content from CDNs that are closer to their location, thus increasing the load time and quality of the video. An excellent example of a CDN is Netflix. When Netflix users watch a show or movie, the data for it is located on hundreds/thousands of servers rather than a single server. These servers allow people all around the world to have quick access to data and high-quality streaming. CDNs are efficient, especially during peak hours when there are many users. With CDNs, each user can access the data simultaneously cached on various servers, avoiding any underload for a single server. This is crucial to the success of live webcasting events since every viewer must be connected to the same server when using traditional streaming methods. With CDNs, viewers are all connected to different servers, all linked to the same stream, meaning that the video will not slow down or cut out due to the server being over capacity.
The live webcasting service has a system which involves a one-stage encoding process. This process involves encoding a live or recorded video, which includes various input sources, in order to give it a smooth, hassle-free streaming experience. Once the video has been encoded, the encoded file is uploaded to a streaming server which has a content delivery network (CDN) linked to it. CDNs are a system of servers containing copies of data, placed at various points in a network, so as to maximize bandwidth for access to the data from clients throughout the network.
Interactive features for audience engagement
Having viewers stay for a longer period of time is beneficial in any way. Having them interested and involved in an event will definitely give a lasting impression. Interactive features play a great role in engaging the audience, and having a platform which supports such features is essential. The best live streaming service should provide a way for moderators to quickly and easily pull the audience for their opinions and thoughts, and where users are able to respond quickly to a posed question or statement. One way of getting the audience involved is through having a poll, where there is a clear way for the audience to voice their opinion on a certain matter. A good example of a polling system was employed during Singapore’s National Day to get the audience to vote on their favorite national song. Songs from different eras were played and the audience who were watching the live stream were able to vote and see in real-time which song was most popular among the different age groups. This successfully got many people involved, as votes were coming in, there were people vigorously trying to campaign for their song of choice.
Reliable and secure streaming infrastructure
This is indeed the most worrying part for organizers who are new to the idea of live internet streaming. They often think that their content or event will be shot down by hackers or unauthorized persons. Well, that is not the case with webcasting. In comparison to a simple live stream that involves only the pressing of the “Go Live” button to start the stream, webcasting involves an encoding software that is connected to the content that is to be streamed. The encoding software will then authorize the server and will send the data using a secure and established connection to the server. Unlike live stream data that is dispersed and sent in packets across the internet, webcast data is sent in an established stream to the server. This packet method used in live streams is more prone to loss and corruption of data. With webcasting, the data is effectively FEC (Forward Error Corrected). This means that it can autonomously identify and repair errors to the data without having to resend the data. This results in very little loss of data and high-quality data streaming. Live stream data is also usually passed around on a public content delivery network. This means that the data is being held on servers that are shared with a multitude of other fragments of data from various other companies. A content delivery network can also deliver the data to the end user from a different site to the initial site without notification. This is not good for the content owner. This means that there is likely to be data loss, interference from other forms of data, and latency. Due to the fact that your data is streamed with an established and secure connection, the webcast will utilize its own private CDN to deliver the webcast data directly to the end user. This will eradicate any chance of data loss or interference from other data.
Customization options for branding and design
Companies and organizations investing in the live streaming of their events would usually hope to have the live stream be an extension of their brand online. This relies heavily on the customization options available on the live webcasting service. Webcast service providers usually have a few options to allow the insertion of the company’s brand onto the player. The most basic option would be simply allowing users to upload their company logo onto the player. This is usually a static image which, when clicked, will bring viewers back to the company’s website. More advanced options would involve having the player and entire webcast event microsite be customizable in the look and feel to mirror that of the company’s website. This would usually require the help of the webcast provider’s creative services team. Another way would be skinning the webcast player to provide an immersive viewing experience. The first is navigation within the player itself if the webcast is actually a simulated live event and the viewers have joined in mid-broadcast. Normally the event is still ongoing and viewers may be in a different time zone, hence they will want to know what is going on ‘live’. The ability to customize the player to display a ticker message to inform these late joiners would be invaluable. The ticker message can also be used to promote the company’s upcoming events or provide links to the company’s product sites. Steps should also be taken to avoid user distraction from the webcast such as prevention of popups which may take viewers away from the viewing page.
Benefits of Live Webcasting Services
Live webcasting allows for a wider audience to be reached; up to 80% of the global internet using population can view a webcast or on-demand video. Webcasting is frequently used to make content available to all employees and it can be used to train large groups without the expense of travel. It is an effective tool for marketing, to both customers and prospects. It allows you to build your brand and create awareness, trial, or re-trial. Webcasting can also be used to generate sales leads. Live webcasts allow up to 50% of viewers to take some form of action, such as registering for the event, contacting sales, or even purchasing your product. B2B International used a webcast to present some research findings to both customers and prospects. Two sales were made to non-customers and 10 follow-up calls were arranged with hot sales leads. Another benefit of webcasting is that it provides data for analysis. By monitoring who has attended/viewed the webcast and the areas of most interest, you can determine the best prospects and measure the effectiveness of your event. This information can be very useful for follow-up sales calls and for future events. Webcasting has also been known to provide a cost per lead that is less than half of that of traditional customer conferences.
Reach a wider audience globally
The ability to reach a wider audience can also be relevant for internal communication to employees. CEOs and senior executives can broadcast company meetings and addresses to all employees. This is particularly beneficial for larger organizations with multiple office locations, employees working from home or abroad. The webcast can be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing.
Research conducted by West Corporation, a technology services company, in 2014 found that 62% of those surveyed viewed webcasts to educate themselves on a product, service, or information. 54% of those said attending the webcast helped influenced purchasing decisions. With greater numbers of marketers and advertisers using video sharing sites, such as Google Video and YouTube, live and on-demand webcasting is now seen as an essential method for product and service promotion.
Having the ability to reach a wider audience is one of the main business advantages of webcasting services. Live webcasts have no geographical boundaries. Anyone with an internet connection can view the event. In the past, we’ve had clients with people viewing their webcast from home as far away as Australia. This client did not have to pay for their employees and families to travel to the UK, which was a substantial cost saving.
Real-time engagement and interaction with viewers
Live webcasting services are a great way to interact with your audience. We can create a live web page for your event with your branding and a customizable webcast screen which can be embedded onto a website. Whether you are webcasting a Town Hall Meeting, Corporate Update or training session, this proven approach will ensure that your viewers get the most from their webcast experience. A live web page promotes the activity of your event and creates a hub for your audience to access the webcast. Viewers can also locate all relevant webcast materials such as slides and ask questions using the Q&A widget. This will enhance user activity and provide better control to the host on what is being explored during the webcast session. For your very own customizable Q&A widget and webcast page, contact us to find out more about our professional webcasting services.
Cost-effective solution for events and conferences
Organising an event means incurring heavy expenses, but not anymore. Our live webcasting services enable the organisers to broadcast their event in a cost-effective way. In other words, it is less expensive to give a live webcast to a global audience than to pay for a venue and all the expenses that come with a live event. Also, when you opt for our premium package, you can avail the “video on demand” feature where your event video will be stored in the cloud and viewers can view it at any time. This feature is very useful for conferences because attendees can view any sessions they missed. Our live webcasting services are not just a live stream platform; it is an immersive and interactive viewing experience. During the live broadcast, viewers can engage with the stream and ask questions or provide feedback. This can be done on social media, via comments in the streaming platform, or through email. For events such as town halls or all-hands meetings, a live stream can be a full replacement for the event. Viewers can watch the stream from anywhere, and it can be more cost-effective than bringing everyone to one location. High-quality PC-based webcams and microphones to smartphones can be used to stream content from anywhere.
Increased brand exposure and visibility
Furthermore, using webcasting services allows your content to be accessed at a later date. Once a live webcast is streamed, the content is often archived on the server and is made available to viewers who may have missed it the first time. This is useful for training sessions, where it’s likely that some people will take the training at a later date, or for event conferences, where often times different sessions will clash. By using webcasting and live stream, you are ensuring that your content will have maximum exposure.
If you’re hosting an event and you want to get a message out to the world, whether it’s a corporate training session or a conference on a specific subject, live webcasting allows you to invite a much larger audience than in person. This is beneficial to your audience because often times people are too busy to attend, or the event is too far away to justify the travel expenses. By using webcasting services, you can be sure that your audience will be able to access your event from anywhere in the world. This is beneficial to you as the host because it means that you no longer have to allocate funds and resources to organize time-consuming in-person events.
Live webcasting or live streaming is a process of broadcasting real-time video and audio data to viewers’ devices from a server. Live webcasting has become more and more popular over the past few years, with many businesses taking advantage of using webcasting services to broaden their audience. Whether it’s live streaming a meeting to employees who are unable to attend, a training session to members on the other side of the country, or a conference, webcasting and live streaming events have many applications. There are many great benefits to live webcasting services, from cost savings to increasing your brand exposure. This article will outline some of these benefits and why your business should consider using live webcasting services.
Analytics and data insights for performance evaluation
When it comes to post-webcast data/tools, the most important and hardest to obtain is gauging the value of your webcast in terms of ROI. Visitor behavior data and polling data can be used to gauge the level of audience engagement in your webcast. If the ROI is higher than expected, you can infer that higher levels of promotion, viewer engagement standards, or cost savings made this webcast successful in terms of a hard ROI. It is difficult to convince advertisers to continuously invest money into a venue that has a low level of value proved by low audience engagement.
Analytical tools are used before and after a webcasting event. Using these tools, we can find out how much our webcast is usable and worthwhile in terms of cost. In pre-webcast analytical tools, we can check how many people have visited our webcast and how many of them have downloaded our pre-webcast content. By simply tracking visitors to your webcast, you can gain a “level one” understanding of who is attracted to your content, or at least your brand. Using tools from your web hosting culture will enable you to understand your registrant’s full experience and the value gained from the content. Most registration forms don’t capture all the data about your registrants that you and your sales/marketing team can use. If your analytics tools are configured correctly, you can see which content tracks or pieces of media were consumed by each registrant.
There are many different types of tools for analysis in webcasting services.
Choosing the Right Live Webcasting Service Provider in Singapore
Considering the pricing and package options: Webcasting service pricing can vary widely so it is important to look for a service provider with a pricing scheme that would meet your budget. Some service providers charge on a per viewer basis while others charge on the amount of data transfer. Generally, the former is more cost-effective because there is no restriction on the maximum number of viewers and it is easier to estimate the overall cost. Also, it is important to find out whether there are any long-term commitments or any hidden charges, as this may lead to being locked in a costly deal.
Evaluating the scalability and flexibility of the service: Different webcasts have different requirements. Some may require a full video and audio stream package while others may only want a simple PowerPoint presentation with audio. In addition, it is often difficult to predict the expected viewership for the webcast. Hence, it is important to engage a service that can cater to the exact needs of the webcast and has the flexibility to switch between packages or upgrade and downgrade packages at a pro-rated price. This would allow cost savings in cases where less is delivered than expected. Finally, the service should be able to handle an increase in the level of service or the expected number of viewers at short notice.
Assessing the provider’s experience and expertise: One of the first things to consider when looking for a live webcasting service in Singapore is the experience and expertise of the provider. Engaging an established provider would ensure that the server security is robust and that the webcast is able to handle a large number of viewers. Technical problems are a common occurrence in webcasts and the experience of the service provider could make all the difference in ensuring that the webcast runs smoothly.
Assessing the provider’s experience and expertise
While experience alone is not the only factor to help you distinguish the best live webcasting services provider in Singapore, being able to rely on the company as a partner with a high level of knowledge in live video streaming production in Singapore and effective communication could help bring your live webcast to another level. An experienced provider will be able to advise you on ideas and provide you with alternatives in case your initial plan is not what is best for your webcast. This is particularly useful when a webcast is an unfamiliar territory for you or your company and you do not have a specific idea on what you should do. Often times, a customer will have to consult a different service or have frequent exhaustive meetings just to seek advice and knowledge.
Evaluating the scalability and flexibility of the service
A service with low scalability is likely to result in diminished broadcast quality. This is because the provider will not be able to support the bandwidth required by your broadcast. This will result in a lower resolution and a much diminished viewing experience for your audience. Alternatively, if your service has more scalability than you require, you may be paying for unused bandwidth. A good provider will be able to work out exactly what is right for your needs and provide you with an accurate service. Flexibility is an important consideration. The broadcasting of a live event is an unpredictable and volatile environment. Much time you will be required to start the broadcast at very short notice and your event may run for longer than expected. It is important to know that your provider will be able to support you whenever it is necessary. An inflexible service can result in a very frustrating and disjointed experience. A time may be arranged for the provider to set up and begin the stream, and due to their lack of flexibility, this may be the only time at which support is available. If there is a problem at the last minute, it may mean that the event cannot be broadcast. Finally, it is important to find a provider that can offer long-term support, but does not tie you down to a contract. Some events are one-off occurrences and it may be more cost-effective to sign up for a short-term service with the ability to upgrade if necessary. Both scalability and flexibility are areas in which the quality of service offered by providers can vary greatly. It is not uncommon for providers to advertise services that they cannot deliver, and the best way to assess these factors is through a trial of the service. During the trial period, you should continuously communicate with the provider and it should be noted how quickly they are able to respond to your needs. Be sure to gain a clear understanding of the level of support that would be available to you during an actual event. If you are not satisfied with the support received during the trial, it is unlikely that you will receive a better service during the actual broadcast. Long-term support can be assessed by drawing up a service level agreement. This is a documented agreement between client and provider that outlines the level of service provided and the quality at which it will be delivered. Based on this information, it is then possible to grade the quality of service provided by different companies and make an informed decision.
Considering the pricing and package options
To put it simply, pricing and package options translate the provider’s services into terms of value and affordability. There are service providers who prefer to tailor a custom package for your projection, whereas others might have fixed packages already available. This is the chance to break down the packages and see the kind of value we’re getting for our dollar. What features are included that can accommodate the projection’s nature and how far will the allocated budget take us? If the difference in value between packages seems minuscule, that’s a hint the lower priced package is the best option. Custom packages are more flexible, but it requires in-depth discussion and considering the projected value and goals may result in a package offering more or less than actually required. On the other end of the scale, cheaper package options are often a no-frills affair good for small-scale event webcasting but may lack scalability options and technical support. This may result in having to find another service provider down the track as the nature of projections change.
Aside from focusing on the technical aspects, the value of the live webcasting service must be considered in tandem with the budget available – and it must be a good fit. An expensive, high-tier live webcasting service may be able to deliver the goods, but will it be overextending the budget beyond its intended scope? Going for a budget service may seem tempting, but the margin of error is higher for less established providers who may not deliver the same quality of service. The key word here is suitability; what would be the most viable payment model taking into account the projection’s scale and requirements?
Checking customer reviews and testimonials
A good sign that a webcasting service provider is customer-centric is when they respond to the comments and suggestions made by the customers. This is important as it shows the service provider can make necessary adjustments to best suit the customer’s needs or resolve certain issues that occur. This improves their service quality and creates a good rapport with their customers.
Customer reviews and testimonials are an important point of reference when choosing the right live webcasting service provider. They provide a good gauge of the amount and the type of satisfaction that the provider has given to their customers. If the reviews are positive and there is a good amount of them, then it’s certain that they have provided their services in a good manner. This is also apparent when the customers are generally satisfied or over satisfied with the service provided by the webcasting provider.