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Livestreaming

What You Should Know Before Streaming Board Games on Twitch

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If you’re a board game lover and you’ve considered taking your game live on Twitch, there are a few tips you’ll want to consider to make viewers want to stick around for your stream.

Banzainator has been streaming to Twitch for more than two years. She does both board games and PC games, but I would say her true love lies with board games. She attributes the beginning of her interest back to when she was nine years old playing cards with her family. She now has nearly 200 board games in her possession.

In the last two years, Banz has not only gained more than 2,000 followers, she’s found a community that she loves. On top of that, a board game company discovered her streams on Twitch in June of 2021 and reached out to her about a full time job. She’s still a proud employee of Master Goblin Games today.

“Instead of getting famous, I was able to get a job that changed my life forever,” says Banz. “It’s a job that I actually really love in an industry that I can’t believe I work in.”

With all of her experience comes many lessons learned. She will be the first to admit that her first live stream was pretty bad. Camera angle looking up the nose, dirty dishes in the background, poor lighting, you name it.

Fast forward to today, and her streams have become much more polished. She saved money over time and invested in better equipment. And with experience, she grew her community and turned her streams into something viewers stick around for.

Here are a few top tips from Banz for streaming a board game:

Internet is everything

If you’re lagging, people will tune out. Plug in an ethernet cable and invest in a good router.

Audio > video

Invest in quality audio equipment. Get a good mic. Viewers would much rather have clear audio with maybe a poorly lit video than a well-lit video and bad audio.

Clean up your overlays

If you create graphics for your stream, make sure they’re nice and clean. Overlays should have a title of what the game is, maybe a nice photo of the box of the game. This way, no matter when the audience tunes in, they’ll know what game is being played.

Clean your space

Make sure you have a clean desk. Remove anything in the shot that you don’t want seen. This could be trash, drinks, notes, etc. Banz mentions she sees a lot of lens caps sitting around. Get those out of there.

Make sure the game pieces are aligned correctly and nothing is crooked.

“It really really irks me when the board game is crooked on screen, and people have to watch a crooked board game for two hours. Please be conscious of alignment,“ says Banz.

Get a decent chair

Remember, board games can take a long time. Sometimes you’ll be streaming for hours. You’ll want a comfortable chair. Not only for comfort, but to avoid potential future back issues.

Moderators or mods

Mods are people who are in the community and have ability to interact in the chat, ban people, do commands for you, etc. They’re important to a stream success because they can help viewers get information or answers to questions quickly. If someone asks about game information, the mods are there to pass it along to them. If someone is being unruly, mods can get them out of there.

If you’re interested in learning more about streaming board games and Banz’s journey on Twitch, check out our full podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

For specific equipment that Banz uses during streams, check out the YouTube video below.

Podcast

What Event Production Looks Like During a Pandemic with Jason Vaughn

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Jason Vaughn HeadshotJason Vaughn is the director of business development at CVW Event Productions in Washington, DC. Jason joined the K-Stream podcast to talk about his background in event production, which includes a stint with minor league Baltimore Orioles affiliate the Aberdeen Ironbirds and ultimately led him to CVW where he’s spent the better part of the last decade.

We talk about how his company reacted to COVID-19 and shifted their focus to producing virtual and hybrid events. Hear how a high school graduation spring-boarded them into finding success in the virtual production world.

Interesting Takeaways

  • Live events, whether it be sports or corporate events, are all about telling a compelling story.
  • Virtual events should be treated like live, in-person events. Even if there are recorded video elements, no re-dos. If we were not in a pandemic, you would be delivering the same message on a stage.
  • Live streaming is a never-ending learning session.
  • Streaming around the clock for four straight days is 100% possible.
  • With some venues starting to charge more for using their internet, hybrid events are forcing producers to re-think how they create solid internet connections in unique spaces.
  • It’s on producers, not the clients, to make sure people remotely attending a hybrid event get the same experience as those in person.

Livestreaming

Make Time for Rehearsals for Your Remote Live Productions

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If you’re a remote live stream producer reading the above headline, you’re likely thinking “well, duh.” But, in my experience, some of my virtual event guests are rather comfortable just moving forward without tech checks and rehearsals. And while I think it’s great when people are comfortable with technology, we as producers must insist on having those tech checks and rehearsals. The flow of a good show depends on it.

Yes, the technology piece is essential. We need to be able to see and hear our guest speakers clearly. That means ensuring they have solid internet connection, good lighting, good audio, etc. However, one key piece of any event is the flow, especially when it’s all virtual or hybrid.

Things like transitioning from speaker to speaker, how to introduce presentations or videos being shown to the audience – all of that contributes to a good flow. And good flow comes from rehearsing.

If it takes too long to transition from one slide presentation to another, or your host is fumbling over who to introduce next, it’s very easy for an audience tuning in via internet to load another webpage or pull up their inbox and start doing other things.

“The show that didn’t go well…we didn’t have a rehearsal,” says Anthony Burokas, a 20+ year broadcast producer and founder of IEBA Communications and Stream4us. “As much as people think ‘Oh yeah, yeah, we’ll just go online. It’s just like Zoom.’ It’s not just like Zoom. This is television.”

Burokas has been producing almost only remote live events since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, mainly for corporate clients. Hear Anthony talk more about the importance of rehearsals in the clip below.

And oh by the way, these aren’t the normal events speakers are used to. They can’t see the audience. They are not in the same room as the other speakers they’re communicating with. Sometimes they’re relying on remote producers talking into their ear for the first time to give them queues, or they’ve never done an event in front of a webcam, so they aren’t sure where to look.

Kimberly Flowers, founder of Remote Producer Live!, a fully remote production company that helps entrepreneurs stream online shows, really puts an emphasis on the prep work with her clients.

“Going through those steps really help the client feel confident in our ability to really support them at the level that they need,” she says. “And [we’re] taking that load off of their shoulders so they can focus on being the content creator and just focusing in on being a host.”

Check out my full conversation with Flowers on YouTube.

Again, it’s comforting as a producer when you get a guest speaker that is tech-savvy. It’s great when they can work a webcam and know how to turn on a specific microphone as the audio input in the streaming software. But as Flowers mentioned during our recent conversation, remote productions can throw a lot of new things at people that they’re not used to seeing, so they have to get used to the remote live environment before they’re thrown into the virtual spotlight.

Here’s a great article from Eventsforce on how to conduct a good virtual event rehearsal.

Livestreaming

Best Practices for Prepping Guest Speakers Before Your Virtual Event

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From March 2020 to present day, remote productions for virtual events and live streams have been the norm. Everybody seems to be doing remote productions in some form or another.

Obviously, if you’re a producer for something like this, you need to make sure your technical setup is solid. But equally as important are your guest speakers’ setups. Their audio, video and internet connection need to be optimal so they, as the subject matter experts, can get their message across clearly to the audience.

Over the last year, I’ve produced hundreds of remote live streams featuring guest speakers from all over the world. Every stream has new challenges, but I’ve been able to develop a list of some best practices and tips that I give my guests before every production to help set them up for success.

And if you’re guest speakers are set up for success, your event will likely be as well.

First, I always try to schedule a tech check or brief rehearsal. It is essential to set up time with your guests ahead of the event to run through all the technical pieces so you’re not scrambling last-minute.

In the calendar invite for the tech check, here’s what I include. Keep in mind, I use Switcher Studio for my full time remote production work. However, these can be applied to pretty much any streaming platform that allows for remote guests.

Where will the link work?

Most streaming platforms allow you as the producer to send your guest speakers a URL that they can click on to join a video chat room. I’ve found, especially when working with government clients, it’s best to let them know up front which browsers the link works on.

For example, a lot of government computers automatically default to Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, most streaming platforms only work on Firefox, Chrome or Safari. Let your guests know that up front.

Connect to Ethernet or get really close to the WiFi router

To enable the best internet connection, you’ll want your speakers to be connected via Ethernet. If that’s not possible, ask that they get as close to the WiFi router as possible, or wherever the signal is the strongest in their house or workspace.

Close everything else

To get optimal performance from their device, whether it be a desktop, laptop or mobile device, ask that they close all other programs or applications not in use during the event. This will help their device work at top speed.

No VPNs if possible

If your speakers use any sort of Virtual Private Network, or VPN, for work, have them log out of that before trying to connect to your event. I’m not sure if this is specific to government employees, but I’ve noticed that more often than not, if someone is logged into a VPN, it blocks the video feed in Switcher. Sometimes I’m able to hear them but not see them.

We typically have better luck, especially on work-issued devices, if the guests get off VPN before trying to jump into Switcher.

This isn’t to say that being on a VPN will hinder the experience for everyone. Some people have to be logged into one just to access the internet, and with some of those folks it has never been an issue. But I would say more often than not, no VPN is the way to go if you can.

Try to find a quiet space free from distraction

I know this may seem like it should go without saying, but be clear that there can be no background noise that will get in the way of their presentation. Some folks have never gotten feedback on what their audio sounds like. They may not know that you can hear a fan running in the background or the mic is picking up sound from the washing machine.

With audio being such a key element to any virtual production, this has to be top of mind.

Of course, sometimes the quietest spot in the house may not be where there’s optimal internet connection, so that’s something you can troubleshoot during the tech check.

Think about where the windows are

Your speakers should avoid having large windows in the background of their shot. Rather have them face a window if possible to take advantage of natural light, depending on what time of day the event is happening.

Lighting can be tough, so do what you can, but pay more attention to the audio.

Headphones are a good idea

Encourage your guests to use headphones or earbuds with built-in microphones if they have them. This eliminates the chances for audio feedback that can sometimes be overbearing, especially if you’re producing a panel discussion and people are going back and forth on a topic.

Headphones and earbuds dramatically reduce the extra noise that can sometimes be distracting during a remote production.

Of course things can happen last minute. No one knows this more than any event producer, virtual or in-person. Sometimes you have to roll with the punches. You’re not always going to have the time to ensure that everything laid out above is perfect.

But if you can, you want to prepare your guest speakers as much as possible with the tips and guidance I’ve provided. Well-prepared guests mean a well-organized and higher quality production.

Be sure to checkout episode 11 of the K-Stream podcast where I spoke about this topic in a little more detail.

Be sure to pre-order Going Live: Live Stream Your Podcast to Reach More People by Christoph Trappe. Contributions by Max Branstetter and me, Jeff Koslofsky. Comes out March 10, 2021!

Content Marketing, Livestreaming

Does Amazon Live Streaming Make Sense For Your Marketing Strategy?

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Over the last few weeks, I have been glued to equipment reviews on Amazon Live. I’ll be browsing for a new webcam or some new form of lighting for my live streams, and what do you know, right there on the product page is someone sitting at their decked out streaming set-up, telling me all about the cool products they own. I’m hooked.

Then I discover that some of these people have regular showtimes where they come on once a week and give more reviews about gadgets that I love.

Now I see why my wife enjoys watching other women try on clothes, or why people watch others try out make-up. Or even why people watch live videos of a Robot vacuum cleaner roaming through someone’s house. Yes, those attract viewers too. Lots of them. More on that later. But I get it!

Then I started thinking about how businesses can begin to work this into their own marketing strategies. There are so many ways into Amazon Live if you think about it.

If you have a product to sell, that fits easily. Live demos of a product, behind the scenes of how something is built, how to use a product – all of that is a natural fit.

But what if you don’t have a product? It can be more of a stretch, but it can still make sense.

Christoph Trappe, content strategist for Voxpopme and host of the Business Storytelling Podcast, used to only go live on Amazon if his podcast guests had written a book he could link to. However, he quickly switched that strategy and now goes live on Amazon with all guests, regardless if they have something to sell.

“We’re still going to stream it there because people will watch it, and if somebody wants to buy a chair or a mic because they see it, go for it,” he says.

What Christoph is doing there is thinking outside of the box in terms of how to connect his work to Amazon. No, his guest doesn’t have a book, but Christoph uses all kinds of cool equipment to produce that podcast. There’s the connection. There is an audience that wants to see him producing his podcast in real-time and see some of that equipment in action.

He mentioned during our latest conversation that people have in fact bought the mic he uses, as well as the gaming chair he sits in.

By the way, I mentioned vacuum cams earlier. Well, that was Christoph. His most popular live stream of his Robot vacuum cleaning his house was 7,000 views!

“Sometimes those behind-the-scenes videos get way more views than things that ‘take time,’” he says, referencing things like fully produced podcast shows.

In addition, those particular streams resulted in five vacuum sales, making Christoph a little extra money in the process. Don’t forget, if you stream on Amazon, you get a small cut if someone buys the products you talk about using the links you provide.

Of course, he’s also creating more awareness of his larger work like his books, podcasts, etc. in doing so.

So maybe you don’t have a product of your own to sell, but think about all the things you use to make your business work, the things that make you productive, etc. Do you have an office treadmill you make time for every day? Do you have cool lighting in your home office?

Live shopping is emerging as a huge trend in 2021, and there’s been evidence of big brands getting in on the action already.

According to a recent article in Fortune magazine, “Livestream shopping…is a natural outgrowth of the original TV-centered model and has been gradually gaining traction in recent years. But now, responding to shopping restrictions imposed by the pandemic, retailers and brands worldwide are racing to add live, interactive video experiences into their marketing mix.”

Walmart is one of those big brands. The famous retailer has partnered with TikTok to sell its products via livestreams.

China has been in on this craze for a few years now, and in 2020, livestream shopping was projected to generate roughly $136 billion in revenue for the country.

In my recent conversation with Restream’s virtual events manager Grace Duffy, she talked about live shopping and what we can expect as far as this up and coming trend in 2021.

“The phenomenon of shopping within the platform, without leaving it, is a big thing coming,” she says.

Grace Duffy talks live shopping as a trend for 2021.

Check out the full podcast on Spotify.

I think it’s something worth trying if you can get approved for it. Not just anyone can stream on the platform. Including me! There are several different criteria you can meet. If you’re an authorized seller, vendor or part of the Amazon Influencer Program, you can apply. Unfortunately, I’m none of those things…yet. Working on it.

With Amazon’s incredibly large and diverse audience, I think it has to be a consideration for retailers and brands this year.

Be sure to pre-order Going Live: Live Stream Your Podcast to Reach More People by Christoph Trappe. Contributions by Max Branstetter and me, Jeff Koslofsky. Comes out March 10, 2021!

Livestreaming

Go Live Instead of Recording. It’s Easier.

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We hear the word “live” and something goes off inside of us that says “be nervous.”

What if I told you that going live is easier than producing a recorded video?

For almost a year, I have produced live streams nearly every weekday. I also produce my fair share of recorded videos that are produced and published at a later date. Regardless of the subject’s experience, the live videos almost always come across more authentic, conversational and natural.

When we know something is being recorded, we know we have multiple tries to get something right. So, naturally, at the first slip up, we think we need to do it again. Going live forces us to just keep going, just like we would in a conversation with a friend or colleague.

And that’s the kind of experience your customers likely want. When they interact with your business, they want to feel like they’re dealing with a friend. Live streaming can help evoke that kind of emotion.

Here are a few ways to get a little more comfortable going live if you’re still hesitant:

Use Help

There’s nothing wrong with giving yourself some help during the live stream. I’m not saying you should memorize everything you want to say. Use notes. Refer to them while on air. No one minds if you need to look off camera once in a while. Again, it’s more natural. Reading a script word for word is not.

Call on an Expert

You also don’t always have to go live alone. Bring on a guest to add another layer of conversation. It’s much easier to be conversational when you’re talking to someone else. Use a subject matter expert to help you.

Practice Makes Perfect

Yes, it’s cliche. But it’s so true, especially when it comes to streaming. Most folks that regularly stream and speak on camera will readily admit that their first few attempts were less than stellar. It’s okay! You’ll only get better as you do more.

Related video clip: Content marketer Christoph Trappe, Switcher Studio VP of Sales and Development Marc Gawith and I talk about authenticity and audience connection with live video. Full video here. Full podcast here.

Livestreaming

It’s Hard to Pick One Streaming Platform, So Don’t

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person looking at names of streaming platforms

For all of my streams or video recordings that involve a remote guest, I use Switcher Studio. Switcher is great because no external software needs to be downloaded for guests to participate.

However, just like with most live streams, issues can arise. For example, I’ve found that if a guest is logged into any sort of virtual private network (VPN) for work, they have trouble accessing the video chat room. There seems to be a level of security that gets in the way of allowing them access.

The other day, I ran into a situation where a remote guest was not able to access the video chat room within Switcher. For whatever reason, he had to be logged into his VPN in order to have internet access at all.

After going through some troubleshooting, we just couldn’t get it to work. However, he regularly used Zoom for work, so we knew it was at least possible to get him on camera. Thankfully, this video was going to be recorded and streamed “live” at a later date. We really only needed to record his video, which I could then import to Switcher later.

I, too, have access to Zoom, so we quickly hopped on that platform, recorded the video, and we were all set.

My point is that you don’t have to force yourself to stick with just one streaming platform. Each platform has their strengths and weaknesses. For example, Switcher is excellent with graphics and b-roll integration, and of course being able to use iPhones and iPads as cameras is great. However, Zoom tends to have better video quality when it comes to remote guests. They also allow you to bring in a lot more guests at the same time.

If graphics or b-roll video isn’t essential to you, then Zoom may be a fine choice.

Of course, it’s great to test. I’ve been trying out Ecamm Live and Streamyard lately, and I’m loving their remote guest capabilities. I’ll be looking more into them, for sure. With Ecamm, you can actually tweak your guest’s camera – adjusting things like brightness, contrast, etc. Amazing.

The costs are relatively cheap, given the capabilities of these platforms. Below are the current yearly subscription costs for the ones I mentioned above:

  • Switcher Studio Standard: $588
  • Streamyard Pro: $468
  • Ecamm Live Pro: $384
  • Zoom Pro: $149.90

Weigh the pluses and minuses of each, but don’t necessarily limit yourself to one if you don’t have to.

What platforms are you trying or using these days? I’d love to know.

Livestreaming

Lessons in Live Streaming Entrepreneurship, Knowing Your Why and Bringing Value

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In my latest podcast, I spoke with Chris Carson, founder and CEO of SteadiReadi, a video production and live streaming company based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

We hit on so many great topics as it pertains to streaming, video and running a production company, but one topic in particular that stands out is why Chris gives so much knowledge away for free.

We hear social media and entrepreneur stars like Gary Vaynerchuk preaching this all the time, but it’s easy to debate internally whether or not this concept actually works. If I give this away for free, will it really result in more business in the long run? Will it really open up the door for new professional relationships?

“It has…changed everything for my life and for my business by doing so,” says Chris. “I think that when we all win, we all win. Whatever that looks like.”

Check out the video below for more, and please check out the latest episode of the podcast for the full interview with Chris.

His passion for video and streaming is unparalleled, and I really think that comes across in our conversation.

Livestreaming

Starting a Video Production Company, COVID’s Impact on Sports Broadcasting

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In episode TWO of the podcast, I had a chat with entrepreneur live streamer B.J. Koubaroulis. B.J. is the CEO and Founder of DMVStream.com, a product of Synthesis Multimedia Productions.

With a client list that includes ESPN, Fox Sports, CBSsports.com, The Washington Post, among others, Synthesis Multimedia has emerged as the Mid-Atlantic’s top provider of sports multimedia.

In this interview, B.J. and I discuss how he started his production company back in 2007 and how it’s grown over the last 13 years. We talk about his early vision for streaming and how that’s evolved.

We also talk equipment, learning from failure and thoughts he has for anyone thinking of starting their own production company.

Lastly, we look into how COVID-19 has affected his business as well as his thoughts on whether COVID will have a more permanent effect on sports broadcasting.

Give it a listen and let me know what you think! Full video interview below.

Livestreaming

Producing Quality Live Streams From My Basement

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Since COVID-19 forced many businesses to implement telework policies in mid-March 2020, I’ve been producing live streams to Facebook and LinkedIn almost daily. Here’s a look at the short list of equipment I use to keep my streams online and running in high quality.

Of course, I have the standard laptop, mouse, power strip, but specific to streaming, I’ve added a few tools that have put my mind a bit more at ease producing at-home streams for worldwide audiences.

ipad pro on monopod

I’ll first mention that I mainly use Switcher Studio to produce my streams. If you haven’t checked them out, please do. I’ve been using the product for 3+ years, and it just keeps getting better. But Switcher only works with iOS devices, so I use an iPad Pro 2018 as my main production hub.

To help with strain on my neck, I decided to get something that would raise my iPad to eye level, so I bought a Koolehaoda monopod. I also know folks that buy light stands for this sort of thing, but the monopod saved a few bucks. This Ulanzi tripod mount keeps the iPad in place.

To better ensure I don’t lose connection while I’m live, I wanted to somehow get an ethernet connection in my basement. My main home WiFi modem/router is a floor above my office space. I was very close to drilling holes through my floor, but then I discovered the TP-Link AV2000 Powerline Adapter.

This adapter uses the electrical wiring in your home to establish ethernet connections in different areas of the house where you may not be able to simply run ethernet cable. I highly recommend this piece of equipment for at-home streamers. I haven’t had a stream drop since purchasing in August 2020.

And since I use an iPad for my production hub, I need to get an ethernet connection to it. The Anker USB 3.0 Hub with ethernet converter paired with Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter takes care of that. What’s great about this setup is I can also get power to my iPad using the Apple adapter. I could also bring in external audio sources to the Anker Hub if I wanted, as it has three USB ports.

I won’t go into camera setup, as a lot of the streams I produce involve remote guests and not me as an on-camera host, but maybe for another post.

But that’s it! I would consider those items to be my essentials in creating reliable, quality live streams from my basement.

Any questions? What does your home setup look like? Let me know in the comments!

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