If you’ve landed on this article page, you’re probably searching for a
good business idea—an idea that’s light on the pocket but heavy on
returns, promising both a fulfilling journey and potential profit.
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How to start a Live Streaming Business in Nigeria
Live streaming involves broadcasting video of events over the
internet as they are happening. It allows viewers to watch a
video file as it’s being transmitted rather than waiting for the
entire file to download before starting to watch. Unlike
pre-recorded videos, which are edited and finalized before being
shared, live streaming offers an immediate, authentic connection
that unfolds in real time.
Live streaming is important because it gives audiences the
opportunity to participate actively and engage with the video
content, for example with TV shows, gaming sessions, or social
media content. Through real-time interactions such as comments,
likes, and live polls, audiences shift from passive spectators
to involved community members.
Videos can be live-streamed using either on-premises solutions,
which are managed on your own physical servers, or using
cloud-based solutions hosted and maintained by an external
provider.
If you’re interested in streaming professionally, you might
consider a more robust setup. The five basic things you’ll need
are: a camera, streaming software, a microphone, a computer and
a good internet connection. You can also add accessories that
will drastically improve the quality of your live stream without
too much effort.
Check out our list of the best webcams for streaming.
Streaming software
Streaming software, also called an encoder, takes the video and
audio input from your computer and transmits it to the streaming
platform of your choice. Hardware encoders are also an option,
but software is free and much more user-friendly. There are lots
of streaming software options out there, but one of the easiest
to use is Restream Studio.
If you’re going live with a software like Restream, you don’t
need a complex setup — you don’t even have to download Restream
Studio because it runs directly from your web browser. All you
need is a webcam, microphone and an internet connection.
Restream has all the features you need in a powerful streaming
software, such as:
Live streaming platform
You’ve planned your stream and set up your gear. Now can you go
live? Sure! You just need to choose a live streaming platform.
Luckily, you have many to choose from. Here’s a quick rundown of
the most popular platforms.
YouTube Live: You can find streaming of all kinds on YouTube
Live, from brands to independent content creators. YouTube also
has a gaming arm for video-game-specific content. Read our guide
to YouTube Live or YouTube Gaming for more streaming tips.
Facebook Live: Going live on Facebook is perfect if you already
have a decent following there. It’s also ideal for small and
local businesses. If you’re a gamer, you can stream on Facebook
Gaming as well. Learn everything you need to know about Facebook
Live streaming and some essential tips that will make your
stream stand out.
X (Twitter) Live: X (Twitter) is also a generalist platform with
a wide variety of live video content. Also, if your live streams
will be about breaking news and updates, then you might find a
home on X (Twitter) Live.
Instagram Live: Instagram is a popular platform for all kinds of
brands and creators and going live can help you build a stronger
community. Keep in mind that only users with Professional
Instagram accounts can stream on Instagram via desktop.
TikTok LIVE: TikTok isn’t just for short, viral clips. You can
also live stream for 30 minutes or more. Go live on TikTok to
forge strong connections with your followers and stand out from
the thousands of other creators on the platform. Read our full
guide to live streaming on TikTok for more.
Twitch: Twitch is by far the most popular gaming platform. Its
hugeness can feel intimidating as a beginner, so read our
ultimate guide to streaming on Twitch for tips, advice and best
practices. Twitch can also be a good platform for talk shows and
live podcasts.
Kick.com: Kick is a gaming live video platform, very similar to
Twitch. Since Kick.com is much newer, however, the competition
for viewers is less intense. If you want to try out Kick, read
our Kick.com live streaming guide.
LinkedIn Live: The best place to do professional live streams is
on a professional networking site. LinkedIn Live videos see more
views and engagement than non-live videos. Read our ultimate
guide on streaming to LinkedIn Live to see what all the fuss is
about.
Mixcloud: If you want to live stream music and DJ mixes or start
your own radio show/podcast, then you’ll fit right in at
Mixcloud. Our Mixcloud guide takes you through live streaming on
Mixcloud step by step.
Behance: Stream digital artwork, design, and photography on
Adobe’s social network, Behance. Show off your creation process,
connect with other designers and artists, or even host classes
and workshops on the platform.
Amazon Live: If you’re a registered Amazon Seller or part of
Amazon’s influencer program, you can broadcast live promotional
content to help boost your sales. Learn how with our Amazon Live
guide.
Need more help deciding which platform to stream to? Read our
guide to the best live streaming platforms.
When it comes to choosing the right platform, Dale L. Roberts
advises picking one based on your audience. “If you're going to
live stream on the platform, discoverability is going to be key
— and it all starts with identifying your ideal viewer,” says
Dale. You have to figure out who they are and what kind of
content they want to see.
Multistreaming
With all these platforms to choose from, do you have to pick
just one? No! With Restream, you can choose multiple channels to
broadcast to simultaneously.
If you already have a fan base on Facebook but are looking to
build your network on LinkedIn as well, you can live stream to
Facebook Live and LinkedIn Live at the same time — double the
exposure with the same amount of work.
Find your niche: What will your live stream be about? Live
streaming has a lot of popular niches already, and you can
easily fit your content into one of them. Gaming, music,
e-sports, IRL and creative streams are just a few general
topics. You can pick a subtopic to narrow your content down
further.
Monitor the quality of your live stream: Having high-quality
video and audio is essential for retaining viewers. Most of
today’s live stream viewers have little patience for poor audio,
buffering and other technical issues. Learn how to monitor
performance indicators, such as your bitrate, keyframe interval,
FPS, dropped frames, video codec and more, so you can provide a
high-quality viewing experience.
Test your equipment: Mistakes and mishaps are a fact of live
streaming. You can’t always prevent a tech issue from happening,
but you can reduce the number of these accidents by testing your
equipment.
Promote your stream: Nobody’s going to watch your live stream if
you don’t tell them about it! Choose the right time to go live,
send out a link to followers on social media, multistream to
several platforms, or make a countdown to generate hype. You can
also create and post a short teaser to get audiences excited
about your upcoming stream.
Look at your streaming data. Most streaming platforms will
provide you with basic metrics about your streaming time,
viewers and other aspects. Dig into this data to see what
potentially draws more people to your stream, or if there are
certain elements of your broadcast that people might find more
engaging.
Whether you’re a new live streamer or a pro, you can find more
useful tips for live streaming in our guide.
There are several things to consider, prepare and test before
you build your live streaming setup. With this ultimate guide
and a can-do attitude — and with a little help from Restream —
you’ll become a pro streamer in no time.
Enable advertising: For ad-based monetization, determine the ad
placement options available on your streaming platform. Some
platforms may automatically insert ads at specific intervals,
while others might require you to integrate ad providers like
Google AdSense.
Test the monetization setup: Before going live, conduct a test
run of your chosen monetization method to ensure that payments
are processed correctly, and access is granted or ads are
displayed as intended. This helps you avoid any issues during
the actual live stream.
Promote your monetization strategy: Use social media, email
newsletters, and your website to inform your viewers about
upcoming paid content, subscriptions, or ad-supported streams.
Monitor performance and adapt: Keep a close eye on viewer
engagement, feedback, and revenue generation. Monitor which
monetization methods are most effective and make adjustments as
necessary, based on audience preferences and trends.
Promote your videos and channel on social media: Show the world
what you’re up to. Platforms like X (Twitter), Facebook and
Instagram are great places to advertise your content and attract
more viewers. Don’t forget, your titles and hashtags should be
trendy and catchy! Promote your videos on every social media
network where you have a presence to maximize your reach.
. Encourage your viewers to like, share and subscribe: It may
not be that obvious, but people often forget to like, share and
subscribe, even if they enjoyed the content. So it’s your job to
remind them. Don’t be too shy to ask your viewers to hit the
bell.
Live streaming opens up a fantastic avenue to engage with your
audience in a truly meaningful way. Now that you’ve mastered the
technical aspects of selecting platforms and equipment, setting
up live streams, and adopting best practices, you’re more than
ready to start engaging with audiences, sharing expertise,
connecting with like-minded individuals, and showcasing products
in an unparalleled way.
Get our Practical Guide on how to start a Live streaming
Business in Nigeria. This beginner’s guide to live streaming
covers the absolute basic equipment This guide will enable you
to harness the benefits of effective live streaming with
insights on selecting the right platform, configuring technical
elements, and crafting engaging content. You’ll find all the
live streaming tips and tricks you need to get started or take
your existing streaming content to the next level. Learn what
you need to get going, how to produce professional-quality
video, and how to get better at streaming.
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