Top 7 Myths about Live Online Entertainment
Do you find live online entertainment so tempting to try, yet you have so many questions and apprehensions? This article is for you.
At BeamZ, we took these concerns into consideration before we launched. Here are the top 7 myths about live online entertainment to put behind your personal apprehensions and boost your online presence.
1. There is no money in video-sharing
It is true that most video-sharing platforms make their revenue from ads, and ads don’t pay much at all. In addition, most platforms demand that you build a ridiculously large audience before you qualify for revenue sharing.
But the world has changed. Many, often the newer, video-sharing platforms look at ads like the rest of us do – ads don’t make money and they’re a nuisance to watch.
At BeamZ, we don’t even have ads. We invite our audience to support the shows they enjoy with real money. Everyone can choose how much they want to pay.
2. Live virtual shows are for the pros
Untrue! And the reason is rather simple: live online shows is brand new, so just about everyone who does it is, by necessity, is a newbie.
On BeamZ, we see that 8 out of 10 of our show producers had never made or made video before. No live video, but also no video of any kind on their other social media platforms.
If a fancy pedigree in live streaming or videography is not required, what you need is: a personality, just like TV prefers strong personalities, a passion for the topic of your show, and your commitment. You don’t want to quit after show 1, you need to keep doing it and getting better at it.
Our take-away: get over any impostor syndrome, in this business everyone is a newbie.
3. Video sharing platforms keep most of the money to themselves
Some platforms are free, and then they keep anywhere between 30% and 60% of the revenue that your video work generates.
Other platforms require that you subscribe to a flat monthly fee.
At BeamZ, our solution is to give you 90%, and to retain 10% for us the platform. Actually, our fine print explains that it is the net revenue we split 90-10. That means first the credit card fees and the bandwidth and the outside ads are paid for, and then we share the balance 90-10.
4. Making live online shows is expensive business
Live online shows are broadcasted on platforms like Youtube and Facebook --and BeamZ, so all you need is the device that will capture your video and sound, and send it to the server nearest to you. And that device is the camera that’s already on your phone or your computer.
So to host a live show on BeamZ, what you need is :
1. A decent internet data plan, say 50 GB of outgoing data.
Don’t use wifi, where the signal comes and goes. You are better off with a cable connection if you’re indoor, or simple 4G if you’re outdoor.
2. A decent microphone.
And if you host « on location », i.e. outdoors, you will also want
- a stabilizer. Osmo 3 is around $150
- a deadcat to put over your microphone, to muffle the wind.
The tech part and the budget really are that simple.
5. Creepy haters will ruin my show
On BeamZ, we kept it simple. On our chat, you can instantly ban the user that’s bombing or otherwise ruining your show.
You will want to separate your live show business from your personal life. So use a special email address for your live shows, and work under a nickname.
6. Live shows are so much work
Relative to pre-recorded video Youtube-style, live shows might feel like they put you under more pressure, because you’re live. But it’s also actually less work, because you don’t need to edit. And everyone knows that post-production is what takes time.
Before hosting your BeamZ shows, you will need to rehearse ahead of time and to get your equipment ready. Test the signal. But don’t worry about make-up and slick this and that, it is the rawness of the live broadcast that makes the show real.
So expect to spend as much time for prep work as for your show. So for a 30 minutes of live show, another 30 minutes of prep time.
Our take-away here: try out your live show in private two or three times, you’ll see how quick and easy it actually is. And if you edit video already, do realize that BeamZ shows is a lot less time-consuming, by any margin.
7. Marketing my shows will be a time guzzler
You are attracted to the creative side of video-making, not the business and the marketing side ? I understand…
At BeamZ, we actually do a lot of that work for our producers. But that’s a discussion for later. Once your show is good, and you host them regularly, you will get an audience – it doesn’t matter how niche your topic is. But that’s a discussion for later. Content comes first.
Our advice: don’t worry about your audience when you first start. Enjoy this time when you don’t have a large audience to become good at hosting. Focus on what you’re drawn to: the creative side.
Like this article? Share it with your network - you never know who might need it.
You can also apply to host your own show with BeamZ here.
