Live streaming of content needs a high degree of preparedness. You need to be spot-on with the flow, the context, and the narrative. But what if you can stream the content without conducting live streams? This is where pre-recorded videos come into the picture.
Such content allows you to go ahead with meticulous planning and fine-tuning flexibility. This ensures high-quality material with thorough editing and rehearsing, and the method grants you greater control over the material’s quality, timing, and presentation. You need not worry about research, rehearsal, equipment, or space needed in real-time live streaming.
Do you want to know more about the value proposition of pre-recorded streaming content? Then, go through this post. We look at how to extract maximum ROI from the live stream of pre-recorded videos.
What Is Pre-recorded Streaming?
Pre-recorded streaming refers to broadcasting video content that has been previously recorded and stored. This is a notably different approach than live streaming, which transmits content in real-time.
Pre-recorded videos result in polished video content that doesn’t have the stutters and slip-ups sometimes associated with live streaming. As an outcome, they engage the audience much better with polished and refined content delivery.
What’s the difference between Live & pre-recorded Streaming
Let’s cover a few noteworthy points that distinguish live streaming from pre-recorded streaming.
| Point of difference | Real-time live streaming | Pre-recorded live streaming |
| Interaction | Enables direct, instantaneous engagement with audiences. | Lacks the advantage of direct, instantaneous engagement with audiences. |
| Content Control | Lower degree of content control as the creator has to present unedited, spontaneous content directly to viewers. | Better control due to the time and flexibility to edit and refine the content before broadcasting. |
| Flexibility and timing | Real-time live streaming is time-bound. You need to be available at the moment it is broadcasted. All your time will be locked for this specific task. | Scheduling flexibility lets your content be aired at specific times. |
| Audience Engagement | ‘In-the-moment’ audience engagement is better in live streaming. This is driven by live chats, Q&A sessions, and immediate feedback. | No ‘In-the-moment’ audience engagement in this format. Content creators need to get back to the audience after the pre-recorded stream is over to keep up the engagement with them. |
| Technical complexity | Live streaming requires a high degree of real-time technical support. It also needs a lot of preparation for audio-video setup and determining the suitability of the space where you will conduct live streaming. | You get sufficient time with pre-recorded streaming. This approach involves editing and technical preparation before broadcasting. |
Tips for Pre-recorded Video Streaming
Here are some hacks to help you stream pre-recorded content and engage viewers.
1 – Use automation tools
Use automation tools like Buffer and Hootsuite to schedule live streams. This gives a viable option to keep engagement consistent even in your absence. Your audience will get to view new content as per the scheduled time, even if you are unavailable.
These automation tools enable pre-scheduled broadcasts, allowing your video to go live at a predetermined time. It also helps maintain audience interest and allows interaction through comments or chat.
2 – Content refinement leads to better results
You may want to maintain a smooth narrative flow in the content with the best video hosting platforms. With multiple rehearsals and editing finesse, you can cut the unwanted slip-ups or awkward pauses. The result will be highly polished content ready for live streaming.
You can align the content with your brand’s tone, message, and quality standards. Make sure to edit for clarity, visual appeal, and engagement. Such well-articulated videos are sure to resonate effectively with your target audience.
3 – Avoid tech glitches
Your audience will quickly abandon the stream if it is riddled with technical problems, lags, or delays. This is why you need to perform extensive testing and rehearsals before streaming. This will emerge as one of the most vital tips to stream pre-recorded videos. Check audio, video quality, and internet connectivity to minimize technical issues during the broadcast.
4 – Leverage the power of social media algorithms
Remember to understand and leverage algorithms on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The ‘LIVE’ tag on these platforms helps create a sense of urgency, thus boosting engagement. You can optimize content timing and use hashtags to align with platform algorithms. This step helps increase visibility and reach a broader audience.
5 – Utilize time zone differences for replays
Replaying previous streams allows you to reach audiences who might have missed the original broadcast. You may have to go live to factor in multiple time zones with live streaming.
With pre-recorded video streaming, you can schedule once and deliver in the appropriate time zones without coming online every time. Scheduling replays during peak viewership hours across different time zones ensures maximum exposure and broader audience outreach.
6 – Implement looping techniques
You may want to have pre-recorded videos always to be live. You can integrate looping techniques on the best live streaming platforms for this. This will facilitate the continuous streaming of pre-recorded content and allow you to maintain audience engagement even when the stream is not live. The illusion of constant activity encourages viewers to stay engaged and participate in discussions.
To sum up
A live stream of pre-recorded videos helps you extract the maximum advantages of live streaming minus the risks of on-air stutters or tech glitches. Use these techniques to improve the efficacy of pre-recorded videos using video-on-demand platforms.
