We will dedicate the next four editions to further develop the USER(R) theory for communication strategies based on digital content production, focused on characteristics, objectives, means and tactics when it comes to Live Streaming.
Juan Pablo Morales Sarmiento*
The USER(R) theory is the result of 10 years of observation and analysis of the evolution and trends of the audiovisual content production industry in the digital age, as well as its impact and importance, which is increasingly rooted in the culture and identity of people of almost all generations.
Each edition will be dedicated to understanding in a practical way each of the four pillars of this theory, User Experience, Storytelling, Digital Strategy and Technical Resources, in order to obtain tools that, when used in practice, help to obtain better results in communication, results and return on investment when producing live content today.
User experience
Without a doubt, creating and executing an experience that becomes relevant and memorable for users is one of the most important challenges in the industry today, and perhaps, the most valuable.
Big industries reveal it that way. A recent study by a firm specialized in Streaming estimated that, according to the trend, Netflix will have twice as many subscribers in 5 years as pay TV.
The speed and dynamics with which digital content is created and discarded today, make innovative elements required, either from the narrative, the technique or the medium, that is, from what we tell, the way we do it and where we distribute it.
Focusing on the user consists not only of finding what he wants us to tell him, but how he wants us to do it, and how he prefers to feel heard as well.
We recently received a call from the communications officer of a major NGO, who for years has organized a huge regional international event on education, children and development. He told us with great concern, because they would have their annual edition very close, that their General Director had asked them to do something new with live streaming and that it should mean more than the 110 people who on average used to attend it simultaneously, and did not know what to do.
When he answered the question about what they usually did in the broadcast of the event, I clearly understood that the opportunities were obvious and the solution was easy. Nothing that was not solved with a little creativity and perhaps, something more budget. They used to do three simultaneous broadcasts, each to a camera, posted directly on their website, with no higher levels of production and much less interaction.
The second question I asked him was related to his opinion on the results obtained previously. His response was mind-boggling: "I don't like what we do or the results we get."
Thus we focus the strategy in two formats and in three phases. The first, had to leave the expectation to the users, for which it was done, among others, a mailing so that those interested "subscribed" to the streaming of this version, accompanied by outbound calls and reminders via WhatsApp before and during the event.
The days of transmission involve technology that allows to mix in real time the interactions of the users in social networks, with tickers and transparencies mixed via NDI inside the player, interactions that were also mixed with the screens of the closed circuit TV in the venue in a kind of Social Wall.
We had a team editing in real time and automatically uploading to FTP summaries and complete videos of the conferences for use by the press, clipping the contents and sharing them on social networks and WhatsApp, at 1:1, 9:16 and 16:9. Later, everything was on the Facebook and Youtube channel for permanent consultation.
On the other hand, we carried out a straming in the same three phases with an entertainment format based on interviews with speakers, sponsors, NGO Directors and the general public on a television set decorated as a kindergarten. This format garnered more than 50% of the views and live interactions and became the center of all eyes and comments.
The result: We managed to increase by more than 40 times the display of live content, the dynamics of sharing content via social media and WhatsApp, generated more views than some of the most important live concerts in history, obtained visibility in more than 60 countries of the world, built a database of WhatsApp phones of more than 700 users interested in the subject, and the communications director, a month later, received a job offer for a position she would never have imagined, thanks to the exposure, networking and participation of some of the interviewees who went through the interview set, uien is now her new boss.
According to a recent Statista study among people related to streaming services, 62% of them claimed that traditional TV is now irrelevant and 84% of them have already replaced it. This trend will continue to increase, and by 2023 streaming users will have grown 20% more approximately. Hence, achieving impact on audiences with digital creative experiences can guarantee greater success in a long-term content strategy.
Social Media
For a recent launch of a smartphone of an important global technology and communications company, the directors of the account asked us for an accompaniment to design as a team a digital strategy with live streaming, which managed to be different, that transmitted the brand values and characteristics of its products and that managed to impact its community, with a clear and effective message.
Based on the usual format of large international events and awards of entertainment and fashion industries, a concept was realized with two parallel structures. A set that would serve for something that we can call the "warm-up" of the community, where prior to the main event interviews would be held with attendees, special guests, influencers, brand managers etc., by two recognized "Intagramers". And on the other hand, the main venue, where it would be the official transmission of the launch of the new smartphones and other products of the category.
We would use as part of the cameras for production, the same smartphones that would be presented during the event, showing not only their optical capacity, but also, live, their interfaces and capabilities.
The live streaming, which would be done simultaneously through several social networks, managing to impact the community wherever their preference for the consumption of digital content was, reached its objective by allowing conversation with the audience in real time, answering their questions and causing conversion.
Building relationships
At both the congress and the launch, relationships were built by fostering personalized interactions and conversations; with content based on opinions, information, images, data and curiosities valuable to the community or its niches.
The success of each of these cases was the result of teamwork between brands, organizations and our communications team, structuring clear objectives that would then be carried out with a disciplined organized pre-production detail, a specialized coding technique for networks and a television production, product of choosing the best rentals, that will guarantee to assemble perfectly each of the puzzles.
Network presence is critical in today's communications. The mix of live with ondemand, the combination that can be achieved with WhatsApp, Facebook Live, Periscope, Twitch and YouTube, among others, and now LinkedIn simultaneously, with specialized coding, mixing and streaming equipment such as Epiphan, Clearcaster, Vmix and OBS; Cloud streaming systems such as restream and integration with platforms to visually enrich content through interaction, overlays, subtitles and filters such as Singular or BeLive, can make a Live Streaming a totally different and immersive experience that truly connects with users.
The digital presence of people becomes effective in the places where they can be found. It is for this reason that Social Networks, whatever their own nature, that is, microblogging, images, messaging, professionals, gaming etc., are one of the most effective means to reach communities en masse. However, never miss an opportunity to build your own database because that's where the power of your relationships and community lies.
These experiences presented, had something in common, did not emit content that required long processes of attention of the users. Our brains like entertainment, variety, surprise, humor, change. We have short attention spans and the dynamics in the contents should be a reflection of that. Structuring the format of a live streaming with this feature is essential.
One more thing. Nothing we see today will make sense two years from now. For example, according to a recent study by Jon Pedddie Research, around 20 million gamers will abandon the PC as their main equipment in three years and move to game-based platforms directly on the TV. 5G, for sure, will change everything related to user experience, and only those who experiment continuously, will have tools to face the challenges and technological changes that are underway. Creativity is the product of the sum of experiences and the saving of these in our memory will be the critical factor to have relevance forward.
*Juan Pablo Morales Sarmiento is a Media Consultant and CEO of NuevosMedios Entertainment. You can contact him through his Twitter account @JuanPMoralesS
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