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LIVE STREAM
for fun or profit

The Ultimate Report

Whether brand or individual...
​Create live video. Build an audience.
Promote your stream. Get paid.
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Imagine making a living live streaming - getting paid to connect with an audience each week or each day in real-time then spending a few hours each week promoting your show, building a growing audience and engaging them on topics ranging from sports to politics to cooking.      

Today, there are people making a living live streaming broadcasts of all sorts, while other live streamers only bring in a few dollars per month.  It all depends on ones time commitment.  

Either way, live-streaming is changing the game. It’s not a fad or a craze, but is here to stay and is shaking up social media.  Every day in the United States, 75 million people watch videos online. In fact, one third of all online activity is spent watching video. 


​Social media is the #1 online activity and 63 million U.S. internet users have viewed a live stream on social media in the past month.

 
YouTube and Facebook users produce more video content in 30 days than the major U.S. television networks have created in 30 years.
 
  • Facebook users watch 100 million hours of Facebook videos each day. 
  • Facebook Live videos are watched 3x longer than regular videos. 
  • Facebook says that by 2020, 75% of all mobile data will be video. 

With tens of millions of people watching videos online each day, YouTube, in April 2011, announced the rollout of YouTube Live.  Facebook, in April 2016, followed suit, giving 25% of the world’s population the ability to broadcast themselves through the app. 

Video trends are no different on the other social media platforms. 
  • 10 million on videos are viewed on Snapchat every day. 
  • 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every 60 seconds.
  • 82% of Twitter users watch videos content on Twitter.

Twitter’s NFL streaming deals are creating new opportunities for marketers and media, as well as average consumers, to distribute in-the-moment content.
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Live broadcasting on a cell phone is the missing link between television and social media.
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You can now produce a broadcast, a show, a series or just record a fun moment by live-streaming.   The key, however, is to get people to watch your stream and eventually build an engaged following.
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  • ​​YouTube has 1 billion users who watch 500 million hours of videos every day.
  • Periscope users have created over 200 million broadcasts.

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Who’s watching YouTube?
Worldwide in 2018, India and Asia-Pacific countries have the most YouTube viewers, while the United States is ​a close second with Brazil third. 

Japan, the world’s third largest economy by GDP, is also home to the world’s fourth-largest internet population.

According to a 2016 article by The Guardian and ComScore’s 2015 report on the country, Japanese internet users spend more time on multimedia video sites such as YouTube and Niconico than they do on social media platforms, a usage pattern that runs counter to global trends.

The article goes on to say that "the biggest reason why Japanese internet users choose to spend so much of their online time on YouTube is the panoply of extremely niche, special interest and passionate online communities that thrive there.  Whether it’s anime, manga, idol groups, gaming, product reviews of snack foods, or tutorials on how to make micro-bento boxes out of candy, Japan’s fan culture evokes a near-obsessive dedication and YouTube provides the perfect platform to both feed and amplify it."


(1) Other Asia-Pacific includes American Samoa, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, North Korea, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna.

YouTube has continued to further its presence as a platform for popular media (not just user-generated videos) with the launch of YouTube TV in April 2017. 

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​​YouTube TV gives subscribers 40+ channels of live TV including entertainment, news, and sports for $35 a month. This type of bundle will likely advance the cord-cutting trend of young TV watching audiences.
 
Mobile drives usage
YouTube users spend more than twice the amount of time watching videos on mobile than desktop devices. Mobile visits tend to be more frequent but with viewers watching in shorter bursts.

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Attention spans are much shorter on mobile

Per comScore, 7 out of 10 people watch YouTube on a mobile device so k
eep in mind that many people will be viewing your video while performing another activity and in shorter bursts. 

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So what is live streaming?

Live streaming allows you to broadcast live-video content that can be viewed on a phone, tablet, computer or TV.  It’s like Facetiming or Skyping all your followers at once. 
 
If you’ve ever wanted to be a television show host, reporter or emcee, live-streaming allows you to do that by broadcasting from anywhere through your phone or PC. You’ll have your audience literally in the palm of your hand. 
 
Unlike producing and sending video through other mediums, there are few barriers to getting started with live-streaming on social media.  You don’t have to invest tons of money into production facilities, a production crew or editors. 
 
Don’t worry if things don’t go perfectly, that’s the magic of going live. It’s a bit risky. You risk becoming vulnerable to an audience, but also risk becoming a lot closer.
 
An unrefined, raw and unedited style of live-streaming provides your audience a more authentic experience than traditional mediums.  Once your stream is finished, social media apps make it easy to share and archive your video. 
 
Live streaming has advantages over video recordings, like allowing you to communicate with your audience in real time during your video. Most apps allow viewers to send you written comments and reactions which appear on the screen in real time. Those in the audience can engage you or become observers and remain flies on the wall.
 
Another great thing about live-streaming on social media is that you can archive your live-stream to be viewed later.  The broadcasts and the comments are saved on your page, account or profile until you delete them for anyone to view.

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So who is live streaming?

The 18-34 age group watch and create the most online videos

Overall, men spend 40% more time watching videos on the internet than women

Usage declines with age, with the 35-54 age group watching and creating about half as much content​ as the younger cohort.


Mobile app usage skews younger, with the 18-24 age group spending just over 3 hours per day using mobile apps.  We see the amount of time decline until reaching the overall average of 2.3 hours per day.​

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The top apps vary by age group, with YouTube and Snapchat ranking highest among Millennials. The two most popular app with live stream and audience building capabilities rank high among younger age groups.

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Why do people watch live streams?

According to a Mintel survey, the top reasons people watch live streams are:
  •    To feel part of a live event
  •   The hosts are funny, inspiring, cute or smart
  •   The opportunity and ability to interact with the host
  •   Getting a behind the scenes perspective 

Live streaming is changing how news is covered
Bloomberg Media is hoping to draw potential readers to its brand through TicToc, a live-streaming 24-hour video news channel that lives entirely on Twitter. The effort is designed partly to introduce people to its brand on a platform where news often breaks first.

Digiday reports that according to Bloomberg, TicToc averages 750,000 daily viewers, and 1 million daily views, and plans to reach 2 million daily viewers within the next few months.  

​According to Digiday, TicToc has three coverage formats: a five-minute segment on global news at the top of each hour, contextual videos that could break down a conversation around a series of events and live coverage. During live coverage, producers pull in live contextual information, showing related tweets or polls, for instance.

 
Live streaming levels the playing field for freelance reporters

News stations are doing a lot of soul searching these days on how to engage audiences and keep them coming back regularly for new content, particularly print media, who are facing increasing competition from digital news agencies and TV stations who have a strong social media or web presence. 


Live streaming levels the playing field for print media, offering a new way to broadcast stories and compete with broadcast news stations.
 
In 2017, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center, two-thirds (67%) of Americans reported that they get at least some of their news on social media.  

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Print media can integrate live streaming into their news delivery and marketing campaigns to stay relevant with younger audiences, while also competing directly with TV stations using video in the social media space. 
 
Facebook leads all other social media sites as a source of news.  YouTube has the second highest percentage.
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This is largely due to Facebook’s large user base and the fact that most of its users get news on the site.  Specifically, about two-thirds of Americans (66%) use Facebook, and a majority of those users get news on the site.

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Live streaming is changing the way news and events are covered and distributed.

Each major television news network has embraced live streaming their content. And while many brands live stream occasionally on social media, major networks have created dedicated pages as well.  

Livestream News Network

https://livestream.com/news

Livestream News Network is considered one of the largest selection of live local news from across the United States. You enter a geography and local TV affiliates pop up that allow you to view local newscasts. 


BBC News
http://www.livenewsus.com/bbc-news-uk-live-stream/
CBS News
https://www.cbsnews.com/live/
ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Live
NBC News
https://www.nbc.com/live
FOX
http://www.livenewsus.com/fox-news-live-stream/

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A long way from pay TV. Live streaming is free for streamers and viewers!
Social media apps are free and they come with cameras and microphones so there’s no need for a recording studio, sound gear, lights or editing time.

Over the last decade the number of people paying for television is steadily declining, with the number of people leaving cable each year outnumbering those joining. 

This makes live streaming on social media



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  • Twitter news users are more likely to also often get news via news websites and apps than Facebook or YouTube news users.  

Facebook news users
 are more likely to often get news from local TV than those on YouTube, Twitter and Snapchat.

For television news outlets, live streaming offers viewers a raw, uncut, behind the scenes look at the news operation and allows viewers to get to feel the newscasters’ personalities.   

Pew’s study also found that getting news on social media doesn’t mean that other more traditional pathways to news are ignored. Many social media news users also get news from a variety of other platforms, although there are some differences among the users of the various sites.

​The news never stops
Live streams are broadcast around the world 24 hours a day and news content is ripe fodder for around-the-clock reporting. 
 
The rise of the internet and social media has influenced the 24-hour news cycle.  Although the first 24-hour news network, CNN, launched in 1980 the concept of “always on” news coverage has evolved in subsequent years.
 
The combined impact of 24-hour news networks, improved access to media through online newspapers, blogs, social media and mobile apps for news, have made people more plugged in to current events. 

 
66% of adults 18-22 find mobile apps for news to be informational, while only 34% say news apps expose them to new ideas.  


Video is easier to digest
One reason we prefer live video is because we interpret visual information faster than the written word, making live video easier and faster to process while also being entertaining.  In fact, since roughly 90% of the information sent to our brains is visual, we have evolved to consume visual content as quickly as we can.
 
Technology is more accessible today
According to a 2013 study by the U.N., more people on earth have access to cell phones than toilets. Out of the world's estimated 7 billion people, 6 billion have access to mobile phones.  Let that sink in.  Then consider the possibilities for growth in the world of live streaming. 
 
Technological advances that have made cell phones more accessible and affordable include: 
  •      3G, 4G, 5G technology
  •      Cheaper data plans
  •      Cloud technology
  •      Longer-lasting batteries
  •      Bigger screens
  •      Better cameras
 
Speed
Ten seconds. That’s about as much time it takes to go live.  Getting set up on social media is quick and easy and shooting is straight-forward. Any average user could set up a live stream.  In about 10 seconds, you can go live from the middle of the action and broadcast from anywhere in the world.
 
Live stream from anywhere
Mobile devices allow you to film from anywhere at any time and most social media apps are mobile-to-mobile, so your viewers don’t need any special equipment to watch you, making it easier for them to feel part of the action.
 
Exclusive, behind the scenes perspective
Streams have a friendly, behind-the-scenes feel. They feel more authentic and make more of a connection with people than does a fancy production. Live-streaming is easy for people to consume and be involved in.

Targeted audience using social media
Live streaming via social media allows you to target audience segments and be more efficient with marketing and messaging.
 
Why pay for ‘mass advertising’ with all the inherent waste of being seen by those who have no interest in your brand, when you can reach a bigger and more dedicated audience through your live-stream? 

 
Integrated with social media
The three most popular and widely used live streaming apps are embedded within the three most popular and widely used social media platforms – YouTube, Facebook and YouTube.
 
Integration makes it super easy to mix live streaming with your social media network.  You can live stream and reach a viewing audience without having to build one separately – it’s already right there in the same app, allowing for a fast connection.  Integration also makes it easier to track the analytics of your video. 
 
Live streaming is about being real
Live-streaming is essentially face to face communication. In fact, it’s one-to-many communication with an intimate ‘personal touch’.   It engages an audience in a way that a speaker on stage with a canned speech cannot replicate. It’s communication with emotion.  The face behind the brand. An authentic voice.  A real person. A raw and imperfect production. 
 
If you have a customer base which is largely on Facebook, then they may not be bothered by a raw or amateur look. In fact, it may actually appeal to them.
 
Keep it light and conversational 
Through the on-screen text features, viewers can interact live with each other, shaping the content with their questions and directions.
 
Conversational while going live is different than being conversational when talking in person. 
Conversational while you go live just means flowing with it - which could mean a slower style as you try to talk and read the on-screen text comments to yourself at the same time.  This doesn’t come across as stumbling as much as it does connecting with your audience in an authentic way in real time.
 
But be careful, unless you asked the audience to answer questions, or have a small intimate group, or unless interaction is the primary purpose of your live stream, you don’t want to get too caught up reading dozens of hellos or messages out loud that viewers can see perfectly well for themselves.  Not to mention that this loses its effect after the first airing. It’s not nearly as engaging watching you chat when viewing archived footage.  Your live stream should be the main action and the comments should underscore the action, not the other way around.

 
Do something interesting first, then look for feedback from your viewers. 
Remain conversational, unpredictable, raw, real, fresh, exciting and in-the-moment to let viewers see your human side or the human side of your business.  Remember, this is WHY many people tune in – to see a side of you they do not normally see.
 
Nothing beats an in-the-moment, real-time experience. 
How many times have you taped then watched the NYC Times Square New Year’s Eve Celebration on January 3rd?  Probably never.  Some events and happenings are only entertaining when consumed live.
 
One reason people feel compelled to tune in to live happenings is because they don’t want to feel left out or like they will miss out on something. 
 
And even though social media allows you the option to save and archive your videos, you are not required to. 
 
In fact, if you chose NOT to save and upload the your live stream video, you have created more value around the live moment – creating a one chance to watch event. 

 
Not all live streams are created equal
No, you can’t just go live and expect gold.  Ideally, you want to have a strategy.  YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are tools, not strategies.  Live streaming is not a strategy either.  It’s a tactic.
 
So it’s important that you first determine your brand’s overall marketing strategy to figure out how a live stream aligns with what you are wanting to accomplish and what actions you want your audience to take. 
  
 
Before going live make sure your video is: 
  • Engaging  
  • Shareable  
  • Interactive
 
If it meets these criteria, then it is deemed live-worthy and you stand a good chance at connecting with an audience in a moment that begs to be streamed live. 
 
Live-streaming is rarely going to be polished and professional, but shouldn’t be an excuse for content that is unfocused, ill-prepared, open-ended or rambling.  That’s counter-productive.  Spare your audience and do them a favor.  And don’t waste your time either.  Content that’s drab, boring or long-winded would often be better recorded and edited. 
 

Your goal is to create a participatory and immersive experience for your audience. 
 
Don’t rush into going live.  Think through your goals, content and strategy.  Are you streaming because it’s the latest marketing  bandwagon to jump on, or do you have legitimate goals to justify the investment of staff and time?   
 
Own your content
Social media is a great place to archive and store your videos for free, but you it’s leased space.  Your goal is to get your audience to follow you to space that you own – your own website.
 
After all, what happens if you break the rules and they lock you out? Or they decide to start selling access to your content? Or whatever. The point is social media is a space you don’t control.  So take full advantage of what it offers – free streaming, chat, hosting and distribution – but also devise a way to create your own list of users to service in the same way social media would. 

  
What’s the next hot social app?
The next hot app will foster live, real-time streaming experiences, as these types of apps are proliferating right now.  They promote real-time engagement around interests such as music and gaming and are often targeted to a younger audience.  Names to watch include Musical.ly, Snow and YouNow. 
 
It’s not likely we’ll see another Snapchat but trends we are seeing and the audiences these trends appeal to are worth paying attention to. 
 
In 2016, Snapchat broke out as the new star on the social advertising stage. Among other apps likely to break out are Musical.ly, YouNow and Snow.​
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​Lip-syncing app Musical.ly has all the ingredients to become a star with a rapidly growing teen audience, a ready-made vehicle for pop stars to market themselves and an environment where advertisers and influencers can work together. The company is also getting into live streaming with its sister app, Live.ly.
 
According to Billboard, Musical.ly has 133 million users worldwide, up from 10 million in 2016.
 
Its top user, a teenager who goes by the name Baby Ariel, has 13.6 million fans and is starting to sign branding deals and do product placements.
 
As of November 16, 2016, it ranked No. 5 in the US in downloads among social apps in the Google Play store, according to App Annie.
 
Live streaming app YouNow has built its appeal with teens and young adults. 

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  YouNow has also gained a foothold with traditional TV, partnering with NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” to host live stream auditions for the show.  In 2016, it ranked No. 51 in the U.S. in downloads among social apps in the Apple App Store and No. 41 in the Google Play store, according to App Annie.
 
Snow, a disappearing-message app that bears a strong similarity to Snapchat, has already caught the eye of Facebook, which tried to acquire the app this year. But parent company Naver, the South Korea-based firm behind messaging app Line, chose to go it alone.
 
Although Snow has yet to gain a large following in the US, it has become quite popular in Asia and recently launched a Chinese version.  
​In Japan, Snow is more widely used than other disappearing-message providers, including Snapchat and Instagram.

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For example, an October 2016 survey of social network users in Japan by JustSystems found that 76.9% of female respondents ages 20 to 29 used Snow, compared with 46.2% who used Snapchat and 41.0% who used Instagram stories.​









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Telescope, which has access to Facebook’s API, helps live streams “feel alive” by allowing publishers to insert content such as user comments, or graphics or trending topics, said DigitasLBi’s Sherman. When other platforms open up their own APIs for live streaming, more third-party companies will step in to help publishers distribute their content and help marketers find venues for live stream ads.

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McDonald’s “snaplications”
​As a first step in the hiring process, McDonald’s in Australia is asking applicants to submit a 10-second Snapchat video utilizing the McDonald’s filter (which overlays a McDonald’s uniform over a user’s photo).   McDonald’s will then review the applications and follow up with candidates who demonstrate the “bubble personality” they are looking for in potential employees.

While this process may be more of a gimmick to attract young workers, there has been some consensus that traditional interviewing processes may need an update.  
 
Although Snapchat may not be the answer, it is increasingly likely that when younger iGens enter the workforce they will come across some nontraditional interview strategies including live streaming aimed to improve the hiring process.

 
​Monetizing Live Streaming
If you’re a business, live-streaming is a powerful marketing or engagement tool.  For some brands doing something live is scary, and so they sit on the sidelines and watch.  While they watch, smaller, agile companies will get creative and experiment.  They’ll gain friends and followers on social media, gain market share and the bigger brands will wonder what happened.
 
As marketers shift dollars away from linear TV and toward digital video advertising, live stream video—thanks to Facebook Live and YouTube Live—has entered the fold. According to August 2016 research, almost one-fifth of US media decision-makers are planning to invest in live stream video ads in the next six months.

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​Live-streaming can be a targeted form of marketing that make your audience or customers feel much closer to you and more engaged. And the statistics support this.
​Once a brand goes live, their competitors must follow. 

The marketplace will come to expect it and will tire of canned, off the shelf, archived videos.  Putting your brand on a live-stream can be risky and takes courage, but your efforts will be rewarded with appreciation and loyalty when things go well.
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Many companies want a piece of live streaming. And while social platforms have been early leaders in this trend, there is no reason to think they will continue to have it to themselves in the future.
 
Esports platforms like Twitch have already proven that live streamed video game competitions have huge audience and revenue potential.

 
TV news personality Al Roker is backing Roker Media, which produces live video content. And some radio providers have joined the trend as well: New York’s WABC Radio in October 2016 began a test of streaming three of its shows live, with plans to incorporate local advertising, and SiriusXM has been developing a live video app with radio and TV personality Howard Stern.
 
“Many platforms will pursue live video because there is a big opportunity in terms of the emotional engagement that an audience has around live video content,” said Ameet Ranadive, vice president of ad product at Twitter. “I agree that there’s nothing that says social will own it or even that Twitter will own it. But I do think that it’s a very good fit [for Twitter] because of how unique our experience is around being instant, open and conversational.”

 
“The traditional broadcast and cable networks are trying to evolve their business models, while at the same time the social platforms are trying to be bigger destinations for that kind of content,” said 360i’s LeWinter. “There’s a lot of risk-taking going on right now and a lot of partnerships are being formed between the two sides as a fail-safe, because they don’t know what the future is going to hold.”
 
Deals that Facebook struck with publishers to create live video for its platform started to expire in March 2017, and there is no indication that the social giant will continue to pay the publishers, as it has since March 2016. According to a June 2016 article in The Wall Street Journal, Facebook agreed to pay upward of $50 million to a list of 140 video publishers, including BuzzFeed and The New York Times.

 
Lots of opportunity
“All of that turbulence that’s going on is resulting in really, really fast evolution of live streaming in the video content space,” said 360i’s LeWinter. “It’s a pretty exciting time for both media companies and for advertisers. There are whole new ways of consuming and distributing content, and then advertising to consumers who are watching that content.”
 
The future of broadcasting
“Just looking at the election coverage on social media, a lot of people did live events on Periscope or Facebook Live, or they [broadcast] images of what they’re seeing and their experience while they’re going off to vote,” said John Yembrick, social media manager at NASA. “I think that real-time broadcasting is changing the landscape, and we don’t need to turn on the news media the same way you used to (in order) to get updates about what’s happening in the world. And I think that’s going to continue.”
 
Marketing to the iGeneration
Live streaming appeals to the iGeneration more than any other cohort.  Moreover, the iGeneration creates and views more content on social media than any other cohort.  The iGeneration are the young adults and adolescents that follow Millennials as a generational cohort - born between 1995 and 2007.  This generation is aged 10-22 in 2017 and they account for about 17% of the US population.
 
As the oldest members of the iGeneration enter the working world and begin to contribute to the economy, companies will start to shift some focus away from Millennials toward this younger group. 

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​Source: Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics/Mintel

​As marketers get to know iGens they will understand that they are optimistic, but cautious, and accepting of the advantages and disadvantages they face as a truly digital generation.

 
Live streaming is here to stay, but brands that ignore it might not be.
 
Where we are now is just the tip of an iceberg. Start these apps now, build an audience and get ahead of the wave.  I believe that live-streaming will help you build a stronger and healthier relationship with current customers and potential prospects, with intimate and exclusive content, and real-time feedback.
 
Adult iGens are significantly more likely than their tween/teen counterparts to say that it’s hard to make friends (31% vs 18%). Absent the structured setting of school, adult iGens may do most of their socializing  digitally, particularly as people in their social circles relocate after graduation. As a result, adult iGens may be more prone to use social media as a way to connect with others – anonymously or otherwise.
 
Brands may be able to play a role in helping adult iGens gain social connection by providing live streams that facilitate in-person interactions.
Live streaming is here to stay,
but brands that ignore it might not be. 
PictureSource: Lightspeed/Mintel
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One area where iGens may feel they’re lacking is in their community involvement.  iGens appear altruistic, with about half saying they can make the world a better place, but only three in 10 adult iGens say they are as active in their community as previous generations.


iGens may take a more passive approach to philanthropy – instead of volunteering themselves, they may look to improve the world around them by supporting brands that are doing good works.


Live streaming appeals more to adult iGens, who consider social skills and understanding people who are different. 

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This media exposure may be why iGens appear to be more concerned with social causes and likely to endorse brands they deem ethical. Brands connected to a social cause appeal to this generation and may have an easier time breaking through the clutter. Unfortunately, brands can also fall flat trying to reflect iGens’ social consciousness in an inauthentic way – Pepsi’s most recent commercial starring Kendall Jenner is one example of good brand intentions gone bad.
 
YouTube is the media channel that both tween/teen iGens and adult iGens say they can’t live without, indicating it is in a strong position to convert regular users into subscribers of premium service. Instagram and Snapchat are considered fun and entertaining, while Facebook falls behind these leaders.

 
Potential live stream topics
When it comes to political affairs, adult iGens are the most concerned about the economy, and tween/teen iGens fear terrorism. As a whole, adults iGens’ appear more concerned with most political issues, indicating that as iGens age they become more engrossed in current events.
 
Social connection may elude adult iGens
iGens aged 18-22 are more likely than tweens/teens to say that it’s hard to make friends – which may be why they are more likely to seek digital connections online. iGens of all ages have an entrepreneurial spirit, and some may pursue business ownership as a way to explore all their diverse interests. Although iGens seem generally altruistic, adults are more likely/able to put this into action.
 
  •   Social video generates significantly more shares than text and images combined.
  •   Branded Facebook video content has increased 258% and 99% on YouTube as of June 2017 (via tubularinsights).
 
That’s not to say you should start live-streaming just because you can.

You need a purpose, a strategy and a way to manage and measure the outcome.
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iGens love YouTube
Adult and tween/teen iGens both agree that YouTube is the platform they “can’t live without” likely because it is considered the most fun and entertaining media platform of those evaluated.
 
Adult iGens even find YouTube to be more fun, entertaining, and informational than televisions shows, showing that YouTube is in a strong position to convert regular users into subscribers of premium services. Instagram and Snapchat are also perceived as fun and entertaining, but aren’t as likely to be considered useful tools for this generation.
 
Adult and tween/teen iGens both agree that YouTube is the platform they “can’t live without” likely because it is considered the most fun and entertaining media platform among this group.
 
Adult iGens even find YouTube to be more fun, entertaining, and informational than televisions shows, showing that YouTube is in a strong position to convert a live stream audience into subscribers of premium services.
 
Instagram and Snapchat are also perceived as fun and entertaining, but aren’t as likely to be considered useful tools for the iGeneration.

 
YouTube is the most important media channel for tween/teen iGens (aged 10-17) with a quarter of this group saying it is something they can’t live without. This is more than double the share that say they can’t live without Snapchat (12%), the channel that follows YouTube in importance.
 
Although some teen iGens may be using YouTube for educational purposes (40% agree that it’s informative), it is more commonly used as a platform for entertainment, with nearly seven in 10 saying it is “entertaining” and six in 10 saying it is “fun.”

YouTube also tops the list for adult iGens
Similar to what is seen with tween/teen iGens, adult iGens (aged 18-22) have the most positive associations with YouTube of all the media channels evaluated. More than a third of adult iGens (35%) say they can’t live without YouTube, which even surpasses the quarter of tween/teen iGens who agree. Additionally, YouTube is thought of as the most entertaining (79%), the most likely to expose users to new ideas (51%), and the most fun (65%). Overall, considering the assessment of both younger and older iGens, YouTube is in a very strong position to expand and capitalize on their brand equity. This is particularly true because they are rated more highly for entertainment and fun than traditional TV shows (among adult iGens).
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Facebook, on the other hand, does not have the positive associations that YouTube enjoys. 

Tween/teen iGens are the most likely to say that Facebook is a site that is “not for people my age.”   

Although at first glance it may appear that this data reflects the trend of younger users abandoning Facebook because the audience for this site has gotten older, but this is actually driven by iGens aged 10-11 (37% say Facebook is not for people their age). This is most likely because, per Facebook rules and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), they are simply too young to engage with social media (you must be 13). Although 39% of young iGens agree that Facebook is entertaining and 36% say it’s fun, 11% also agree that it’s useless – overall a lukewarm reception for Facebook compared to YouTube.
 
Snapchat was considered to be the most useless of all the media channels evaluated (12%), but was also thought of as more fun than almost all other options evaluated (46%), with the exception of YouTube. 

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​Although Snapchat ventured into media aggregation with Snapchat Discover, in preparation for its IPO in Q1 2017, Snap Inc rebranded themselves more broadly as a “camera company.” This may indicate that the company intends to focus on the fun of capturing images, which is in keeping with iGen perceptions of the value of the Snapchat app.
 
Instagram and Snapchat are two media channels that the majority of iGens agree are entertaining (60%), but Snapchat is considered more fun. 

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​While Instagram and Snapchat have similar offerings, including photo and video sharing, Snapchat’s AR (augmented reality) filters and ability to draw on/edit photos likely gives this platform more of a fun factor. As discussed in the Mintel Trend Alternative Realities, consumers are benefiting from virtual technologies as a way to enhance their daily experiences.  Snapchat will likely continue to advance their use of AR as a way to engage young fans.
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"Choose the words or phrases that you think describe each item below.” Base: 400 internet users aged 18-22 ​Source: Lightspeed/Mintel

​​The 2016 presidential election was the first major election in which iGens were old enough to vote. Regardless of their feelings about the outcome of the election, the divisiveness of the campaign period and the protests that followed may result in a young generation that is more politically active than previous groups.
 
The iTunes charts are dominated by true crime, news, and storytelling podcasts, most of which might not appeal (or even be appropriate for) a tween/teen audience. Given that more than three out of four tween/teens have a smartphone to download and listen to podcasts, content creators should consider how they can develop podcasts that appeal to both men and women of this age range.
 

Pre-roll video
An example of pre-roll videos are the ads on YouTube that start playing automatically before your video without you pressing play.   Pre-roll video is also becoming more prevalent on news websites where you often find them playing atop the story you’re reading.
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A move toward pre-roll
While many digital video platforms such as YouTube rely on pre-roll advertising, social platforms like Facebook have steered clear of it.   However, live streaming may end up changing that attitude.
 

 
Facebook has experimented with mid-roll ads in live streams, but that may not be the only ad format advertisers will see there. “I think what you’re going to probably end up seeing is that [the ad model] needs to be pre-roll,” said GroupM’s Taylor. “I think that they’re going to have a hard time fulfilling delivery yields or impression yields with mid-roll ads” in user-generated live videos, because viewers may drop off before the ad appears

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​hort-form pre-roll digital video ads will likely garner significant investment from advertisers in the next six months, according to April 2017 research by Trusted Media Brands (TMB).
 
It found that 58% of US marketing professionals polled who place digital video pre-roll ad campaigns said they definitely will use the format.

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Other formats, like live stream and long-form, will also attract spending, though not as much. A plurality of advertisers is still considering whether to invest in these digital video pre-roll formats.

Engagement time
“Our metrics show videos being viewed, but many impressions are viewed for less than 3 seconds.  Right now, we are moving away from trying to tell a story that takes longer than 6 seconds on Facebook.” said Frank Amorese, senior media director at Heineken USA. “


Marketers and advertisers need to front-load their messaging on Facebook and make sure the first video frame has thumb-stopping power.   If it doesn’t, people scroll right past the ad. 
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Fitspo
One social media trend that may contribute to women feeling less confident is the prevalence of “fitspo.” Fitspo is short for fitness inspiration, and it likely takes the form of an inspirational quote superimposed over a photo of the “ideal” body type.
 
Fitspo content can be almost unavoidable on social media, and although some find it inspiring, it can also act to reinforce impossible body standards and trigger unhealthy eating and exercise habits.
 

Marketers in the health and wellness space may want to forgo fitspo content in favor of messaging related to goal setting and improvements in fitness.  Mintel’s Exercise Trends – US, October 2016 finds that these are two top ways to motivate iGens to exercise.

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Cut to the chase

Even more so than with other generations, marketers need to get straight to the point when targeting iGens. This young generation won’t invest their time getting to know a brand that doesn’t make an immediate impression.
 
iGen and Leadership
Considering that adult iGens are likely graduated from high school and have joined, or will soon join, the working world, it may be surprising that a higher share don’t think of themselves as leaders. Companies/brands that are invested in building skills for this generation may want to consider leadership an area of focus.


More Resources
If you liked this report, you’ll love my free course that shows you how to go live on YouTube and Facebook. 

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However, the best resource - if I may say so myself - is my weekly newsletter, Monetizing Your Live Stream, which includes marketing strategies, audience development advice, engagement tips, industry trends, case studies and more.  You’ll see how others are monetizing their live streams and determine what works best for you or your brand.  
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Go Live on Instagram
https://help.instagram.com/292478487812558

Go Live on Twitter
https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/twitter-live

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How to Use Social Media to Promote a Live Stream Event
https://video.ibm.com/blog/streaming-video-tips/how-to-use-social-media-to-promote-a-live-stream-event/

How to Live Stream a Podcast
https://moondogmarketing.com/how-to-livestream-a-podcast?hvid=4ZhOvl

Create a YouTube Gaming Live Stream
https://support.google.com/youtubegaming/answer/6305973?hl=en

Filmora Infographic
https://filmora.wondershare.com/infographic/live-streaming-on-social-media.html

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Jay Johnson is a broadcast journalist turned media strategist and entrepreneur on a mission to create gazillions of live streamers worldwide by 2020.  Connect with him about marketing strategy, audience development or coaching on LinkedIn.

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