With countless live-streaming services out there, picking the one that works best for your entertainment business is super important -- but can be crazy confusing. Don’t you worry! Bauer Entertainment Marketing has compiled a list of the top live stream platforms to consider for your virtual event.
And if you need help boosting live stream views and selling more virtual-event tickets, we are experts in live stream marketing! Click here to speak with us today. We’ll even give you 3 FREE IDEAS to promote your virtual event. 👀
Afton: Afton’s streaming platform is focused on fan engagement and monetization. With no up-front costs, they offer in-stream tipping/donation collection, gamification, in-stream merch sales, sponsor placement opportunities and much more!
Aptivada: Aptivada’s Visual Live Remote software allows users to host live streams WHILE collecting data about their audience, something most platforms can’t do. Take your livestream data to the next level with Aptivada!
Attendify: Virtual events that feel like events, that’s the Attendify motto! They offer users a branded registration page, customizable checkout forms, a fast check-in app, and session registration. Attendify’s virtual experience starts with a branded community space and includes interactive networking that makes the fans’ experience that much better!
Brandlive: Brandlive offers an easy setup with custom branding and HD Video, a double-whammy! This platform’s features include audience management and brand-safe moderation. Brandlive’s services also include website and mobile integration plus social media syndication, so you don’t need to do it yourself. Users are given an analytics dashboard to monitor stream performance. Archived recordings and post-event interaction are also available with Brandlive so you can keep the party going.
Brightcove: BrightCove cloud offers the ability to livestream events at scale across multiple devices and platforms -- perfect for those who have various types of fan bases. BrightCove’s core experiences include:
Live clipping for social: Create and publish clips to social channels while the stream is still running.
Cloud DVR Time Travel: Allows viewers to play, pause, and rewind the livestream at the click of a button.
Live Video Advertising: Boost your monetization with pre-roll ads, sponsorship bumpers, and server-side ad insertion.
Global Reach: Reliably deliver content to a global audience with cloud-based architecture that runs on AWS in multiple regions.
Live stream to socials: Schedule your virtual event to stream to social media channels via a single platform.
Bulldog DM: Bulldog DM’s experience includes concerts, sports, red carpets, conferences, music festivals, product launches, and enterprise events! And the length of the event does not matter, whether single or multiple days or multiple stages. Bulldog DM’s clients receive strategy, guidance, and turnkey execution customized for every targeted social media channel. Bulldog DM also includes a new Instagram Live multi-camera livestream feature! Their white labeling includes:
Multi-angle + channel live video players
Curated social stream features
Live polling and trivia widgets
Interactive photo walls
Live schedule widgets
Integration into merchandise and commerce stores
SMS reminder sign ups
Caro Entertainment: As the premier destination for Spanish livestreams, Caro Entertainment offers a multitude of broadcasting options. They can integrate the livestream with or without a payment system, as well host the event on any desired website. If you’re reaching your audience through live concerts, events, master classes, courses, or weddings celebrations, Caro Entertainment has you covered!
Crowdcast: Bringing the world together through live video is Crowdcast’s motto. As one of the top live video streaming platforms for creators, it’s easy to use, connects through HD streaming with no-delay, and broadcasts to platforms like Facebook Live, Periscope, and YouTube Live. Engage your audience with Q&As, polls, and chat functionality. You can even invite fans on the screen! Smart URLs, built-in landing pages, and embeddability are just a few more features we dig about Crowdcast.
DaCast: DaCast’s platform allows users to upload, transcode, organize, monetize, and analyze their video content. DaCast offers ad-free HD streaming, unlimited live events, and unlimited viewers. What more could you want? This platform offers custom branding and white labeling, also allowing for social media integration, analytics, multi-bitrate streaming, and live embedding.
Facebook Live: Connect with your audience where they’re already spending much of their online time — on Facebook. Stream from your phone, camera, or streaming software to broadcast a conversation, performance, Q&A, or virtual event. Raise money, attract viewers, and edit previous live streams all within their system. With Facebook Live, you can “go live” on a Page, Group, or Event. Videos will also appear in peoples’ personal News Feed.
Fans.com: Fans.com is an interactive platform that allows fans to be IN the stream itself via Zoom. Fans.com also has a sizable email database. Prospective viewers receive a heads up about Fans.com’s virtual events, so they never miss a second. The site also offers an interactive chat feature during the stream and even more awesome features to take your livestream to the next level.
FutureStream: Built with the independent content creator in mind, FutureStream grants users the ability to own their data in full. FutureStream empowers creators by giving them more control. This platform is ideal for DJs, bedroom producers, educators, and solo content creators.
InPlayer: Trusted by over 400+ customers, InPlayer is the world’s leading pay-per-view and subscription solution for live streams and digital content. InPlayer offers best-in-class integrations with premium partners so users can have a seamless experience while making incremental profit. As the top-tier video and digital asset monetization platform, InPlayer is perfect for those wanting to make more money from their library of online media assets.
LiveXLive: LiveXLive is the world's first all-in-one music & entertainment destination that combines premium livestreams of concerts and festivals, expertly-curated streaming radio stations, podcasts, and original artist video and audio content! Viewers can access this service on the web, through mobile apps on smartphones, and on OTT devices. LiveXLive allows event producers to feature a lineup schedule, set reminders for viewers, host video content from previous festivals, and sell merch directly on the platform.
Periscope: When starting a live stream with Periscope, the app will send a push notification to your followers to help boost viewership. Participants in your broadcast can chat and even send “hearts” to express their excitement! Users who join your broadcast can share it on Twitter, alert their followers on Periscope, and share a link to the broadcast. If you choose to Tweet your broadcast, anyone can watch the broadcast on the web or in their Twitter timeline. Broadcast stats are available during and after your livestream. Additionally, Periscope is free with a Twitter account! Yes, we said FREE.
Restream: Restream allows users to schedule live streams across multiple platforms at once. For example, you can simultaneously stream to Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube so your audience can join you on their favorite platform. Engage viewers in a multi-chat, view insights on streaming performance, customize with your watermark, and more.
Single Music: Single Music allows you to ticket events directly from your Shopify store. When fans buy a ticket or bundle from your store, they are directed to a private page where they can watch the stream. Other features include full HD video, virtual merch table, and moderated stream chat.
StageIt: StageIt is the perfect virtual place for artists to perform live, interactive, monetized shows for their fans. Users can stream directly from a laptop, while offering fans a unique experience that is never archived. With multiple features such as chat boxes and virtual tip jars, there is something for everyone. Fans buy tickets and artists set the prices, it’s that simple.
Stellar: Stellar is a Total Show Management System (TSM) for online events, purpose-built for live entertainment professionals to deliver high-quality, interactive shows to paying customers. Ticket and stream your shows all in one place, providing the best customer experience possible. Promote your shows with marketing tools, including access to sister company Goldstar's 10 million event enthusiasts. And improve your online event skills with expert coaching.
TourGigs: There’s a reason why artists like Pearl Jam, Josh Groban, and The String Cheese Incident stream shows with TourGigs — high-quality video production. Legendary photographer Danny Clinch is TourGigs’ Creative Director, so look no further for epic-looking events. By pairing cinematic streaming with seamless ticketing, TourGigs provides a one-stop-shop for virtual events.
Twitch: Twitch has millions and millions of viewers. Although the platform is most popular with gamers, it has grown to host an array of other entertaining content. Streamers can add custom panels linking their website, merch store, and music-streaming platforms. Twitch offers multi-bitrate streaming, live embedding, chat, social media integration, and channel analytics to track audience, revenue, top performances, and more. This platform also offers the ability to set a stream schedule in advance, and post dates and times of upcoming streams to social media.
Veeps: Positioned as a simple ticketing platform for the music industry, Veeps allows users to schedule ticketed livestreams 100% commission free. Ticket buyers create fan accounts to view their favorite events. It’s that simple!
Vimeo: With Vimeo you can simultaneously livestream your events via Facebook, LinkedIn, or your preferred Real-time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) — on the web or through the Vimeo mobile app. Vimeo offers high quality streaming on every device regardless of bandwidth. This platform includes built-in overlay tools like lower thirds, logos, and full-screen graphics. All Vimeo live streams are automatically archived in 4K, so your attendees can relive the event well after the stream ends (woohoo!). The basic livestream plan includes:
In-player donations feature to generate revenue
Video On-Demand archive
Ad-free web player
Live Chat with moderation
YouTube Live: With YouTube Live you are able to schedule livestreams in advance to allow viewers to plan for the event and save the link. YouTube Live gives the options to place age restrictions on an event to ensure viewers are over 18 and to add geotags to let viewers find your video by location. During a live stream, viewers can share it on other platforms. YouTube Live is free with a YouTube channel!
YouNow: Going live on YouNow is easy with high-definition resolution broadcasting and the ability to have multiple guest (up to 3) broadcasters at the same time. Viewers can even choose to join livestream video chats. Also, audiences can find the live video event through a tag-based topic system. The best part? YouNow is free to live stream.
So, now that you’ve explored the best livestream platforms, contact BEM to learn 3 free ways to promote your virtual event. And if you think there’s a platform we should add to this list, just reach out and tell us why!