Streaming: what it is and how it works (complete guide)

Streaming is a technology that allows you to transmit and access videos, audios, images and other types of content from any device connected to the Internet, without the need to download it.

In this article we are going to tell you how you can take advantage of streaming platforms to promote your brand and converse more directly with your audience.

If you already have an online business, this is the best time to stream in Argentina, since YouTube – the platform used for this purpose – is the platform in the country.

Now, if you haven’t created your online store yet, take advantage of them and start selling online while spreading the benefits of your brand through streaming. 🎥

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What is streaming?

Streaming is a way to transmit digital content instantly. Through this technology, the user does not need to have the information stored on their computer, cell phone, tablet or smart TV to access it.

In Spanish, streaming means live viewing or transmission and refers to sending data in a continuous flow, without having to wait for the content to download.

In this sense, you can think of streaming as something similar to a live television program, in which the viewers can also participate in case they want to.

Images, audios, videos and music are the most frequently transmitted files, although it is also possible to include text broadcasts and even slideshows.

In its beginnings, streaming was part of the communication strategy of politicians and celebrities; however, the technology has become so popular that companies use it as a way to reach customers during new product launches.

Are you about to launch a product? Take advantage of these promotional tips:

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Types of streaming

In general terms, there are 2 types of streaming:

Live streaming. It is the one where the transmission and the interaction with the viewers occur simultaneously. An example of this might be a live session via YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, Zoom, or Facebook.
On-demand streaming. In this case, the content is hosted in the cloud (network of remote servers connected to the Internet) and the user can access it whenever they want, as long as their subscription allows it. Netflix is an example of this modality.

Now, taking into account the service it offers, we can find live streaming, video and movies, music and games.

💡 Bonus tip: if you’re looking for streaming-like digital marketing resources to boost your business, access our specialized guide on the subject:

When is streaming indicated?

Before thinking about whether it is worth using this resource, try to put yourself in the place of the buyers and imagine if you would be interested in attending that broadcast. Therefore, I invested in content that generates value and encourages your customers to participate in it.

You can stream to publicize the launch of a new collection, or even an interview to get to know your clients better. Remember that it is essential to offer relevant and quality information to viewers.

If you have one, for example, you can stream the new season’s garments and take the opportunity to give some advice, showing towards the end of the video how to combine patterns and colors.

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streaming platforms

Below, we share the most popular streaming platforms and briefly tell you how to use each one.

1.Facebook Live

Through Facebook it is possible to carry out real-time transmissions in an intuitive and free way.

How to stream on Facebook?

To broadcast on Facebook, you simply have to go to your page or profile on the social network, click on the box that says “What are you thinking”, select the option “Live Video” and start broadcasting.

2. “Live” on Instagram

To broadcast live from Instagram you only need a cell phone and a good internet connection.

How to stream on Instagram?

The process to make a broadcast on Instagram is the same as on Facebook: go to your , click on the “+” symbol and select the “Live” option.

Keep in mind that you can also access from the icon that is in the upper left corner, where your profile photo appears. When you click, the “Camera” option will appear and within this functionality I chose “Live”.

3. YouTube Live

To make a live broadcast on YouTube it is necessary to have a minimum of 1000 subscribers on the channel. If you meet this requirement, the platform offers you the possibility of streaming with more than 10 participants.

How to stream on YouTube?

To activate streaming on YouTube follow these steps:

Go to your channel, go to the top right corner of the screen and under the “Create a new video or post” icon, select “Go Live”.
On the new page that will appear, activate the “live” function.
Fill in the information that YouTube asks you for and in 24 hours your account will be ready to stream.

If you already have this functionality activated, the next steps to follow are:

Enter the .
Click on the camera icon and select the “Live Stream” option.
Fill in the name of the stream and configure the privacy level of the stream: Public (for everyone), Private (only those who have the link can access) or Private (closed only for you).
Set the option to create a scheduled broadcast and click “Next”.
From this moment, YouTube will start a three-second countdown to generate a thumbnail of the broadcast.

4. OBS Studio

It is a streaming program that gives you the possibility to include multiple cameras, soundtrack, visual effects and texts during the live broadcast.

Also, this software integrates with other tools such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.

5.Zoom

Zoom is a video conferencing app that gained notoriety during the pandemic and also supports streaming.

Through this platform, you can broadcast your events live and make them available for viewing after the streaming ends.

💡 Discover all the options to stream on Zoom.

5 benefits of streaming

If you still haven’t convinced yourself to do streaming to promote your brand, in this section we share the 5 main benefits of this technology so that you are encouraged to implement it:

1. Transmit information in real time

With streaming, your customers don’t have to wait for a belated email or notification to hear about your business highlights. Having the option to keep your audience informed in real time brings you closer to them and contributes to their success.

2. Access content from anywhere

The only requirement to participate in a streaming is to have internet on the device from which users access. This, without a doubt, expands the reach of your brand, since people from all over the world will meet you.

✈️ Do you want to expand the horizons of your business? Here we tell you how the We Are Velvet online store sells from Argentina abroad with its Tiendanube:

3. Provide more transparency

In the online world it is common to see edited videos with post-production arrangements. In the case of streaming, you will be able to show users, without interruption, what they are like and how to use your products.

This helps increase the credibility of your business and promote engagement, that is, the level of interaction and commitment that users have with the brand.

4. Promote products in different formats

Due to the ease of producing and consuming streaming content, you can prepare tutorials, product launches, workshops and short talks to share online with a large number of people.

Here we leave you an example of a streaming that we do in Tiendanube through our YouTube channel to show how to set up an online store in 4 steps:

5. Increase conversion rate

As it is a live broadcast that has a greater reach, the chances of selling more increase.

The Apple company, for example, holds an online event every year to communicate news to its audience.

In this way, beyond the specialized press and critics, the brand ensures that everyone has real-time access to information and can buy online the products that are just being launched on the market.

4 metrics to measure the performance of your streaming

Measuring whether your live broadcast is being successful or not is key to making the necessary adjustments and guaranteeing the fulfillment of the objectives that you set out to achieve through this strategy.

These are the 4 metrics you have to consider to determine the performance of your streaming:

Number of Plays or Views: This refers to the number of times your stream was viewed live or on demand.
Peak Simultaneous Views: This is when your stream got the most views at a given time. The importance of this metric lies in the fact that it allows you to know what impacted viewers the most and what is the best time to summon your audience.
Watch time: refers to the number of minutes or seconds that your audience spent consuming your live stream.
Engagement level: This metric accounts for the number of times your content was shared.

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