Blog

When YouTube started in 2005, it took its slogan, “Broadcast Yourself” to heart. Since then, it’s become the largest video-sharing platform in the world, competing with traditional viewing platforms like film and television. And one of the main ways it competes with movie and TV experiences is through YouTube Premiere.

Whether you’re diving into YouTube for the first time or are a seasoned pro, here’s everything you need to know about using YouTube Premiere.

What is YouTube Premiere?

In a nutshell, YouTube Premiere lets viewers watch new videos together — YouTube likens it to a TV or movie premiere, and for good reason. 

With YouTube Premiere, you can upload prerecorded videos and schedule them to air at scheduled dates and times. This allows you to promote the video content before it premieres, and interact with viewers in real time during the premiere in the comments or in the live chat. (After a YouTube Premiere, the video remains available like a regular video.)

COVID-19 has dramatically altered how we all go about our daily lives, and rightly so. As social distancing protocols limit our ability to travel and interact with people in person — and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future — finding alternative ways to connect with friends, co-workers, and family has never been more important. 

One free, easy-to-access tool in just about everyone’s arsenal? Facebook Watch Party, i.e., Facebook’s built-in coviewing feature. 

Have you ever been watching a live video and then had to wait while the stream buffered? Nobody likes this. If a stream is sent over an insufficient internet connection, however, buffering is likely to occur for viewers. This is why it is imperative that, when you’re the one streaming live videos for other viewers, you have a sufficient internet connection.

Below I will outline a few ways to stop buffering before it starts. We’ll talk about matching stream quality to upload speed, streaming on a closed network, and bringing your own portable Wi-Fi connection.

If you are just getting started with livestreaming for your church, you may be realizing that there are a lot of options out there for putting your service online. Here I’ll outline some of the basic gear and tools you will need to livestream, highlighting a few production tips that are specific to churches.

I’ll start by saying that there is a time and place for heavy-duty gear like professional optics and hardwired cable runs. But to get started streaming your church services, you’d be wasting money to begin there. If you can remove complexity from your video production setup, you’ll be more flexible when it is time to expand. 

Sharing your church services online is a great way to reach people who are unable to attend the gatherings. By streaming the services live, you enable those who are at home, at work, out of town, or in the hospital to participate in real time and feel like they're still an active part of the congregation. Another way to help people participate is to make sure worship song lyrics are accessible.

In the church sanctuary or gathering space, lyrics are often visible on a screen or available in hymnals, allowing everyone to sing along whether or not they know the words. If at-home participants see only the video footage of people singing in your livestream, however, they'll be unable to sing along if they don't know the words. This is especially true for those with hearing loss because they may have additional trouble understanding the words being sung by the congregation.

Fortunately, Switcher Studio's live-video editing app makes it easy to display lyrics — not to mention scripture, graphics, videos, and more — as part of your livestream to Facebook, YouTube, your own site, or almost anywhere else. Just follow the simple instructions below. If you're not a Switcher user, churches can get a free 14-day trial to take it for a spin during a couple of services. (Since Switcher runs with just iPhones and iPads, you or your tech team can try it without purchasing any gear.)

I have a friend who always says that if you have a body and you’re on the beach, then you have a beach body. Taking this sound logic and applying it elsewhere, I propose that if you’re livestreaming and you’re wearing clothes, you’re wearing livestreaming clothes.

When it comes to branding, consistency is key. Branding for live videos is no different. Your brand style tells the world what you’re all about — with a dash of your personality.

If you have a brand standards guide, GREAT! Work from that guide to develop all the live video assets you need. Incorporate your brand fonts, colors, and logos to make graphics that help drive the flow of the video.

If you don’t have a brand standards guide, fret not. We’ve got you covered. Here are the five things you need to create on-brand visuals for your live videos. By nailing down these five elements, you can make a mini brand guide to keep all of your live videos consistent. 

Almost anyone creating live videos on a regular basis wants to see an increase in viewership. You want to see that number of viewers creeping higher and higher with each consecutive broadcast.

While an increased audience can happen organically, self-promotion increases your total number of viewers exponentially. There are many ways to promote your live videos both while you're streaming live and after your broadcast ends. Take a look at the strategies below to put a positive trend on your viewership graph.

Over the past several years, I have put together a wide variety of live productions — live music shows with several bands, week-long conventions with breakout rooms, multicamera livestreams, etc. Every piece of gear you add to your setup increases the complexity. But with video, having extra perspectives doesn’t have to be a burden. It can be a utility and even a lifesaver. A second shot can serve as a backup in case a battery dies. And that other perspective allows you to reposition your shot or zoom to create a more dynamic final product. But how many cameras is too many cameras? Let’s walk through some different options for getting the perfect shot. Follow these tips for capturing your productions — whether you’re using a single camera angle or two or three.

Though it’s possible to go live anywhere, having a live video set available for your streams makes going live a breeze. With nothing to set up or tear down after each broadcast, streaming is almost effortless.

Your set also provides a glimpse into your brand’s personality. What colors are you using? What objects are visible? Your audience sees these as a glimpse into who you are and what you’re promoting — before you even say a word on camera. Your set becomes the best first impression that you can provide!

Creating a set for your live videos may seem daunting or even expensive, but neither is true. Most video sets are actually quite small, making them easy to leave up at all times. Follow the guidelines below, and you’ll be able to construct a set of your own simply and cheaply in as little as one hour.