I recently attended a program where many of the attendees and panelists were live streamers. They ran the gamut from those who use a simple do-it-yourself setup to those who invest millions in high-quality professional equipment and broadcast on specialized platforms.

It got me thinking about livestreaming and event video for use in content marketing. There seem to be two schools of thought on branded content marketing: the fast and cheap method, where marketers produce a lot of content quickly (quantity over quality) versus the strategic, high-production method, with marketers allocating budget for a professional setup and high-quality, long-form content to a targeted audience (quality over quantity). Both have their pros and cons.

The Fast and Cheap Method

A former company I worked with was all about this – busting out 2-3 pieces of content per day. Content was usually produced internally, and the range of content was big. They often weighed in on current trending topics. It worked well for them because the content they produced was valuable, and their target audience (independent small business owners) were able to connect with it.

Pros:

• This method provides multiple opportunities for your audience to engage with your brand.
• Simple setup means you can start anywhere at any time.
• Leveraging current events to have a voice means the brand can connect with their audience about the things they are talking about in that moment.
• Cost is minimal, and it can be done with an internal team.
• It allows the content strategy to be flexible.

Cons:

• Not all content produced will be engaging or relevant to the audience.
• Low quality video and audio will turn off some viewers.
• It’s not as effective for B2B brands, where video communication is expected to be more high quality
• It’s more difficult to use this type of content to capture leads.
• Each piece of content has a very short lifecycle.

The Strategic, High-Production Method

This is where my current company, Evia, shines. We believe in a crafted event content strategy with lead generation and a long content lifecycle at the center.  For businesses of any size who have a professional brand, using event and meeting content to reach and engage larger audiences is a key component in creating increased customer loyalty with the brand.

Pros:

• Quality means engagement – audiences are more attentive to good content.
• Content is memorable and inspires action.
• Long-form content (such as sessions on-demand) allows for sound bites to be generated and repurposed in marketing emails and landing pages.
• Long lifecycle – good content that’s well produced can create 365 engagement.

Cons:

• Quality isn’t cheap. You get what you pay for.
• Most brands must hire outside vendors, and finding a good partner that’s easy to work with, produces great work, is affordable and has years of experience can be difficult and time-consuming.
• This method requires a post-event content strategy to maximize the investment.

A recent study indicated that 85% of people say they’d like to see more video from brands in 2018, and 67% of viewers of event content responded that they are more likely to buy a ticket to an event after watching a live video. Whether you opt for the Fast and Cheap method or are more likely to follow the Strategic, High-Production method, when it comes to content marketing, the demand for video is increasing.  Your live and on-demand event video can play a huge role in your marketing and event strategies.

Darcy Gabriele is the Client Solutions Manager for Evia, which provides live streaming, content capture, production and hosting for professional events. For 25 years, we have worked with leading organizations like Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks and Tableau, providing a high-quality, reliable digital experience.