Livestreaming Best Practices
Speaker Best Practices, Gear Recommendations
& Go-Live Checklist
This page will tell you everything you need to know to look good, sound good, and have reliable internet for livestreaming or remote recording.
Below you’ll find links to recommended gear and our Go-Live Checklist. Please review this before presenting. Much of this may be a refresher for you. However, we find there’s at least a couple of areas where even the most experienced presenters can improve.
Read MoreGo-Live Checklist 🚀
Four things to run through before you go on. Do it the day before, then again 30 minutes before showtime.
Internet Setup
- Ideally, sit where you can hardwire into your modem with an ethernet cable, or in the same room for the most reliable connection
- Have your phone ready as a backup incase of power outages (either mobile hotspot or dial in to Zoom by mobile app or phone number)
Set Up Your Audio/Video & Environment
- Light source in front of you
- Webcam at eye level
- Microphone plugged in and selected
- Simple background
- Prevent echo by lowering your computer speakers to ~50%
- Prevent background noise
- Mute cell phone and unplug landlines
- Close doors and remind others not to disturb you
- Test your audio!
- If you’re livestreaming, meet us in backstage prep 30+ min early
- If you’re recording at home, do a quick test recording and make sure your mic is working, volume isn’t too high/distorting
Computer Setup
- Restart your computer
- Close unneeded apps (antivirus/antimalware, online backup, sync, chat)
- Disable any pop-ups, notifications, or auto-updates.
Get Yourself and Your Presentation Set Up
- Open up only the key apps & browser tabs needed:
- Your Zoom/Skype link for main stage presentations (or your session in the conference platform for breakout sessions)
- Your slides, if any
- Optionally, behind-the-scenes chat tool for Q&A, polls, tech issues, etc.
- If you’re presenting from backstage and want to watch the chat on the public stage, make sure to mute the stage to prevent an echo
- Reconnect to your vision for the presentation
- How do you want the audience to feel?
- What do you want them to take away and do afterwards?
- How can you start in a way that pulls people in? Eg: empathy for their challenges, hope for their dreams, humor, excitement, etc?
- Have some water, take some deep breaths, and smile?
Recommended Gear
What we recommend at every budget, with links to purchase — starting with the one that matters most.
Reliable Internet
An ethernet cable will dramatically increase your internet speed and reliability compared to Wi-Fi. This is the ONLY way to prevent connectivity issues while livestreaming.
- Ethernet Cable – only $11 for a 25 foot cable. Our #1 gear recommendation for improving your livestream quality, and reducing everyone’s stress around the event.
- USB hub + Ethernet Adapter – $15 or $28 with Thunderbolt for Apple devices – If your computer doesn’t have an ethernet port, you’ll need an adapter like this, which will also give you an additional 2 usb ports as a bonus.
Microphone
Your microphone matters more than your camera. Bad audio is the one thing an audience will not sit through.
- USB Microphone
- Samson Q2U (USB) – $70 – Great sound and much less background noise and echo than a condenser mic. Free 3-day shipping or pick up at Best Buy.
- Lavalier Microphone
- Laptop mic is sufficient
Light
Facing a window during the day is enough, but if you need supplemental lighting:
- Desk Lamp, Floor Lamps, Overhead Light, Window:
- One on your right and left side. Ideally, with a “Daylight LED bulb”
- Lights That Attach to Phones/Laptops
- Cheapest ring light for phone, laptop or tablet: Whellen Selfie Ring Light – $8
- Dimmable LED for mobile phone or DSLR camera: Digipower Instafame – $20
- Tripod Lights
Camera
Any of these will do the job. A well-lit laptop webcam beats a badly-lit expensive one every time.
- External Webcam
- Logitech C920 HD Pro – $70 with free 2-day shipping
Full HD, auto-focus and auto light correction. They also offer the Logitech c922x Pro – $123 or Brio for $199 but they’re generally, not worth the upgrade.
- Logitech C920 HD Pro – $70 with free 2-day shipping
- iPhone 8+
- Built-in Laptop Webcam
Headphones (Optional)
Prevents echo on a panel discussion or interview/dialogue
- Headphones
- Any Bluetooth or wired headphones with or without a built-in microphone will ensure there’s no echo during a panel discussion.
- In-Ear Monitor For Moving Around On Stage
Software for Self-Recording
Recording your session at home instead of going live? These are the tools we would point you at.
- Logitech Capture (if you’re using a logitec webcam)
- iPhone Video App
- Zoom
- Free Teleprompter Webapp – Watch a tutorial here or explore software & mobile app options
Tips & Best Practices
- Use the best microphone you have
USB mics, lapel mics, or Bluetooth headsets are great options. Be careful of dangly headsets as they can drag on your shirt and make scratchy noises. Your laptop’s built-in mic is fine if that’s all you have. - Have a light source in front of you
Face a window and/or have a lamp or two in front. Have two lights at 45 angles for the most flattering light. - Simple backdrop
Have a clean, simple backdrop. Don’t be right against a wall or you’ll have a harsh shadow behind you. - Video looks best at eye-level
Prop up your laptop or webcam so it’s at eye-level if possible. You’ll look better when you’re not looking down at the camera. - Not too close and not too far
Position yourself about arms-distance from your camera so there’s a few inches of space above your head in the shot. - Bonus light tips: How to get soft diffused lighting
- Lamp too harsh? Bounce the light off a wall onto your face.
- Cover windows with thin screens/sheer curtains.
- Overhead lights are ok, but not right over your head.
- Reduce glare on glasses by lowering your screen brightness, blocking windows in front, and increasing the ambient light in the room.
- Save any tabs you need for later (We love the OneTab browser extension for this)
- Restart your computer
- Close ALL unneeded apps (pause online backup software, pause antivirus, close anything that might have a popup)
- Only open the one or two browser tabs you need to present
- Make sure your laptop is fully charged or plugged in during the event
It is important to make sure your internet connectivity is fast and reliable.
- Do your best to use an ethernet connection to provide internet access to your computer. Being hardwired into your modem/router will greatly increase your speed and reliability compared to being on wireless internet. If it is not possible to be hardwired, it is best to be located in the same room as the router for the most stable internet connection possible.
- Conduct a Speed Test on the equipment and internet connection being used for your webcast. You want upload speed of 5mbps or above to maintain a good stream or 10mbps for HD video. If you have less than 2mbps upload speed, you will almost certainly have trouble livestreaming and need to work on getting a faster connection. Check your upload speed at http://www.speedtest.net/
- As a backup for Wi-Fi issues or a power outage: Have a mobile hotspot as a backup in case your Wi-Fi has issues, and have your phone as a backup webcam (with the backstage URL ready to go)
- Ask family not to stream video/download files so all broadband is available for the live stream, and to not come into your room during the presentation
- Engage the Audience with Micro-questions
Even though you can’t see the audience doesn’t mean you can’t engage with them. Ask them “micro-questions” to get them nodding their head, and connecting with the value of your content – eg: Right? … Isn’t that great? … Do you see what I mean? … Wouldn’t that be amazing? … How would that feel? - Be Dynamic
Often, online speakers sit still and talk in a droning voice – it can get boring fast. When you’re excited and enthusiastic, your listeners will be too and you’ll keep their attention. To do that, sit up straight, increase your volume, use more inflection in your voice, and use your hands. - Get the Audience Chatting With You
You don’t have to wait for the Q&A … ask the viewers to all write in with:- one-word answers (have you done ____ before? Yes or no?),
- short answers (eg: what is your biggest challenge with ___?),
- 1-5 score responses (eg: how much do you agree with this, or how engaged are you already with this org – 1 – just found out about them today, 5 – volunteer at least one hour / week, etc.)
- Consider Polls
Ask for quick, useful data to get a sense of people’s experience, feelings, challenges, goals, etc.
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