8 ways artists can use live streaming to gain fans and achieve success. These tips are the result of a first-of-its-kind study from YouNow and Audiokite Research of live streaming's impact on creators and consumers.

1. LIVE STREAMING PLAYBOOK
FOR MUSICIANS
an Audiokite Research study
8 Ways Artists can Use Live Streaming to
Gain Fans and Achieve Success

2. YouNow, a live streaming service with
100 million users session each month,
enlisted Audiokite to execute a first-of-
its-kind study to explore live streaming’s
impact on creators and consumers.

3. For a musician to utilize live streaming effectively,
there are definite do’s and don’ts that should be
considered from the start, as the study data has
revealed. From the most (and least) popular activities
to the skills and styles a performer needs to adopt,
below are some guidelines for both new and
seasoned broadcasters.

4. 1. MUSIC TRUMPS ALL
We learned that three of the top four rated broadcast
activities all relate to playing music for both consumers
and creators, with “original songs” as the favorite
activity for both sides. As a musician experimenting with
live streaming, the first activities to master should be
song playing ones. Music is the thread that binds
performer and audience and is the most organic way to
communicate with fans from the get-go.

5. “The song seemed good, I
wanted to hear more of it. Plus,
they were actually playing music
instead of talking about it, which
was nice.”
Survey Participant

6. 2. LET YOUR PERSONALITY SHINE
Live streaming is as close to a face-to-face meeting with
fans we have today, and that means the performer is
more of a focus than the art being performed. After
analyzing thousands of anecdotal comments from the
study, it is abundantly clear that the best musician
broadcasters are: consistent, flexible, comfortable with
mobile, creative, interactive, personable, and above all
else, authentic.

7. “I loved the way the broadcaster
interacted with the audience and
made them feel part of the show.
Kind of liked watching her be
silly for a little while.”
Survey Participant

8. 3. BE SPONTANEOUS…
Intrigue and interest seem to be the prevailing themes
of the study results. As previously noted, “interested” is
a feeling most often associated with watching YouNow
broadcast examples, referenced over 7,100 times, and
the “unscripted and spontaneous nature of the
platform” is the primary attraction point for both
consumers and creators. Fans are excited by the
“realness” of live streaming and musicians should take
advantage of this unique aspect by responding and
reacting to the audience’s vibe as appropriate.

9. “I really liked the chance to be
involved, get to know the artist and
actually get live, not scripted
answers. It makes the divide
between artists and audience seem
smaller. “
Survey Participant

10. 4. …BUT HAVE SOME STRUCTURE
While both consumers and musicians singled out YouNow’s
“unscripted and spontaneous nature” as their favorite part
of the platform, some of the remaining data conflicts with
this view. Again, the top rated broadcast activities all
involve performing previously written songs; not much
spontaneity there. The third most frequently noted feeling
is “bored.” Fully unscripted live broadcasts can be daunting
for both musicians and fans. To keep the audience
engaged throughout a live stream, musicians should have a
broad plan for each broadcast, while always leaving room
for impromptu activities and interactions.

11. “The impromptu format can
lower the bar of quality. I really
did not understand the point of
the broadcast.”
Survey Participant

12. 5. AUDIENCE INTERACTION CAN BE A FICKLE BEAST
The three broadcast activities rated the lowest are primarily
audience-broadcaster interactions: “guesting/split screen,”
“impromptu audience topics,” and “audience Q&A.”
“Guesting/split screen” is the lowest rated activity across
the board and the only one associated with an “irritated”
feeling. Live streaming differentiates itself by the direct
connection between audience and broadcaster, so this
data is quite noteworthy. Our assumption is that the 1%
rule comes into play here, where the vast majority of
viewers do not intend to directly participate in broadcasts,
and so these types of activities are of less interest to them.

13. “I generally don’t like when
streamers interact with members
of the audience because it kinda
leaves out everyone else who is
watching.”
Survey Participant

14. 6. PARTICIPATION COMES IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
Around 70% of viewers on YouNow participate in
broadcasts in some manner. Not all fans will want to
sing a duo on camera or post dozens of comments
during a broadcast. We observed many audience
members using YouNow’s virtual gifts — thumbs up, tips,
hand claps, even marriage proposals — to express
themselves. Musicians should take note of this and
recognize the need to treat fans individually based on
their preferred methods of engaging.

15. “I love the idea of being able to
influence what an artist is singing
in the moment.”
Survey Participant

16. 7. LIVE STREAMING IS THE NEW BACKSTAGE MEET-AND-GREET
Regardless of a fan’s level of participation in a
broadcast, nearly everyone loves being recognized by
his or her favorite musician. “Chris Williams,
iHeartRadio’s chief product officer, said that the appeal
of YouNow is that it recreates the radio tradition of
having meet-and-greets with artists at scale.” Musicians
should take every opportunity to personalize
interactions with broadcast viewers.

17. “It feels like I’m getting
something that non-fans are not
getting. Makes me feel
appreciated and special.”
Survey Participant

18. 8. INTEGRATE CALLS-TO-ACTION
When teen pop singer Jacob Sartorius released his
newest single on iTunes, he held a YouNow broadcast in
which he prompted his fans to buy the track. He tracked
the purchases in real-time and gave live shout-outs to
all those supporters. As a result, “Sweatshirt” reached
#10 on the iTunes charts that day. We observed this
type of direct call-to-action across several broadcasts,
which seemed to efficiently focus the audience as a
single unit. Musicians should look at ways to integrate
community actions like this, whether it’s to increase
YouNow channel subscribers, vote on their favorite
song, or download a new track.

19. “Live streaming is a good way to
get people interested in the rest
of the song/album.”
Survey Participant

20. With 93% of consumers being likely to tune in to
watch their favorite musician live stream and nearly
80% of surveyed musicians interested in trying live
streaming, we expect YouNow to continue its rapid
growth in the music category as its broadcasters
expand their on-camera capabilities and fans
become increasingly more comfortable with
participating in a real-time interaction.
www.audiokite.com