What Type of Live Streamer Are You?

Posted by Shiv Yadav on August 24th, 2016

"You take this way too seriously," a viewer typed during a live stream show once.

At first, I got offended. After all, their point was valid. People can just jump on live stream and have a good time. It breaks up the boredom and monotony of our lives because with the push of a button we can go live and have 1 to 101 people in our kitchen while we make dinner.

It's magical really. And here I am taking it so seriously and sucking the fun out of it. But am I?

A friend told me he wanted to start a show and asked me to help him. I got to thinking about what it takes to start a Live Stream Show. Live streaming is becoming main stream and has begun to attract so much attention that it's changing the face of how we do business both in real time and in social media.

I came to the conclusion that a Live Stream Show is vastly different than streaming from your kitchen while you cook. Some of these things need to be defined and explained since live streaming is coming to the forefront. Here are the four primary definitions for four types of Live Streamers you'll be in the ocean with if you get on Periscope, Meerkat, YouNow, UStream, YouTube Live stream or any of the many live stream apps available today.

4 PRIMARY TYPES OF LIVE STREAMERS IN THE OCEAN

SHARK STREAMERS - Famous personalities who want to connect with their audience on a personal level. These are the streams that usually make it into the trending lists or are featured because they and visibility for thousands of watchers and viewers. This is good for the app, the famous person and the viewer. Everybody wins. Those viewers come from an established following and it doesn't take work or need building. All the famous person does is hit 'go live' and show us a perspective of their reality.

These people can be actors, singers, even politicians and can be staged or scheduled by publicists to boost their numbers and popularity.

HALIBUT STREAMERS - These are done by people just for the halibut (hell of it). They are looking for connection and live streaming is an answer. This was once true for me. After I returned home from a deployment live streaming was an answer for me to connect with the world again. HALIBUT STREAMERS will usually stream themselves driving, watching TV, and doing things around the house, or let viewers look in their fridges. It's done with no end in mind but to eradicate loneliness and connect with others.

DOLPHIN STREAMERS - Now we come to the live stream show. This is a serious live streamer who wants to create happiness and a new reality for the viewer by taking them into an experience. There are no hard and fast rules for this type of streamer because the show is built out of their creativity. They usually provide a kind of entertainment. These can be the sunset scopes to the game show scopes. Money or not, these people like to connect with mankind and provide something for the world.

SUCKERFISH STREAMERS - The suckerfish are competitive opportunists who come in swiftly with their internet marketing infomercials, books and programs to make money off (get ready I'm about to be offensive), suckers watching.

We've all been suckers. Gosh I watch the Home Shopping Network myself. I just saw the other day that cable started charging a subscription to a package of HSN channels. People pay to watch this stuff! It's our human nature to want and acquire and be successful. It makes sense that people who offer big money if you follow their programs and learn how to Periscope, Webinar, Kindle Book, Crochet, Dog Watch, and the list goes on... it makes sense 'those' people are there to put your money in their pocket.

Don't get me wrong. I am a shrewd business woman and want to make money. I write books and programs and am developing a brand, products and a business. There's no shame in it.

Which kind of Live Streamer are you?

I'm in the Dolphin Streamer category. Back to my friend who asked me about starting a show. I want to help him get closer to the shore so we can all see him jump out of the sea, back dropped by rays of sunlight and glimmering shiny dolphin-ness.

But there are questions a Dolphin Streamer should ask themselves before starting. I developed these from my experience in broadcasting followed by nearly 350 live broadcasts to date and a show that has evolved to a following of nearly 6,000 people (make that 5,000 organic followers *wink*).

What's your motivation?

Why do you want to do this show? That's the first question I ask people. It may just be to have fun and make some friends while you share your passion. It may be to find others who share the same passion. It may be a fun experiment you just want to try out and see what happens and where life takes you. Maybe it's to make money and start a business.

There is no wrong reason to start a show anywhere. Know though that a show is a commitment. It's going to be most successful if you can establish your motivation up front because that will keep you going when you want to give up. And trust me; you will want to give up at some point.

Research the pros and cons of what you're getting in to.

As many rewards as live streaming can bring, having a consistent live stream show of any kind can also be warring in a lot of ways. Even if you're only live streaming your surroundings, you are expending your energy and we only have so much to give.

I do a morning show every weekday morning and have been trained in live broadcasting in a military school with threats of being returned home if I failed. That experience was not enough to understand the strength I'd need to keep my commitment to doing a morning show every weekday morning. It's like running a marathon with hills and valleys, ebbs and flows of energy, restarts and stop offs at the side of the road for high carb energy shots.

Will this show based on something you already do or is already a part of your life?

When deciding to do a show, consider the people and things in your life. One woman does a YouTube show with her daughter to include family. There's one man whose family regularly appears in his Vine Videos.

Live video is more taxing than pre-recording. Will your show be about something you'll have enough material on or enjoy and have time to research? Do you have time in your life for this show as well as your family and friends? What will suffer if you have a regular show? It's suggested you do live streaming once every 24 hours to grow an audience. Something in your life will go away to have a regular and consistent show.

I had to choose a time of day to broadcast consistently. I chose a time 'frame', EST Morning Times. But that means I have to get up earlier to work out. My working out has suffered when I've decided to sleep in a little later. It's been a sacrifice and I've had to reform my schedule in other areas to fit in fitness. It's been a huge challenge.

These are just some of the things to consider when you think about starting a consistent live stream morning show and want to be a Dolphin. The Sharks will always be fine, the Suckerfish, well, it's their life already and they're used to the hustle. The Halibuts are also fine because it's just a pass time that makes them happy. But Dolphins, dolphins are different.

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