How To LIve Stream Like The NFL

by Karen Fratti

Live-streaming can be fun and unpredictable which is why it’s not surprising that some major networks are turning to Periscope and Facebook Live to push fall television.

​The NFL is streaming games on Twitter and there some lessons every digital marketer can learn from their first few attempts. 

​Usually, a network might live stream a Q&A or, like at the Emmys, give a big monologue moment some love to drive tune-in. But the NFL has gone all in with Twitter to stream the games and there have been mixed reviews.

​Twitter bought the rights to stream ten games on Thursday nights, which is a safer bet (and also cheaper) than going all-in Sundays when the whole wide football-loving world is watching.
Here’s what we learned this week:

The numbers will be low at first.
The ratings for Twitter’s live stream were unimpressive at best. That doesn’t mean it’s a total fail, but it’s a good reminder that even the biggest names in entertainment have trouble getting people to tune-in on the go. You have to promote the live stream so it’s not just you, your brand, and no one watching. They’ll go up.

Make things exclusive.
There were  243,000 people watching the live stream on Twitter compared to the 15.4 million people watching on CBS and on the NFL network. That makes sense — the NFL can’t just show games on a social network. But it’s worth noting that the more exclusive the content on your stream, the better. Offer something your audience can’t find elsewhere on your webpage or anywhere else.

You can get goofy.
Sure, you want to convince people of your brand, but social, live video is a chance to show some more personality and give people insight into who you are. That’s why Q&As with celebs and players work for networks on social media — it’s the extra stuff that people want.

​Keep things quick, promote every stream, and don’t give up hope if the first stream fails. If you film it, they will come.