Why has live streaming become so popular?

Written by Oscar, 2021 Cohort

In the past several years while technology and digital platforms are getting more advanced, there are more and more people addicted to them in different kinds of fields that could relate to business, marketing, video gaming, social media networking, etc. However, people have always wanted to go even further and get even better at things, that is how the live streaming era began.

It can be fun and exciting but if you put in extra effort and time, you can generate some income one step at a time. In 2021, live streaming is no longer only about playing video games and inviting other people to watch although that is still happening. Because of the pandemic, streaming increased by 21% globally between 2020 and 2021, because in most countries during imposed lockdowns, people could only use smartphones to entertain themselves and keep busy. 

The trends in live-streaming

Apart from video game streaming, which was the most popular, there are now over a dozen of trends such as live shopping that will transform the customer experience, streaming music while replacing traditional radio, sports replacing broadcasts, TikTok, and affiliate marketing. Updated research found that 44% of viewers have been watching less TV as a result of live streaming. There are a lot of blogs getting fewer viewers because most people think it is really time-consuming and the solution will be to watch a short video related to the topic.

What are the pros and cons of live streaming? 

The pros of live streaming are: it is easy if you have the budget and equipment, you may start anytime, and when you are in the broadcast mode it will definitely reach out to a larger audience group, the more viewers and followers you receive, the more popular you will get. If you are lucky, there are potential fans who will send donations or tips for your effort. There are a lot of streamers who turn themselves into a full-time career and become a success.

Making it live streaming may be stressful and time-consuming, there are a lot of people who quit because it takes a lot of time and effort to grab the audience’s attention. In today’s digital market, there are definitely a lot of competitors who stand out, but the videos still need to stay positive. Last but not least, watching trends is very important because if you can’t catch up with the competitors, you may not become a successful streamer.

Overall, I personally love to watch video streaming because it is part of my relaxing entertainment that sometimes puts a smile on my face. I would definitely look forward to the evolution of live-stream and am very excited about it.