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It used to be that only the largest and most technologically savvy churches could take advantage of the power of live streaming. Over the past few years, however, massive leaps forward in hardware, software, streaming and social media technologies have enabled churches of all sizes and developmental stages to incorporate live streaming into their strategic approaches. Even portable ministries can now find professional options utilizing cellular data connections for multi-camera broadcast events.
As tech and broadcast directors begin to plan for, or continue the process of developing, effective live streams, there are some basic pitfalls they will want to beware of. Let’s examine some of the most common mistakes that can occur as your team transitions from a live event mentality into a broadcast approach.
PITFALL 1: Poorly defining the win
One common misstep churches make when they begin the process of live streaming is when they poorly define the overarching purpose of live streaming their services. There are a whole host of reasons churches may be motivated to launch streaming ministries. The purpose might be to share the gospel more widely, to connect the congregation when they can’t make it to weekend worship, or even to start a new online campus community.
What are the success metrics for the stream—view count, engagement, view-to-attendee conversion, or some other measurable next step?
Although leadership may be hesitant to address it directly, issues like simple vanity and competition with the church down the road can also serve as underlying motivations as well. In order for the live stream to receive the support and resources it needs, it will be crucial for executive and technical leadership to be on the same page about the purposes and priorities of streaming. For instance, who is the primary target viewer of the stream—potential new guests, shut-ins or traveling regular attendees? What are the success metrics for the stream—view count, engagement, view-to-attendee conversion, or some other measurable next step? Knowing the answers to these questions will help the church set appropriate levels of time, money, energy and resource investments. Meaningful conversations with executive leaders and stakeholder will ensure that everyone is on the same page about what constitutes a win. Even if you’re stream is already up and running, these kinds of discussions are a crucial part of making sure you’re leading your team in the right direction.
PITFALL 2: Overspending in the startup phase
Conventional tech ministry wisdom holds that when it comes to most areas of AVL technology you get exactly what you pay for, for better or for worse. Thanks to advances in technology, live streaming is one area where you can get up and running with a lean budget, then easily scale up as your impact grows. With the advent of cloud streaming, tech teams can now produce quality results without the massive upfront costs that used to be part and parcel of the enterprise. The hardware side of the equation is also more accessible, thanks in large part to software-based switching solutions that now offer advanced functionality and wireless video over IP, allowing for the consumer-level cameras to be incorporated into the mix. Broadcast manufacturers have also begun introducing easy-to-use hardware that greatly simplifies the process of streaming directly to social media channels like Facebook. Churches in the planning and early implementation stages of live streaming will be wise to become familiar with these emerging solutions to get the maximum return on their early investments.
PITFALL 3: Poor lighting and audio infrastructures
Nothing undermines the power of streaming like poor audio and visual quality. Unfortunately, overlooking these areas is one of the most common mistakes churches make when launching a live stream. Fortunately, this problem is one that can be directly addressed and resolved once stakeholders realize that what works for the live experience may be inadequate for broadcast. For instance, while your auditorium may be perfectly bright for people sitting in the room, the stage lighting levels may be wholly inadequate when captured with cameras utilizing relatively small sensors. And while the sermon might sound great to folks seated in the pews, a direct audio feed from the FOH audio console will likely sound dry and brittle online.
The hardware side of the equation is also more accessible, thanks in large part to software-based switching solutions that now offer advanced functionality and wireless video over IP….
These kinds of audio problems are exacerbated a hundredfold when broadcasting worship music directly off a house mix. Usually the best way to begin addressing these problems is to first record one of your broadcasts, then to sit down with leadership, including the teaching pastor if possible, for a long, hard look and listen on the kind of device your end user will likely watch your stream on themselves. Start by addressing the audio issues. If you’re broadcasting only the message, adding an additional room mic into your mix may go a long way to adding some life to your mix. For churches looking to broadcast the music as well, it will be important to consider setting up an additional sound console in a dedicated room to create a unique mix exclusively for your stream. On the lighting side reinforcement will usually be the name of the game. Again, take a hard look at what you’re currently producing and begin analyzing what’s working and what needs to be supplemented. Keep in mind that additional lighting will have a significant impact on the comfort level of the teaching pastor, so be sure to include them in the conversation.
PITFALL 4: Ignoring the unique needs of your online audience
Another area that can be easily overlooked is the way external audiences will perceive your worship experiences. This is especially true if your intended target audience members include people unfamiliar with your church, or with church in general. Things that we take for granted, including the purpose of the worship experience itself, can seem strange and somewhat off putting without some context. A good first step towards addressing this disconnect is to begin producing opening and closing slideshows that help orient your audience, giving them a sense of what to expect and letting them know the heart behind what they’re about to experience. Consider producing media that will help the viewers know who you are and how they can take a next step into a deeper connecting with your church. Then, as the impact of your live stream grows, consider creating dedicated opening and closing videos hosted by a pastor accessible to people needing to reach out in real-time. These steps will go a long way towards helping viewers feel more comfortable when experiencing you stream for the first few times.
PITFALL 5: Single-destination streaming
A final misstep that churches tend to make as they develop their live stream is to overlook the most popular destinations for their broadcast, opting instead to stream only to a dedicated page on their website. While it’s understandable that ministries would want to drive audiences to view the stream in a location surrounded by easy next steps, a better practice is to put the stream where people are already browsing. Consider exploring the possibilities of putting your live stream on popular social media sites like Facebook, YouTube Live and Twitch. There’s even dedicated rack-mount hardware being brought to market that makes this process nearly plug-and-play. While the downside might be that new viewers are less likely to find their way to your website right away, the upside is the real possibility of connecting with new audience members who could stumble across your stream by accident, something that would never happen if you stream only to your church’s site.
In Conclusion
The process of creating a great live stream experience is a lot like creating great live experiences in that they’re both continuing works in progress. The good news is that most of these problems are things that can be easily understood, even by non-technical leadership, and can usually be addressed with reasonable time and resources. Just as importantly, once they’re fixed your church will be in a much better position to evaluate the best way to foster quality streaming in your specific context.
