Live streamers need to execute sharp multitasking skills throughout their broadcast. Keeping the live video compelling and engaging is why viewers connect to the channel and come back over and over again. What are the tasks streamers juggle between? And why is it so important? This blog post will break down multitasking skills and functions that are the DNA of a successful live-stream broadcast.
Multitasking is a must
Multitasking is an essential capability for live video content creators. You will notice that streamers have many different responsibilities when watching a live stream. They have to keep their audience engaged; Streaming gamers love playing the game at hand; It is likely for live streamers to run a voice chat with their gaming team on a messaging platform like Discord; they may have a webcam on which puts them in front of an audience that can watch them as they play, or even interact with them via voice chat.
Streamers find themselves switching between multiple windows on their screens. For example, one shows what’s happening in the game, and another displays the chatroom comments from viewers, which means many distractions compete for attention from them at any given moment during gameplay, conversation, or commentary.
All these things require intense focus and awareness of one’s surroundings. In addition, there are technical aspects of broadcasts, like video quality and audio levels, that must be appropriately balanced. Otherwise, it can be a turn-off for viewers who won’t find it enjoyable or compelling enough for long periods!
In short: Live streaming requires multitasking skills on many different levels!
The cognitive skills
Live Video broadcasting requires cognitive skills as instant decisions are taking place constantly. The streamers must divide their attention between their audience, performance, and surroundings. As strange as this may sound, creators must focus on several things. Because if they lose their concentration or switch off even for a few seconds, they may miss out on something important. That may affect the viewers’ experience and perception of the streamers’ professionalism–resulting in losing subscribers and loyal community members.
How is it possible to keep juggling between the broadcast, gaming, and messaging throughout the live broadcast between all the tasks? For many people, it is pretty natural. Study shows that technologically savvy young people show higher levels of multitasking performance, mainly due to the importance of digital devices in our day-to-day lives.
The real-time tasks
Live streamers are great content creators, and they are constantly multitasking. It takes place during the preparation for the broadcast and, foremost, during the live stream. The creators juggle between activities within the broadcast. Successful live video content creators master various skills. If they fumble, their viewers see it all as the broadcast is streamed in real-time.
Assuming you want your live stream to show your tally and become an influencer to your channel’s viewers, you need to operate some tasks simultaneously:
Engaging content – The live-streamed video content has to be interesting, as viewers will not watch a broadcast that bores them. Moreover, building a connection with the viewers and having them spread the word about the live streamer will be based on relevant, engaging content.
Interacting with the viewers – Streamers talk on camera with their friends or other people in the game. At the same time, they read the chat messages and give their viewers immediate feedback. On top of that, once they switch off the camera, streamers continue to interact outside the broadcasting channel on different social media platforms. Responding out loud or messaging back in the chat during the live stream isn’t easy. However, it is essential to strengthen the relationship with the audience, which will help build a community.
Improvising is an important skill. Any streamer with a gaming channel can only sometimes anticipate how a gaming session will evolve. Commenting on the game’s progress and interacting with the viewers while maintaining a high gaming performance may sound impossible, but it improves with time and practice. At the end of the day, every live-streaming gamer wants to have fun and communicate it to their spectators.
Troubleshooting technical issues – This is more common than it may seem. The internet connection can sometimes lag, resulting in a distorted sound and visual at the viewers’ end. The broadcasting software and hardware can also collapse from time to time. Checking the broadcast settings before going live can help reduce these occurrences. However, some kind of malfunction is bound to happen every so often. The streamer has to be aware and seek to resolve any problem quickly enough so that the broadcast can continue without losing viewers–otherwise, they might keep on broadcasting to themselves.
Introducing ads – Many streamers earn an income by displaying ad banners or other formats of non-intrusive ads. They even hand out special discounts and product recommendations that benefit their audience. The beauty is that they fit the displayed ad campaign in their live content flow.
Although it may sound hard to imagine or somewhat intimidating, streamers combine all these elements during their live show. Most of them put little thought into each aspect.
Skills to the league of legends
If you have ever watched a live streamer, you know that they are incredibly skilled at multitasking. Keeping their viewers interested throughout the broadcast; showing their gaming skills; speaking, playing a game, and interacting with their audience. It all happens while keeping an eye on all technical aspects of the broadcast. This challenging task shows just how much skill goes into becoming a successful content creator who can engage viewers for hours.
All these things require intense focus and awareness of one’s surroundings. Because if any one element isn’t perfect, viewers won’t find it enjoyable or compelling enough for long periods! So next time you watch someone play Fortnite or League of Legends on Twitch, remember: they’re doing more than just playing video games!