Live Viewer Engagement Tools on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch

This week the StreamGeeks are pulling out all the stops to enable live viewer engagement! Yes, you can have your live viewers launch off a confetti cannon, yes Twitch is making kids who play video games famous… What kind of world are we living in? Well, the StreamGeeks love it and we are reviewing all the latest right here in this episode. Some of the most important considerations for live streaming and audience engagement is simply asking the audience questions that allow you to “read” the crowd. We like to call out audience members during the live broadcast and acknowledge their participants.

Tips for Live Audience Engagement:

• Ask questions
• Call out audience members
• Ask for an emoji response or reaction
• Use a chat overlay cueing platform
• Ask them to share the stream
• Display Comments on Screen

If you can work in a conversation about emojis into your presentation it’s always a good idea to get your audience using platform-specific tools. If you use live streaming software such as Wirecast, vMix or xSplit consider using they’re built-in social media integration tools that can display a users profile picture and comment up on the screen.

Twitch Bits

Twitch is owned by Amazon so of course it’s being monetized! This is an amazing way viewers can make donations to their favorite channels! Streamers get 1 cent for every Bit pledged — that’s roughly 70 percent. This is about the same as YouTube Super Chat. Streamlabs has a bunch of engaging web-based interactive live streaming features you can look into! We are currently using the chatbox and leaderboard!

Using YouTube to Accept Donations

Viewers make donations through YouTube (Your YouTube Channel must have Super Chat Enabled).  We have an article about vMix integration with YouTube Super Chat here. You may be thinking how the heck did we get our Super Chat messages to make real-life devices turn on and off! This is an amazing way to use the YouTube IFTTT integration. Here is an article we wrote all about it. You can setup different triggers depending on the value of the Super Chat. As you can see here we an emoji balloon for $1-5 super chats and a Star Wars Balloons for $5-10 Super Chats.

The Lametric Clock is a great solution for Super Chat displays because it provides direct integration with IFTTT and YouTube. This WiFi clock can also provide detailed notifications IFTTT calls ingredients. It can also provide audible sound notifications for Super Chats. Even cooler than a SuperChat is sponsors. This is currently only available for Gaming Channels. But it allows you to set up subscriptions to support your favorite YouTube Creators. Channel Sponsors get special badges.

Facebook Live Polls

Facebook Live Polls Setup

Create live polls for your audience to respond to in real time. Even generate and publish them while you’re live! Must control via desktop and viewers can answer on desktop and mobile.

Enjoy our latest podcast on this topic on SoundCloud all about the tools for audience engagement!

Live Show Engagement Tips

1. Check out the latest tools for live audience engagement on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch here
2. Tips for Bringing Energy to your live show - here
3. How to interview guests on your live show - here
4. Transitioning from recorded video to live content - here
5. Tips from 7 live streaming industry professionals - here
6. 10 Steps to gaining more Facebook Live Viewers - here
7. Here’s how you can add live Trivia to your broadcast - here
8. The art of live storytelling from Ariel Viera - here.