It is official. You can now share live videos on Instagram. Finally joining the live streaming bandwagon, the photo sharing application launched its real-time broadcast feature last November 21. The new option has functions that are similar to Twitter’s Periscope, Facebook Live and Snapchat. Instagram Live lets users send disappearing comments and private messages. It highlights privacy as the live stream video cannot be saved and can only be viewed for a limited time. The application will also inform the owner when someone replays the broadcast or takes a screenshot. Instagram’s newest feature is currently available only to a select few for testing. The update will be released for public usage in a few weeks. The photo sharing application is the latest addition to the expanding world of online live broadcasting. Live streaming had slowly been redefining online boundaries in the last decade.
Live streaming is the act of broadcasting real-time audio and video coverage over the Internet.One of the earliest successful real-time streaming effort was recorded in 1993. A garage band, named Severe Tire Damage, broadcasted their musical performance in Xerox PARC online. However, due to the limited capacity of technology during that time, it would take years before the media function reaches its peak.In today’s online landscape, live streaming has established its flexible functionality in different industries. Government agencies and news organizations recognize its significance as an effective information dissemination tool. Likewise, the showbiz and music industry have been using this media function for their respective viewer-centered purposes.Real-time streaming became a personal communication instrument when social media websites started including it in their features. Recently, it joined the ranks of the essential online tools that contribute to a successful social media marketing campaign.
Which social media applications have live streaming?
Social media companies have been competing for live streaming privileges for years.
Periscope is currently the most popular real-time streaming application on the Internet. In 2015, Twitter acquired the company and removed their share feature from its main competitor “Meerkat.” Periscope has since continued to be a strong contender for live streaming with more than 10 million users.
Facebook’s updated video features caused most of the website’s development in 2016. The social media company had launched Facebook Live and had redesigned its videos to play automatically when a user sees it.
YouTube Live was released to the masses in the same year, allowing users to share raw videos. And as mentioned above, Instagram followed suit.
What are the advantages of live streaming?
Generates Viewer Urgency – Live streaming is often available only for a limited time. Unlike other uploaded videos, viewers can lose their chance to watch real-time footage. Social media optimization specialists have started using this feature to emphasize a product or event’s significance and urgency.
Emphasizes Online Connectivity – The knowledge that what the viewers are watching is not a recording but an ongoing event forms a deeper sense of connection between them and the user. Many social media marketing campaigns embraced live streaming for its bond-forming function.
Highlights “Honesty” of Content – Numerous social media optimization experts utilize real-time streaming nowadays because it underscores a brand’s honesty. Though users can place restrictions on their live stream videos, most of what their audience can watch is raw and unedited content. Everything is presented as it is.
What are the disadvantages of live streaming?
High Bandwidth Requirement – The quality of a real-time video depends on its viewer’s bandwidth capacity. Failure to meet the minimum online requirements may produce a poor footage quality.
Unfiltered and Unedited Content – Live streaming’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Any misinformation or inaccuracies that may occur during a real-time broadcast are transmitted automatically to the viewers.
Will the live streaming still be relevant in 2017?
Definitely. For all its merits and demerits, today’s viewers certainly prefer the accessibility and freshness of live streaming. A recent study conducted by the marketing firms Zanthus and FocusVision revealed that more than 40% of pay TV broadcasters are bracing themselves for the expected decrease of subscribers in the future.
Even though live streaming is still in its developing stages, it has proven its effectiveness in almost every industry imaginable. Live streaming has caused and will continue causing massive ripples on the online landscape.
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