Digital Marketing is complicated, there are far too many metrics to measure, and technology advancements are rapid. One of the biggest trends happening now is Live streaming. Live Streaming is anything but new; however, since the launch of MeerkatPeriscope  and Blab.im, Live streaming is in the forefront of Digital marketing discussions.

I admit I did not appreciate the potential that Snap chat, Periscope, Meerkat, and Blab.im could do for brands. It wasn’t until I started to experiment in using these platforms that I began to see the potential of each. This is a whole new industry and the few that jump on the opportunity to explore its potential will reap the benefits in career advancements and career transitions when mobile Live streaming becomes mainstream.

Here Are 5 Trends I Predict Will Happen With Live Streaming

1. Education: Live streaming allows students, parents, and faculty members to attend class,  experience concerts, recitals, graduation ceremonies, and that big game from wherever they are through their mobile device. It is cost effective by integrating mobile technology into the classroom. I see the educational systems using Live streaming to check on students progress and increase student participation.

2. Non-Profits: Share Our Strength is a nonprofit organization that uses donations to connect children facing hunger with nutritious meals in their communities, homes and in schools. On Sept. 8th they created an online campaign through social media where thousands of passionate supporters used Live streaming all day by raising awareness among their followers and communities about what it means to dine out for #NoKidHungry during the month of September. I see more non-profits engaging with their communities through live streaming and bringing further awareness to their different causes.

3. Law Enforcement: When a building in New York recently caught fire and nearly collapsed, injuring more than 25 people, many people’s first instincts was to turn to social media and watch it live through Periscope. Periscope users could watch in real time as first-responders arrived on the scene and closed down the street. This gave viewers front row seats to what was happening as if they were behind the cameras themselves. Mike Bires from Lawenforcement.social offers a product by creating a live streaming kits for law enforcement officers. This can come in handy for first responders.

4. Small Business: Using Live streaming building and property owners can show the entire process starting from the construction of a building all the way to finalizing it’s sale. Architects and building inspectors can use technology such as drones to live stream buildings and construction sites. This helps in addressing issues quickly and efficiently. Real estate agents can bring buyers from all over the world to see what a property actually looks like Live across 18,000 miles, which is far more reliable for a consumer than simply looking at a web listing. Business should start thinking creatively how to implement live streaming into their brands. 

5. Entrepreneurs: Real-time goes both ways, and the importance of interaction during a live stream cannot be overstated. By using live streaming, entrepreneurs are giving up a bit of control—it’s no longer about one person lecturing to a passive room—but it opens up fantastic possibilities for innovations like live Q&A sessions to creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) live on Blab.im, or getting instantaneous product feedback. If you want to truly make your audience a part of your brand? Try engaging with them in real-time.

It took the radio 38 years to reach 50 million people, TV 13 years, Internet 4 years, iPod 3 years, and  facebook 2 years but now through live streaming you can easily reach a few hundred million people within 24 hours. Thanks to live streaming we’ve seen a speeding up of how quickly content makers can respond to their audiences. Filmmakers can do this within a matter of years, reporters in a matter of days or weeks, and bloggers within minutes or hours. With Social Selling Streaming, feedback can be gathered while you’re broadcasting.

We live in an interesting era, and while I have not fully jumped on live streaming, I am just a spectator appreciating what marketers and people are streaming for now. But I see massive economic opportunity with this technology and great ROI off relationships and community building.

What about you? What do you think the future will hold for live streaming? How will you incorporate it? I would love to hear about your ideas, even if we don’t end up working with each other I am sure it will be a conversation filled with insight. Reach out to me at on Linkedin, Twitter, or Gmail.