Simulcast streaming – A way to Stream Live to Multiple Platforms

Overview

How to get maximum reach for your Live Streams? These days there are so many platforms and applications to broadcast live videos and the audiences are scattered. Some prefer watching videos on YouTube while some prefer Facebook and other social media platforms. What if all your followers or targeted audiences are not on the same platform? Would you take the risk to broadcast on one platform and miss out on the audiences on others? What if you can reach those scattered viewers at the same time? That’s where Simulcasting enters the picture.

What is Simulcasting?

‘Simultaneous’ and ‘Broadcasting’ together means Simulcasting. To be clearer, simulcasting is the process of doing a single live stream across multiple platforms at the same time. For example, Innocrux’s simulcast streaming feature can take one video stream and simultaneously broadcast it to multiple platforms or destinations like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or any other webpage. This way, you can maximize your video’s reach and minimize the time & effort.

Simulcasting Vs Multicasting

Simulcasting and multicasting may sound similar but works differently still, they both have a common interest to distribute videos widely. Simulcast allows you to create and broadcast a single live video stream to multiple platforms simultaneously at the same frequency, whereas multicast is a one-to-many or many-to-many distribution that forwards the video to subscribed users at different frequencies using specific hardware and software. In simple words, simulcast streams videos at more avenues with the same effort while multicast may need streaming at each individual platform separately.

How does Simulcast work?

The most efficient way to simulcast is to carefully aggregate and use multiple social networks for streamlined streaming. Simulcasting needs coordination between your base platform and the other third-party destination platforms. Each online platform can have different requirements and preferences to embed or plugin video streams from outside. They may use different encoding technologies or over-the-top (OTT) services based on their architecture and security protocols to send and receive external streams for live streaming. The whole process can work seamlessly with a simple simulcast streaming software provided by your solution provider.

How to live stream to multiple destinations at once?

There are different techniques with which simulcast and be initiated. They have different levels of simplicity and functionality based on the destination platform and target audience.

• Use a share code – This is one of the simplest and trouble-free ways to stream your videos. In this approach, a link or a share code has to be shared on the destination platforms like Facebook or Twitter and users will have to click on it to access the live stream. This merely redirects the audience to your webpage rather than streaming on the destination platform, making it not really 100% simulcasting.
• Streaming with encoding software – This approach begins at the encoding stage where multiple destination platforms must be enabled at the encoder level itself. This is a very complicated method that takes high bandwidth, effort and time.
• Simulcasting software solution – Live stream to multiple platforms using a simulcasting software through your service provider is by far the best and hassle-free approach. This way you can do full customizations and focus only on your content and business while the process & technicalities of multiple destination streaming are handled completely by your solution provider.

Why should you consider Simulcasting for live streaming?

Apart from the obvious fact that Simulcasting greatly increases your videos reach, what are the other benefits that make simulcasting crucial? Here are some:

• Cross-platform engagement – your audience and followers may be spread across different platforms. As you stream to multiple platforms, users across the platform get engaged resulting in an improved audience base on each platform
• Refined target audience – Live stream across multiple platforms grabs the attention of customers with varied interests. Simulcasting can get your content beyond your actual audience base and tap the curiosity of new users and redefine your target audience.
• Reduced time & effort – The biggest advantage of simulcasting is the effort put behind it. With literally a single broadcasting or streaming, you can achieve the benefits of multiple video delivery or hosting. This saves a lot of time, effort and manpower. No worries about missing any platform or sharing multiple links.
• Customizable plans – With the right VOD solution provider like Innocrux, you can create a custom plan based on your content’s nature. You can customize by choosing the social media platforms where you want to stream and the CDNs you want to use.
• Avoid streaming failures – With simulcasting you literally have multiple backups and failure protection. As your live video is being streamed on multiple platforms at once, you are always in the safe zone when any glitch happens. If YouTube goes down your users can always be redirected to Facebook or any other platform. No fear of losing the traction.
• Multiple resolutions streaming – Each platform may handle videos at different frame rates and resolutions. Simple cloud-based technologies can be used to accommodate the video requirements of each platform.
• Monetization models – Platforms like YouTube and Facebook offer free live streaming. While making use of simulcasting, it is possible to plugin intermediate pages to let users pay and watch.
• Reliable global delivery – VOD solution providers like Innocrux offers a best-in-class infrastructure that ensures secure and reliable video streaming across the globe.

Various use cases of Simulcasting across industries:

With video being the most engaging form of content on the internet, every single industry is trying to make use of it for their business growth and development. Free social media platforms, affordable CDNs and simulcasting technology are driving global video streaming to the next level. Some of the practical examples of simulcasting are:

• Live events like award shows & sports
• News broadcasting
• Webinars & Live product launches
• Video games & Movie watch parties
• Religious sessions & seminars

Tips & best practices for simulcasting your videos:

• Pre-testing – Always ensure the technical aspects are tested before going live
• Prompt notifications – Notify your audience beforehand and send timely reminders
• Monitor the Platforms – Closely observe all the destination platforms’ updates & functionalities before simulcasting
• Stress-free streaming – Make plans and keep track of all requirements. Be prepared, stay calm

Innocrux is a pioneer in innovative Live streaming solutions powered by modern technologies that deliver high-performing videos at the lowest latency

-Innocrux

Simulcasting with Innocrux!

Regardless of your industry type or nature of the content, Innocrux can help you to deliver your live streams to multiple destinations with utmost ease and stability. Reimagine real-time experience with our simulcasting solutions that help you reach your users anywhere with secure paywalls and endearing user experience.