Sep 17 • General discussion
🎙️ BEHIND THE STREAM: THREE THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE GOING LIVE
Lighthouse Lab family, a successful livestream begins long before anyone presses the “Go Live” button.
As I prepare to produce another episode of The Pull Up Podcast Show, I’m thinking about everything that must happen behind the scenes before a guest enters the StreamYard studio.
One lesson was recently reinforced for me: whenever possible, complete your technical check a full day before your broadcast.
There are three areas I always want to test:
- THE LINK AND DEVICE
Can the guest open the StreamYard link and enter the studio successfully?
Find out which device they plan to use—a computer, tablet or cellphone. Make sure they understand how to give StreamYard permission to access their microphone and camera.
You don’t want your guest opening the link for the first time five minutes before the broadcast. That is not the kind of suspense we need! 😂
- THE AUDIO AND VIDEO
Can you clearly hear your guest? Is the correct microphone selected? Is their sound muted somewhere outside of StreamYard? Is the camera working? Are they properly positioned, and is there enough light on their face?
A guest can enter the studio and still have no sound because of one small setting on a cellphone or computer. That tiny setting can delay an entire show.
Ask the guest to use headphones when appropriate, silence notifications, close unnecessary programs and test the exact equipment they plan to use during the broadcast.
- THE INTERNET AND PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY
Is the internet connection strong enough to support a livestream? Does the guest’s equipment work properly with the streaming platform and the technology available at their location?
This became especially important during my recent production at Tennessee State University.
I arrived on Sunday evening so we could test everything before Monday’s live broadcast. During that preparation, we discovered that my PC laptop worked better with TSU’s core technology setup than my MacBook—even though I use my MacBook for practically everything.
My MacBook said, “Not today, Val!” 😂
Because we tested the day before, we had time to make the switch without the pressure of a waiting audience.
I also recently experienced a delayed livestream because a guest had difficulty using the StreamYard link and getting the sound to work correctly on a cellphone. These things happen. The goal isn’t to expect perfection from every guest. The goal is to create enough preparation time to solve the problem calmly.
That is part of the producer’s job:
• Anticipate potential problems
• Test the technology
• Prepare a backup plan
• Help the guest feel comfortable
• Protect the quality of the broadcast
The audience may never know about the links you tested, the devices you changed or the sound issues you corrected—and that is the point.
Good production work often becomes invisible once the show begins.
We have some exciting webinars and training sessions coming to the Lighthouse Lab, including instruction on producing and managing live podcasts.
Stay tuned as we fire things back up, sharpen our skills and officially go back to school here in the Lighthouse Lab!
It’s time to learn, produce and amplify our voices. 🎙️💜
#LighthouseLab #PodcastTraining #PodcastProducer #LivePodcasting #Livestreaming #StreamYard #PodcastTips #BehindTheScenes #ContentCreators #ValTheVoice #PureLighthouseMedia
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🎙️ BEHIND THE STREAM: THREE THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE GOING LIVE
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