In a time where your digital footprint feels like the most important part of being a DJ (it’s not), a livestream can be a great addition. Choosing the best platform for your stream is easy - finding the motivation to start can be hard.
Why Livestream a DJ Set?
To save you time from thinking, here are 7 reasons why you need to livestream your DJ set:
1. Livestream platforms offer global reach
Access to free live-streaming software has demolished geographical barriers. Opening the door for you to access music enthusiasts across the world at the press of a button! Major streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube offer great organic discovery. Plus, they have custom features that allow for creative community building and interactions.
On the other hand, MixCloud and certain social media platforms require a pre-existing following for a live stream to be effective. So, if you are looking to access a new audience, it might be better to play music for one of the larger streaming communities.
2. Streaming your process helps develop your DJ skills
Live streams are a great place to experiment with new techniques, explore genres, and improve your crowd work. There is much less pressure than an event gig, where you have to look event organizers and the crowd in the eyes.
Online, you can play off mistakes in a charismatic way that adds to the entertainment. Over time this will teach you how to embrace, or completely avoid common DJ mistakes.
That said, every hour you spend live-streaming is equal to an hour of priceless DJ practice.
Now imagine if you practiced for a few hours a week, or a day. How good would you get? If you stream it, who would you meet? There is only one way to find out.
3. Live streams are a short-form content factory
Live streams are a goldmine for generating quality short-form content. Memorable mashups, funny chat interactions, and mistakes are already some of the most popular types of DJ content.
If you take the time to curate a quality stream, you can cut your long form content into clips for social media. You can post each clip on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts for over 300% engagement from one live moment. Plus, this type of DJ content is an excellent addition to your music marketing strategy!
4. Fans give feedback in real time
While it can be scary, feedback is an important aspect of being an artist. Nothing beats the immediacy and intimacy of a live stream. Sharing stories, answering questions, and ignoring requests can alter the way you interact with a crowd. If you are a beginner DJ, this process can teach you about performing before you get booked at a venue.
If you are a club DJ or get consistent gigs, live streaming is perfect for staying connected with your audience when not performing.
5. Live streaming is a music marketing strategy
Many established DJs and musicians use livestreams to promote music. As a streamer, you need to provide value to the audience. Artists often stream to showcase new music, announce upcoming events, or go live from a physical venue.
Social media has made starting your first DJ live stream easier than ever. Going live will notify your followers, and you'll have minimal competition. The hard part is entertaining people for longer than 3 seconds on platforms built around short-form content.
If you do manage to capture their attention, social media platforms don’t want their users to leave - so they make link sharing hard.
However, platforms built for live streaming have excellent integrations. Some even allow you to automate your music marketing while live! For example, you can use tools like NightBot to paste a link into the chat every few minutes.
6. Streaming opens collaboration opportunities
As your live streaming presence grows, so do the opportunities for collaboration. Inviting fellow musicians to your stream not only diversifies the content, but builds a connection with them. If you have an audience (even a small one), this becomes an opportunity that you are providing them.
Which, later, they may return in unexpected ways. They may throw a show and invite you to DJ, collaborate on a project, or just become another person added to your network.
Either way, this will help you in the future.
7. Live streams document your musical journey
At some point in your career you will look back and wish you had a picture from when you first started out. Memorable moments and performances captured on a live stream are cherished and revisited by both artists and their fans.
If you spend hours producing music or DJing in your bedroom, starting a live stream can be the perfect way to make the most of your time. Start your stream today to grow your brand and practice your passion at the same time.
(via TERRAN) "Above is a screenshot from my first ever live DJ stream! A bit embarrasing to look at now, but I wanted to showcase my new DJ mix in a creative way. At the time I was streaming consistently to anywhere from 3 to 7 viewers (two of which were my own devices), so it seemed like a great choice.
I marketed the event on my social medias, and personally invited my friends to watch. With the support of my network, and a few people I met online, we were able to get around 30 people in the stream right away. With the way Twitch works, our channel got boosted to the middle of the Music Category - which led to a peak of 70 viewers joining just to check it out.
I wasn't trying to earn viewers, I wanted to share a great project with people who appreciate music. It was a side effect of curating an entertaining space.
All that is to say that if you are reading this, I believe you can do it too."
(bonus tip) Live stream events are the most flexible
Unlike traditional gigs, livestreaming allows you to broadcast from virtually anywhere, at any time. You can connect with your audience on a schedule that works for both of you. Or, you can go-live more frequently for spontaneous sessions. There are stream schedule best practices, but without the barriers of travel, cost, or time zones the possibilities are endless. Plus, you can save and share your live sessions, so anyone who missed the broadcast can enjoy it anytime.
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