This article was originally published here and used with permission.
Engage Your Community Through Church Live Streaming Virtual Events in Light of Coronavirus
Faced with the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), churches around the world are finding ways to continue ministry in unique ways. Many have utilized live or virtual event (sim-live) streaming in order to continue to hold services and events virtually while not being able to meet physically.
We know that many of you are in a rush to get started with online church live streaming, and we are here to make the process simple and quick. We’ve created a simple step-by-step guide to help you get going with live or virtual event/simulated live streaming.
What Makes Resi Different:
With all other streaming options, whenever there is packet loss on your internet connection, your viewers will face a buffering wheel. After the second buffering interruption, 70% of your online viewers will have left your stream. Resi has developed the only solution which corrects for this issue by resending and correcting data on a 2-minute delay. This enables reliable streaming even on bad internet connections and reduces streaming complaints by over 85% on average. This results in a much more stable online viewing experience that increases viewer retention and your online audience size over time.
***Resi recently changed their name from Living As One
Get Started Quickly With Reliable Online Church Live Streaming
An encoder sends video data from a video system (such as cameras, video switchers, etc.) to online platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and your website.
Resi has three encoders to choose from, all of which provide perfect streaming by checking and resending the data, even on inconsistent connections.
Step 3 – Install Your System and Get Set Up
Many churches think that an inconsistent or slow internet connection will prohibit their ability to stream reliably. Under normal circumstances this is true, but because of the way that the Resi Platform transmits data and corrects for errors, high-quality streaming is possible even on a bad connection. Streaming in 720p resolution is possible on as low as around 5Mbps, or 1080p on 10Mbps. No internet connection at all? You can even use a portable wired internet connection such as 4g hotspots with an ethernet connection.
Resi provides simple checklists for initial gear installation, followed by an onboarding call with a dedicated support team representative to complete setup and provide training.
After setup, streaming is managed through the simple Resi Control page. Recurring events can be set up along with Facebook and YouTube simulcasting from the cloud (in full 1080p with stereo audio!). Scheduled events with start and stop automatically, so you can set once and forget.
Step 4 – Choose Your Streaming Destination(s)
For online church live streaming, most churches will prioritize engaging with their audience on their website. Life. Church’s Church Online Platform is a great way to set up an online campus virtual community, and it is easy and free! You can also display a Resi player directly anywhere on your website using an embed code.
Social destinations such as Facebook and YouTube are great for church live stream marketing in order to reach attendees that would not normally come to your website, but often distract viewers from your content with other videos or content. Viewers will typically engage with church live stream content around 2-5 minutes on Facebook, 15-20 minutes on YouTube, and up to about 40-55 minutes on a church website. In order to have the best engagement with an online community, your website is usually the best primary streaming destination.
Nate is the Director of Marketing for Resi (formerly Living As One), an organization that empowers churches all over the world to deliver video to online and multisite audiences. Resi (Living As One) was started at Chase Oaks Church to overcome their need for streaming over the public internet, and since then, over 80 of the top 100 US churches leverage Resi’s platform along with thousands of organizations around the globe. Nate is passionate about helping churches and organizations be equipped to communicate with their audiences more effectively and resides with his wife, son, and black lab in Denver, Colorado.
