For any congregation hoping to grow its online audience and reach those who cannot physically attend due to difficulty or distance, metrics matter, and increasing viewership week over week is an important measurement. However, by only offering a video player for viewers to find on the synagogue’s website, you could be unknowingly cutting your synagogue short on your potential reach. With these six updates to your streaming setup, you’ll be seeing results and higher tune-in rates in no time.
Schedule and share your religious services
Your services take place on a regular schedule each week so that congregants know when and where to join in worship. Your livestreams should be consistent, too. If you have an A/V team, they can manage your streaming equipment for regular services and post an archive at the same times each week so viewers who could not tune in live can find it. Or, you can use StreamSpot’s software, which allows you to set a recurring schedule. With this software, essentially no onsite staff or action is needed; the software starts the recording, runs the stream, and posts the archive automatically, allowing you to focus on your service, not the broadcast.
Mult-platform delivery
In addition to streaming to your website, there are other destinations you need to consider when sharing your content and stretching your reach. Simulcasting can be a powerful tool to take one stream source and multiply your destinations to make your content available where your viewers already are. Simulcasting your weekly service to Facebook Live, YouTube, Twitter, and many other popular destinations will guarantee that you reach your viewers who may not know to look on your website for your live video.
Interact with your viewers
Have a member of your staff or congregation monitor the chat on your website and the comments section on Facebook Live during the live stream to make the viewers feel included in the service. A simple tag and welcome from someone goes a long way with someone halfway around the world! Many congregations also begin their services with a quick shout out from clergy to those who can’t be there in person, but are joining in online. Not only will this help the viewers feel more included when watching online, but more inclined to attend in person when the opportunity presents itself.
Use your past streams as your best marketing
Your best marketing is simple: your moving and meaningful services. You already have newsletters and online communication tools with your congregants, but are you letting them know how to share the online stream with those who can’t make it, or who perhaps want to hear a sermon again? Instead of sending interested viewers a link to the full, hours-long service, you can trim a few minutes of a broadcast archive, pop it in your newsletter, share to popular video platforms like Vimeo, and tell recipients where to tune in live or on-demand for more.
Stream special events for your congregants
Inevitably, behind every life cycle event that takes place in your congregation, there is a handful of family members who wish they could attend in person, but can’t. By offering (and promoting) the ability to have these important events streamed and archived for family members, you’ll draw more viewers to the particular stream while also providing an important outreach to your community and beyond.
Quality Counts
Synagogues oftentimes dip their toe into live streaming first, using an iPhone, iPad, or laptop as a proof of concept for streaming before taking the leap. But, for long-term streaming, providing your viewers with a high-quality, reliable live stream is the best plan if you want recurring viewers. A fixed shot, high-definition camera with a direct out from your sound board is a winning combination for A/V needs to keep viewers coming back stream after stream for more.
In partnership with USCJ, StreamSpot, a livestreaming company, offers a 25% lifetime discount on service plans and a 10% discount on equipment. This offer also applies to congregations already using Streamspot, who can receive the discount moving forward. Register now.
