자동화라는 것을 적용하면 일상이 편리해질 수 있습니다. 그렇다면 인터넷 방송에도 자동화를 적용 시켜보는 것은 어떨까요? 방송의 연출이나 화면 전환을 자동화 한다면 다양한 창의적인 제어를 할 수 있습니다. 예를 들어 공포 게임을 하는데 마이크 데시벨이 특정 볼륨에 도달하면 카메라를 줌 인 한다거나 일정 시간이 지나면 화면이 자동으로 전환되거나 하는 것을 설정할 수 있습니다.
매크로란?
매크로는 엑스플릿 브로드캐스터에 추가할 수 있는 확장 프로그램 입니다. 매크로를 사용 해보지 않은 사용자들은 엑스플릿 브로드캐스터 상단 메뉴 중 도구 메뉴에서 플러그인 스토어를 들어가신 뒤 Macro를 검색하여 설치하면 됩니다. 이 후 권한 부여를 수락하시면 매크로 도구를 활용할 수 있게 됩니다.
매크로란, 간단히 말하자면 사용자가 지정한 명령을 원하는 순간에 실행하게 하는 도구입니다. 물론 특정 명령들은 원하는 조건을 지정해야 하고, 조건이 맞는 상황에 되면 지정한 명령이 수행되는 것입니다. 조건들은 키보드 단축키를 누름으로서 실행되거나, 특정 행동을 취하면 실행될 수도 있습니다. 예를 들어 편집을 미처 마무리 하지 않은 동영상을 소스로 추가했지만 특정 구간에서 멈추도록 하고 싶다면 동영상이 x분 x초에 도달했을 때 자동적으로 재생을 멈추고, 뒤로감기를 하고, 동영상 소스를 비활성화 하는 명령어들을 순차적으로 실행하는 것이 가능합니다. 스크립트에 익숙한 상요자들은 직접 스크립트를 제작할 수도 있습니다.
An example of the Macros Plugin (remember to enable event listener!)
이벤트, 즉 내가 원하는 명령의 주제를 선택했다면 이제 해당 명령이 실행할 액션들을 지정해주어야 합니다. 액션이란, 엑스플릿 브로드캐스터 내에서 실행할 수 있는 것들 중 장면이 전환되는 것처럼 간단한 행동들이며 이 외에도 방송 송출 시작 및 종료, 프로젝터 모드 실행, 또 다른 매크로를 실행 등등 간단하거나 복잡한 액션들을 지정할 수 있습니다. 원한다면 다수의 매크로가 동시에 실행될 수도 있지만 이를 관리하려면 충분한 실험 기간도 거쳐야 한다는 것을 명심해야 합니다.
매크로를 테스트 해보려면, 방송 시작 전이나 최종 녹화를 하기 전에 여러번 실행해보며 만족 할 때까지 수정해주면 됩니다. 이러한 매크로 액션들을 여러번 손 보다 보면 창의력에는 한계가 없다는 것을 깨닫게 될겁니다. 아래 여러 매크로의 예시를 토대로 자신만의 매크로를 만들고 실험 해보기 바랍니다.
인터넷 생방송을 준비중이라면 최고의 시청자 경험을 위해 중요한 타이밍들을 예측하고 연습해야 합니다. 자동화 설정을 거쳐가면 조금 더 간단하게 절묘한 타이밍들을 사로잡을 수 있습니다. 방송의 취지가 제품 설명이거나 새로 공개하는 컨텐츠라면 더욱 신중하게 생각해봐야 할 요소입니다. 만약 방송 휴식시간에 광고 동영상을 몇 가지 실행하려면 아래와 같은 예시를 들 수 있습니다.
일단 광고 동영상들이 재생 될 새로운 장면을 생성합니다. 이후 다양한 광고 영상과 광고 이미지를 소스로 추가합니다. 광고 동영상들이 여러개라면 동영상 편집 프로그램을 거쳐서 이들을 모두 이어낸 하나의 영상으로 만든 뒤 소스로 추가하는 것을 추천합니다. 매크로 설정창을 열면 새로운 이벤트를 만들고, 해당 이벤트를 특정 키보드 단축키를 눌렀을 때 실행되도록 합니다. 그 후 첫 번째 액션은, 광고 영상이 있는 장면으로 전환하는 것이고, 해당 장면에서 동영상 소스를 ‘장면 전환시 자동 재생’으로 설정했을 시 장면이 전환되는 즉시 동영상 재생이 될 것입니다. 이제 이벤트 리스너를 체크한 뒤 새로운 이벤트를 만들고, 해당 이벤트를 실행하는 방법을 특정 미디어 소스의 재생이 멈췄을 때라고 한 뒤 해당 광고 영상 소스를 지정하면 됩니다. 이 새로운 이벤트에 추가할 액션은 다시 원하는 장면으로 전환하기로 지정하시면, 이제 광고 동영상이 멈춘 뒤 자동으로 원래 장면으로 전환 될 것입니다.
이러한 방법으로 더 이벤트를 추가하거나 액션을 다양하게 사용하여 여러 매크로를 제작할 수 있습니다.
Making your camera zoom in on a loud noise is another great macro!
원하는 시간에 방송 시작하기
일정한 스케쥴에 습관을 들여야 한다거나 여러 사람들에게 방송 시간을 미리 사전 공지하여약속했다면 이러한 매크로도 유용할 수 있습니다.
매크로의 이벤트는 특정 시간대에 실행되도록 지정합니다. 액션으로는 방송 대기 화면이나 원하는 장면에 들어가도록 하고 액션을 또 추가하여 방송 송출 시작을 지정하면 됩니다. 이제 이벤트에 지정한 시간대에 도달하면 방송 송출이 자동으로 실행 될 것입니다. 반드시 이벤트 리스너에 체크해주세요.
개인적으로 여러번 실수했던 경험으로는 행사 방송을 할 때 로컬 녹화를 시작하는 것을 까먹는 것이었습니다. 물론 무조건 녹화를 해야 한다는 규칙은 없지만, 상업적인 목적이나 클라이언트와의 약속으로 인해 고퀄리티 영상을 주문 받았다면 당연히 비상시에 사용할 수 있는 녹화본이 있어야 편리할 수 있습니다. 인터넷 방송은 인터넷 환경이 100%여야 하는 것에 의존해야 하지만 현실은 그렇지 않을 수 있기 때문입니다.
이런 상황에 대비하여 새로운 매크로의 이벤트를 단축키로 지정하고, 이 단축키는 이제 방송 송출도 시작되고 동시에 로컬 녹화도 시작하도록 할 수 있도록 액션을 추가해주면 됩니다.
이렇게 약간의 매크로 예시를 테스트해보시면 대충 짐작할 수 있는 다양한 특정 상황들에 유용할 매크로가 생각나게 될 겁니다. 간단한 것, 복잡한 것 할 것 없이 필요성이 있다면 본인 및 시청자들도 이에 대한 편리함을 느낄 수 있을 것입니다. 여러가지 창의력을 동원하여 편의성을 높여줄 매크로를 만들어 보시기 바랍니다!
Black Friday is here and we have one of our biggest deals yet! 25% OFF all of our licenses, FOR LIFE! You can get access to our entire suite of apps, or just purchase a license for a specific program for the length of time you’re after! And yes, for life means for life. You will get 25% off every renewal if you’re paying monthly or even yearly!
This promotion is running from November 24th – November 30th so don’t miss out!
Getting this deal couldn’t be easier, first of all, head to the Buy Page here where you can select what kind of license you’d like to buy. Then, you’ll be prompted to create an account, and after that, it’s just a case of making the purchase using one of the promo codes listed below!
Nov 24th – 30th 2021 – BF25 Nov 29th – Dec 2nd 2021 – CM25
Remember, only one of these codes will work at a time. If you’re new to XSplit or just don’t know about our entire suite of apps, why don’t we look at what licenses we offer?
What Licenses Do We Have?
So, when it comes to our licenses, we have a few options. The best value is the XSplit Premium Bundle, which includes access to our entire suite of apps. So that includes XSplit VCam, Presenter, Broadcaster, Capture, Connect: Webcam, and anything else we release in the future! Not only that, but you will get early access to new apps and private beta access to upcoming apps!
After that, we have Premium Licenses for each app, that’s Broadcaster, VCam, and Presenter. Each of these unlocks the full potential of the app and you’ll also receive VIP support from our 24/7 live support team! This is something that is, of course, included with the Premium Bundle!
When it comes to duration, you can select a number of options from one month, which will renew automatically, all the way to a lifetime license. That’s right, if you’d rather not pay monthly you can simply pay once and never have to worry about it again! This option, of course, includes all updates going forward, VIP support, and all the same benefits you get from paying monthly.
As we mentioned, this deal is only on for a limited time so be sure not to miss out! And as ever, if you have any questions, we are available here in the comments or on our social channels!
As work culture continues to shift from being tethered exclusively to a physical office, what will work from home look like? Will we continue to move more towards remote working, or will companies and employees shift back to the office? Just as importantly, how can we improve the work from home culture to make the future of work more efficient for everyone?
Hybrid is the way forward for working from home?
The number of people working from home is expected to remain high, especially in the tech and media fields. One recent survey of 2,000 UK companies found that post-pandemic, most are planning to allow employees greater flexibility on where and when they do their jobs. This may mean that hybrid workplaces, where employees spend part of their time in the office and part working remotely, are likely the way of the future. This creates flexibility not only for employees but also employers. They can downsize expensive rental spaces to accommodate the lower numbers of staff.
To adapt to hybrid working, employees and managers will need to adjust their work styles to get the most from both office and home. Options include scheduling all in-person meetings for certain days of the week. Or, reserving in-person meetings for brainstorming sessions, team building, and other creative activities that are best done face to face. This could also involve redesigning offices to create more collaborative meeting spaces. As well as, redesigning home offices to focus on work that requires quiet.
Improving engagement
In a physical office, personal relationships can open the door to advancement.Employees who work remotely will need to put extra effort into highlighting their engagement to develop these relationships and have access to new opportunities. Some ways to do this include: participating in virtual events, taking an active part in online meetings. Workers could also demonstrate engagement by organizing virtual activities and working virtually in groups.
Remote work has also changed performance management considerably. As organizations focus increasingly on what work gets done, rather than how it get done. Tools and apps that help manage and keep track of remote performance will be essential.
Some recent examples of remote employee management tools include platforms like Time Doctor and TransparentBusiness. Large organizations may soon find it necessary to create new positions, such as Director of Remote Work, to oversee collaboration and ensure efficiency. Another change in the future of work could be in moving to continuous feedback, rather than annual reviews. Employees and employers will both need to rethink how they set and keep track of goals and performance metrics.
In a remote or hybrid setting, video conferencing will become a vital tool not only for collaboration but for casual conversation as well. These could include informal but regular “water-cooler” chats, virtual book clubs, or even virtual team socials.
The increased use of video is humanizing working relationships by allowing colleagues into our homes, but it is also placing more emphasis on making each meeting count. When a remote meeting drags on, people are more inclined to tune out and drift off. To prevent this, meetings need to be professional and well-organized and feature live presentations.
Rather than replicating in-person meetings, complete with stuffy meeting rooms and stale donuts, remote meetings should embrace their unique setting. This could include preparing the shared space in advance, including breakout rooms, graphics, green-screen, video, notes, and slides.
This is an area where XSplit Presenter could be a game-changer. It allows you to create exciting presentations to keep your audience engaged. Because XSplit Presenter works with a huge variety of video call platforms, it is the perfect tool for adding personality and interactivity to remote presenting.
For many of us, the future of work is already here. No matter whether you are full-time remote, very occasionally remote, or in a hybrid office, make sure you are prepared to make the most of it.
There are lots of different ways to communicate with your colleagues, but one that doesn’t often get considered is video messaging. This can make for better work communication because videos can be quick to make and to watch, and have the potential to be more engaging than other types of communication. Alternatively, the creator can opt to put a bit more time into making their video message, resulting in a lot more detail than with a basic spoken or text-based message.
When would a video message be useful? Building better work communication.
People can generally talk much more quickly than they can type, even when talking relatively slowly to ensure that they are being clear and specific. This means that as long as you already know what you want to say, recording a video message will be quicker than typing an email. It’s also much easier to get across tone of voice and context in a video – emojis can help in text, but they can be easy to misconstrue, especially between generations! Think of a video message as a voicemail for the 21st century.
Unlike chat and email, video communications make use of your voice, face and screen to guarantee your message’s purpose is met. A video message can also feel more personal than a text-based email. So, if you’re delivering an update on a project or a company review, a ‘vlog’ approach can go a long way towards making the recipient feel involved and valued.
During busier times (when deadlines are looming, for example), sending a quick video instead of using other, more long-winded communication methods respects your colleagues’ time. It’s also a lot easier to take in. Thanks to video messaging, teams can reclaim valuable lost time while getting more work done. This is by replacing unnecessary meetings, phone calls and emails.
Using XSplit Capture, sending a video message is easy! Simply select what you want to record and go! You can even add voice over easily! Once you’ve recorded your message, XSplit Capture will automatically upload your video to its cloud storage. You’ll be given a private link for the video which you can then send to your colleagues, giving them access to your video, but without that link nobody else will be able to find it.
Once you’ve got your link, it can be sent via email, Slack, Teams or any other system your company uses. The video message will stay secure on the XSplit Cloud so you could send the same link to multiple people. Perhaps everyone in your team as a product update, or to multiple potential customers as a quick introduction to your product and an invitation for a more in-depth demo at a later date.
Want to make a more complicated video? XSplit Presenter lets you add your camera, Google Slides, websites, videos and even guests! This is perfect if you want to send a lot of information that would normally involve attachments. Now, you can just send a complete video and get everything across easily!
Tips for better work communication
Even if you’re confident delivering speeches or presentations, there’s always room for improvement.
Think about what you’re going to say in advance. You don’t need to write a script (in fact, a script is likely to make you sound stilted and distract you from the camera), but it’s useful to have a good idea of what you want to say in advance.
Talk slightly more slowly than you normally would. In normal conversation, you can judge whether you’re being clear enough from the reaction of the person you’re talking to. In the absence of this feedback, it’s worth erring on the side of caution.
If you realise that you flubbed a line or missed out a word, simply pause briefly, then start again from the beginning of the sentence. This will make it easy to find the mistake, select it and cut it out later without it sounding unnatural. Our instinct from talking to people live is to correct ourselves, perhaps slightly more loudly, but this makes segments harder to edit out.
Avoid distractions – try to deliver your message with a reasonably plain background behind you. You don’t want your recipient to be busy trying to make out book titles on a shelf instead of listening to you! You could either use XSplit VCam AI powered background removal or the background removal built in to XSplit Presenter if you’re using that!
Add relevant details – don’t go overboard, but take advantage of the medium to add some annotations or figures to keep your content engaging.
Perhaps you’re testing a piece of software and you’ve found a problem. Rather than listing the steps you’ve gone through in an email, it’s much easier to record your screen while you run through and recreate the problem. You can then send the video to the developers as a simple, clear bug report. This is really going to lead to some better work communication!
Or similarly, perhaps you’re having some computer problems. Sending a video to IT allows them to see exactly what you’re doing, shows them any error messages that appear and may allow them to see details that you didn’t realise were important – which all speeds up finding a solution.
Maybe you’re an office manager and want to send out regular updates to your team. Doing a piece to camera feels far more personal and is more likely to get their attention than sending out a bulk email.
A video message could also be used in a report to your manager. You could include a graph with some annotations – maybe arrows that move around to point to the bits you’re talking about. Think of this video message as a shorter and simpler version of a Powerpoint presentation, but one where you can tweak the voiceover to make sure you’re saying exactly what you want to say as you’re not live.
Video messages have great potential in business situations, as they can be quicker and more engaging than trying to explain something with words. Check out how to go even further with your videos with our blogs – the sky’s the limit!
A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics found that 85% of employees currently working from home wanted to keep a hybrid model of remote and office work in the future. Siemens is even calling its hybrid option ‘The New Normal Working Model’ and many global brands are working towards a ‘remote first’ structure. However, the UK Government has indicated that it expects a complete return to the office. Here, we take a closer look at hybrid office advantages, disadvantages, and what you can do to implement changes that work for you and your team!
Hybrid office advantages
There are many benefits to adopting a hybrid work model, here are some hybrid office advantages:
It’s inclusive. Barriers such as disabilities, childcare, and transport can be at least partially overcome with this more flexible approach.
Employers have access to a wider talent pool. Not only does home working help break the barriers we mentioned above, it also means that employers can recruit the best candidates from any location.
The ONS survey reported that home-working employees enjoyed an improved work-life balance. Four out of five employers stated that “improved staff wellbeing” was the best reason for continuing with home working.
Productivity can increase thanks to fewer distractions, no wasted commuting time, and employees having more freedom to choose the hours that suit them.
As we now all know, keeping away from the office prevents the spread of viruses and bugs. In 2020, the absence rate among homeworkers was 0.9%, compared with 2.2% among their office-working counterparts.
The lower overheads involved are great news for companies trying to keep their running costs down.
It’s greener – by cutting the amount of daily commuting, companies are helping to reduce carbon emissions. As hybrid office advantages go, this is a big one!
Your facilities manager will tell you that company expansion is a logistical nightmare, impacting everything from parking spaces to fire safety. Hybrid-working employees share onsite facilities, making this a practical and cost-effective way to grow a company.
Communication isn’t as easy. Even a tried-and-trusted platform like Slack isn’t as simple as popping across to someone’s desk.
The UK Office for National Statistics reported that employees found collaboration more difficult while working remotely.
Similarly, there’s a fear that relationships could suffer, whether they’re your informal friendships, your mentorships, or your head-hunting.
It’s not as easy to manage the protocols around working hours, internet security, and the personal use of company equipment.
There are also potential practical problems. For example, how are software and hardware issues fixed?
It could create ‘two classes of employees’ according to Forbes – those who have and have not got the facilities and space to WFH.
Problems such as work-related stress could be harder to spot and support.
Find the best hybrid work method for you
With so many companies already using hybrid working methods, there are plenty of models to learn from. Here are a few suggestions for hybrid-friendly policies and practices that some consider hybrid office advantages:
Microsoft offers all employees the option to work remotely for up to 50% of their hours.
US company Dropbox has a Virtual Tool Kit for its WFH teams.
Lockheed Martin trained all their managers in running a remote workforce, aiming to have 45% of the staff on hybrid contracts.
You could try setting aside different tasks for home and office days. For example, write reports on home days and arrange meetings for office days.
Make use of remote tech, such as XSplit Presenter, which can help you create and annotate a live presentation in the same way that you would in person.
Keep the workplace culture going on home days by allowing for virtual coffee breaks and chances to chat with colleagues.
Explore the range of software designed to help teams collaborate from afar – try XSplit Capture for easy sharing of screenshots and videos.
Do you think a hybrid model could be the future for your workplace? Would it suit your team? Find out more about a hybrid office from an employee’s perspective in our recent blog.
So you’re making a video review or video essay for YouTube but being the content-savvy person you are, you’re going to stream at the same time. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could record gameplay footage while you stream without your camera and overlays in the recording? Well, it would be pretty surprising if I now didn’t explain how to do that, right? Let’s find out how!
Record raw gameplay footage while you stream with XSplit Broadcaster
One of the easiest ways to record gameplay footage while you stream is to use XSplit Broadcaster’s Recording Profiles. First things first we’re going to need to download, install, and set up XSplit Broadcaster. It’s pretty simple but here’s a link to our getting started videos. Here’s the super quick version though, sign up at XSplit.com then head to your dashboard, download Broadcaster, install, log in with the account you just set up with and let the wizard do its thing. Simple, right?
Next, we’re going to need to set up some scenes. First of all, we want to set up our streaming scenes. This is all personal preference of course but having a Starting Soon scene, the main scene, a BRB scene, and a “thanks for watching” scene are the minimum you’ll find useful for streaming
In your main scene you can add your camera, gameplay if that’s coming from the PC you’re on or a console through a capture card and you can add in a link to your overlays or alerts. Quick pro tip from an old Broadcaster pro, you can paste in any link by just hitting ctrl+V. This works for text and images as well so keep that tip in your back pocket!
Now, for our recording, we’re going to want to set up another scene. Call it recording and simply add in your game source. Make it full screen and you are done! Simple. The magic comes when we start using the recording profiles.
First, click record in the top menu, and in the drop-down menu press “set up a new recording output”. From here you can select the scene we just made for the raw gameplay footage in the drop-down menu labeled “Record Target”. I’d suggest setting the Codec to NVENC if you have a compatible NVIDIA graphics card, and setting your quality to Ultra High if you have the hard drive space. You’re recording this gameplay footage while you stream for a video after all, so why not make it look nice?
Getting the settings right
Be sure to bump up the audio quality to 192kbps so it all sounds crisp and be sure to have Force constant frame rate selected. This should be selected as standard but it never hurts to check! One box that won’t be ticked that you want to make sure is ticked is “Create multitrack recording of microphone and system audio”. This will, well, I mean, to quote an old British TV advert, it does what it says on the tin, right? It’s going to create multiple tracks of audio for the recording so, your microphone audio that is going out to the stream? When it comes time to edit your gameplay footage, you can just delete that!
Click “OK” and when you go live just select the new recording output we just set up and you are good to go! You’ll find the file in your recording folder, which if you can’t remember where that is you can click on File, my recordings, and right-click on the recording you just did, and select open file location!
Recording gameplay while you stream is easy, huh?
This feature has been incredibly useful for me a number of times, and back when I was creating more content or reviewing games this would have really come in useful! Recording gameplay footage while you stream and no longer needing to have a separate program running or a piece of separate hardware is great for content creators!
But what tips have you developed as a content creator that have made your life easier? Let us know in the comments below! We’re going to keep making more articles like this with tips to make your life easier so be sure to keep it locked on the XSplit Blog!
If you’re job hunting at the moment, you should be prepared for remote interviews. While there are some advantages to this – no worries about being late due to traffic – there are also risks, including technical problems or accidentally having a cat filter on. Here, we discuss some best practices for having a successful virtual job interview.
Prepare your space for a virtual job interview
While you don’t need to have a dedicated space for the virtual job interview, you do need to make sure that the space you are using shows off your best side and reflects your personality. This means finding, or creating, a spot that is clean and uncluttered. You can then “dress” the space to create a lasting impression. For instance, if you have a hobby that’s relevant to the position you’re interviewing for, you might discreetly place evidence of this in view. You could even go the extra mile and use XSplit VCam to create a background that relates to your work or interests. How about a virtual conference room to demonstrate your professional outlook, or producing your own bespoke image to showcase your creativity?
You also want to make sure the interviewer can see you clearly. Light yourself from the front to avoid displaying as a faceless silhouette. If you have pale or plain walls, you can soften their effect by lighting them with lamps rather than overhead lights. Try to use cool as opposed to warm lighting, as this will give a cleaner, brighter look.
There’s nothing more annoying than lagging internet or getting cut off just as you’re making a brilliant point. You can minimize the risk of this by doing a speed test ahead of time and asking other people in the house to stay offline during your interview. If you have trouble with your WiFi, it can be worth plugging your device directly into the local area network via an ethernet cable.
High-quality audio is another key factor in having a successful virtual job interview. If your built-in microphone isn’t great, consider buying a separate one. It’s fine for this to be in the shot during the interview, but it’s a good idea to make sure it doesn’t obscure your face. Opting for a dynamic microphone will also help you filter out background noise.
When conducting a remote interview or using another communication platform for the first time. Try a test run first to make sure you know all the ins and outs of the app beforehand. You can practice using the features by doing some mock calls with a family member or a friend. XSplit Presenter is compatible with platforms including Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Skype. So, you can use it no matter which one your interview is being conducted on! Plus, you can record your test run and watch it back if you know your questions in advance!
Prepare yourself
Finally, you want to make sure that you are well-prepared for your virtual job interview, just as you would in person. You might want to consider using XSplit Presenter to walk your interviewer through your CV or show any examples of your work – these could be helpful prompts for your conversation, and you’ll be able to highlight your relevant experience in real-time.
Because elements of communication, like body language and tone, can be different when speaking remotely, rehearse for your interview to make sure you are using appropriate pacing and gestures. Research has shown that keeping an open posture and not crossing your arms makes it easier for people to connect with you.
When you speak, you should make eye contact with the interviewer, rather than at the picture-in-picture view of yourself or at your reflection on the screen. If you are using Presenter to appear on the screen while delivering a presentation, look at the material that you’re explaining rather than yourself.
Whether we like it or not, remote interviewing is likely here to stay. Be ready for this eventuality, with the right space, setup and preparation, and you will land that job!
The cameras and mics are checked, you’ve got your games picked out, and your weekly schedule locked in. You’re ready to go live for the first time! Your channel growth may take a while but it’s never too early to start forming the habits of a successful streamer. Here, we highlight some things you shouldn’t do when you start streaming.
Things you shouldn’t do when you start streaming? Not talking enough!
One of the things you shouldn’t do when you start streaming is sit in silence while you’re live. It’s not easy to keep up what can feel like a one-sided conversation, but your audience will be in your channel to hear from you! Extended dead air is one of the top streaming mistakes you can make and may lose you viewers. It can be helpful to remember that your conversation doesn’t need to stay focused on the game you’re playing. Chatting generally about music for a few minutes, for example, can be just as engaging for your audience as analyzing the new Fortnite meta.
Not checking your audio before you start streaming
Another common mistake streamers make when they’re starting out is not double-checking their audio before they go live. Remember, that means checking the audio inputs on each scene as well as general mic checks. Nothing looks worse on stream than switching to a new shot and losing your audio mid-sentence. In XSplit Broadcaster, you can do this when you’re preparing to go live by switching between scenes within the main window and ensuring that you can see the levels moving up and down as you speak on the meter. This is located directly to the left of the microphone.
Another thing you shouldn’t do when you start streaming is not consider what kind of audience you want to have. Starting out, it can be really hard to kick one toxic viewer when you only have six viewers total. But your chat is inevitably going to follow your lead with how they treat you, and, maybe more importantly, how they treat each other. The best way to build a great community is to play the long game and make it your goal from the first time you go live to have an audience you really enjoy spending time with, and that will grow with you as a creator.
Going crazy on gear!
It can be very tempting to see streaming as an arms race, where if you don’t have the latest camera, the best monitor, or the fastest computer, you’ll never be successful. The truth is that the most important thing to upgrade when you’re just starting out is your own performance. So, take some time to really think before you sink cash into your stream, do two things: First, ask yourself “what am I going to get in return for this investment?” And second, check out our thoughts on good gear options for new streamers here to get you on the right track.
Not asking your viewers for feedback
Your stream is ultimately in your hands, but you listening to feedback with an open mind is a great way to grow as a creator. Massive international companies spend incredible amounts of money to get user feedback all the time! You have an advantage in that your “users” are always right there in front of you, so ask them about your stream from time to time. You can start simply by using polls for basic questions, like “what game should I play?” Or use some of your time on stream to speak directly with viewers who seem invested in what you’re doing.
We are living in an age of rapid developments in remote working as employers and employees alike are realising the many benefits of working remotely, at least part of the time. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges as well, many of which have to do with technology. To help, we’ve taken a look at some of the best work from home apps to support teams in staying productive and efficient, even when working at a distance from one another.
Guaranteeing a slick presentation
Nothing will ruin a meeting or presentation faster than background noise. Handily, Krisp is on hand. This AI-powered noise-cancelling tech suppresses pesky ambient noises picked up by your microphone. It offers one-button operation and, since all audio processing takes place locally on your device, it also guarantees your privacy. Better yet, the basic app is available for free.
Of course, our own XSplit Presenter is one of the best tools out there for making your delivery super polished when you have to present online. Use it to insert your webcam into a presentation, add in a virtual pointer to quickly draw focus. Even annotate your presentation in real-time if a colleague thinks of something brilliant to include mid-meeting. You’ll also find it makes it hassle-free to import from Microsoft Powerpoint or Google Slides, add videos, websites, connect to other platforms as you present and even bring in guests!
Those who take privacy seriously will also be glad to know XSplit VCam allows you to remove, replace and blur your background with any webcam, and without the need for expensive green screens and complicated lighting setups. This alone makes it, in our opinion, one of the best work from home apps!
The best work from home apps for you and your team.
As collaboration tools become more common, so do apps designed to manage those collaboration tools. One of the most talked about is Figma, an interface design system for team-based creative projects. Already a staple in design-related industries, the company’s FigJam app is an online whiteboard. This makes it easy for teams to creatively brainstorm together, so you can enjoy all the benefits of close collaboration from afar.
If you’re also finding it difficult to manage projects in synchronous chat platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams can help. If you’re looking for an all-in-one project management tool, ClickUp that lets you keep everything in one place. Import your work from other productivity apps, organise it however you want, and create your own view. ClickUp allows you to manage docs, spreadsheets, time tracking, and more. It also offers an excellent free plan.
If you’re struggling to get a real sense of exactly how you’re using your time while working remotely, you might consider Rescue Time, perhaps one of the best productivity apps available. It’s an automated tracker that monitors the time you spend on apps, internet sites, and even individual files. It then generates detailed reports about exactly where your time’s going to help you understand and manage your performance. What’s more, you can even track offline time to create a complete picture of your day and a free version is available.
While working from home is great for productivity, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s just not the same as seeing each other face to face, especially when it comes to connecting with colleagues on a personal level. If you’re a team manager looking for ways to help your remote team connect, consider Donut. It works in Slack and allows you to create virtual water cooler meetings, CEO coffee lotteries, peer learning events, DEI discussions, and more.
As remote working evolves, new tools and apps will continue to appear, aiming to improve your remote working experience and performance and keep your team productive and efficient. Staying current will help you choose the best tools for your particular needs!
There are many different ways to build a brand identity. Content creation for brands is an excellent method for generating visibility and interest, as well as finding new audiences. You can build a greater connection with your customers by making content that shows who you are, what you represent, and what your goals are. So, what are some of the best strategies to use for content creation?
Use content creation to tell a story
A well-presented brand story is a very effective marketing tool. Storytelling helps people to learn new information because narratives are easy to remember. Research shows that neural activity increases when listening to a story, as the brain’s sensory cortex is stimulated. This enables the listener to feel, hear, taste, and even smell the story – and you can harness this for your brand.
A compelling and authentic narrative can build connections, loyalty, and interest. For example, for its 2016 ‘Live There‘ campaign, Airbnb developed content that told the stories of its customers rather than its business, to create the idea that Airbnb was not just about property rental, but about its global community. Their storytelling encouraged potential customers to see themselves as part of this community.
Framing your story in an original way can help to differentiate your brand. Take software company Zendesk, which created an “anti-content” video featuring a fictional rock band called Zendesk Alternative. By poking fun at themselves, Zendesk seemed more relatable, and in turn, this humorous angle made the content very sharable. Content creation for brands will allow you to show your target audience that you share their values.
While stories provide a way to relay facts using an entertaining narrative, there are a lot of stories out there – hundreds of millions of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts are published daily. That’s a lot of content.
In order to differentiate yourself, you could consider creating branded content that stands out from regular social media posts. You could start by using XSplit Broadcaster to create compelling videos, podcasts, and live-streaming events. This software lets you create rich content, broadcasting it as it happens with handy features like professional scene switching and multiple audio tracks. You can emphasize community development by creating content around your customers and their needs. For example, if you are a travel company, you could post video journals from the point of view of your holidaying customers.
Or, you could consider incorporating augmented reality features into your content marketing. These could be simple – AMC Theatres allows users of their app to scan movie posters to receive information like cast lists and trailers; or more complex – Sephora created an AR experience that lets customers virtually “try on” their makeup products. Anything that builds a connection between you your customers will help grow your brand.
Use content creation to define your values
It is no longer enough to have a great product – consumers also want brands to reflect their own values and identity. Developing content that reflects your values will help you to keep customers engaged and excited about your brand. Your content, and the channels you use to push that content, should align with the interests and concerns of your target audience.
This may mean going where your customers are and publishing content where they will be most likely to see it. It also means being realistic with what you produce – anything that looks too idealized and “perfect” will come across as inauthentic. You could consider including imperfections in your content, such as pairing untouched photos with humorous copy, to demonstrate that your brand is genuine or that it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
You can also use content to engage in conversations with your customers by sharing news, seeking feedback, asking questions, and demonstrating that you are listening by answering. From telling your unique brand story to defining your values to differentiating yourself from the crowd, you can grow your customer base by creating unique videos, podcasts and live streams.
