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Creative Strategies for Live Go beyond Q&A and create a hit live streaming format.

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Why does the idea have to be live?

InteractiveSuspenseful

Shared experienceNever before seen

Audiences like to watch streams that are

Dynamic

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Play a Game Embrace the Unknown Hold a Competition

NoahJ456 made ‘YouTuber Fights’, where two YouTubers wrestle in sumo suits. This worked especially well because it had short rounds, so viewers could easily catch up.

Indie band Moones gave a cash prize for finding a secret London location. The more views the stream got, the further the camera zoomed out. See this article for details.

Live works best when the creator and audience have the same level of knowledge. The classic unboxing format is even better live, as nobody knows exactly what’s inside.

1. Keep the audience in suspense

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Vote for an outcome Speak to the hostTake Suggestions

What’s Inside asked their audience to put #Dab or #Link in the live chat, and whoever got more votes had to jump in the pool with their clothes on.

Beardyman took audience suggestions (both from a live audience and from live chat) for song titles and lyrics as he created an album in an hour.

UnboxTherapy did a call in show with a ‘burner’ phone. By using the speakerphone setting, no additional equipment was required to set up the stream.

2. Let the audience interact

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Get pre-production help Get a co-hostGet production help

Before his stream Philip DeFranco has a member of his team pick out comments and set up graphics, so he can respond authentically to them live.

Soldier Knows Best streamed from the RNC. He had a friend go around the floor, speak with delegates and ask them to go into the shot to maintain the pace of the stream.

Hannah, Grace and Mamrie help maintain energy and flow, especially within this longer stream. One can be telling a story to camera, while the others read and select comments to read out.

3. Keep it dynamic

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Inspirational places Exclusive accessAmazing experiences

Ben Brown took his audience onto a sailing boat in Rio, and got caught in a storm.

LosPolinesios freed turtles on a beach in Mexico.

Kat McDowell takes her audience through an intimate behind the scenes tour of her recording setup.

4. Take your audience where they’ve never been before

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With a video game With a performance With a video

eSports, like the League of Legends World Championship keeps viewers on the edge of their seats as much as traditional sports.

By watching her YTO documentary and answering questions, Lily added a whole new dimension to the film.

Hank Green performed cover songs and let his audience suggest which song he should play next.

5. Create a shared experience for your audience

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Consider a live stream idea that’s similar to what viewers expect

from your channel.

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Interactive Suspense

What's Inside added in elements to make their normal VOD format work better live.

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Dan first asked viewers to vote on who will have to jump in the pool at the end of the stream.

What could be inside the ball? Who will have to jump in the pool?

Dynamic

The stream contains two hosts (one big one small) with great natural chemistry, plus camera and comments support.

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