ENDAVO BLOG

The New World Order of Live Events

By Jason Anderson

From a sea of flickering flames swaying to Dylan’s “Blowin’ In the Wind” to thousands of iPhone lighter apps bouncing to the tunes of Lady Gaga, there’s no doubt that live concerts (and live events, in general) have changed dramatically. But you haven’t seen anything yet.

Live streaming events are a booming industry—with concerts and music fests leading the way. Just look at the Foo Fighters, who drew in 440,000 live streams to a Web-only show. Or take the live stream of a U2 concert last fall watched by nearly seven million people.

Soon fans will be able to watch concerts anywhere, anytime and on multiple devices. And for content producers, broadcasters and telcos, opportunity (and audience) awaits. Live events can generate revenue and offer greater audience interaction and user flexibility. Consider the following:

The TV, Internet and Mobile Collide. Concerts are no longer limited to stadiums, arenas and auditoriums. Performers are now reaching larger audiences through live streaming and on-demand video (via TVs, PCs, and smart phones).

Local to Global. Local concerts now service their nearby market and go global through live streaming—creating new opportunities for monetization. Take Endavo-powered TheCoolTV, which broadcasts live localized events and offers a vast library of classic concerts on demand. Through a partnership with Sinclair Television Group, TheCoolTV is expanding to 34 new markets to reach 23 million new homes. Those markets will be able to view killer content on TV with folks around the world tuning in online. The plus side: more audience almost always means more ad dollars.;

Social Media Integration. Live streaming events also open the door to big-time audience engagement. Case in point: at this year’s Grammy Awards more than 135,000 Grammy-related tweets were generated--that night! Live streaming events combined with social media greatly boosts brand awareness leading to higher revenues.

While times are a changin’, content producers haven’t yet missed the global audience train. Give us a call to learn more about how hosting live streaming events can build your brand online and beyond.

Endavo to “Rock The Camp” with Interactive Music Contest

Move over, American Idol. The new tune of music competitions is here—and it’s more interactive than ever before. Rock The Camp, a national talent search, is looking for the next big thing, and it’s turning to online video (and Endavo) to do it.

Already nearly 600 bands have signed up, and the site has received more than a quarter of a million views. What’s more: The content has attracted a host of big-name sponsors and 10,000 registered members.

The prizes aren’t bad, either. The winner opens for multi-platinum music artist TobyMac in Nashville, receives a recording session with Grammy Award-winning producer Paul Ebersold, and performs on the K-LOVE Friends & Family Music Cruise.

Through the end of February, bands across the country can upload a video or MP3 through Endavo Media’s Platform. Fans then register and vote on their favorite performers (through the end of March), and the top ten entries are judged by leading industry professionals.

This hits all the right notes for content producers. Rock The Camp has secured sponsors and advertisers, is capturing valuable user information and is creating brand awareness across the nation. And all this Idol-like buzz required was some user-generated content, a custom-branded look and a healthy dose of creativity.

Been There, Streamed That: 3 Lessons Learned

By Jason Anderson

Well, I'm back! I returned from the 2009 Lifelight Music Festival in Sioux Falls, S.D. a couple weeks ago, and I'm already looking forward to next year's event. To say the least, I had an amazing trip. The bands were great, the crowd was full of energy and the experience was unforgettable. But even more exciting than being out there with 300,000 fans was knowing that I was a part of something bigger.

For the first time in their 12-year history, LifeLight wanted to offer live streaming concert coverage to fans across the nation during the 3-day festival. So, you better believe that we were there to make it happen. So while live events are fresh on my mind, I wanted to share a few tips to help make your next online video live event a success. Sure, every live broadcast is going to be different in terms of venue, content, audience, production, budget, schedule, etc. But there are a few fundamental things that it’s always good to remind yourself of when preparing for your event.

1) Internet Connection is King

When planning a major online event, be sure to repeatedly test your live online connection strength prior to your event. This can easily be accomplished by connecting a DVD player or other video source to your streaming computer and to check out the quality of your broadcast. Don't take your internet provider's word on your upload speed -- inspect it personally.

2) Cameras, Computers and Coding, Oh My!

Prior to a live online event, be sure to test the quality of your input and output devices (cameras, encoders, etc.) to guarantee a flawless end-user experience.  Remember, the live stream can only ever be as good as your original source.  Also, try to dedicate a computer solely to the live online broadcast, and have a back-up. 

3) Ready, Set, Subscribe!

Be sure to set up an automatic subscription process through your live broadcast/video on-demand platform. This will streamline the user registration and log-in process, and simplify the way you manage registrations. By keep it simple, you’ll not only increase the number of people who subscribe but also increase the quality of the experience. Then, your audience can enjoy the event, without getting hung up during the registration process.

More live event tips to come. In the meantime, thanks to the incredible folks at Lifelight Festival. See you next year!

LifeLight Music Festival 2009 Teams Up with Endavo Media to Stream Live Concert Footage Online

By Jason Anderson

These days, live online streaming is hotter than ever. Take the LifeLight Festival, the largest free Christian music festival in the U.S. happening this Labor Day weekend. Last year, over 320,000 fans gathered on a grassy plain in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the free outdoor concert. This year, the event will extend far beyond the Mount Rushmore state-- it's going online to a live global audience.

LifeLight will broadcast nearly 30 hours of live music to paid subscribers over three days in stunning audio and video quality. During the live broadcast, fans will see interactive banner advertisements for the on-stage artists' latest CDs, future concert tickets and more. Between acts, LifeLight fans will also have the opportunity to enjoy music videos from their favorite bands or cruise back to the LifeLight main website to find out more about their non-profit ministry.

So what does this have to do with your brand or, for that matter, your band?

Now is the best time to consider new ways to reach your audience. Think about it -- how do you to connect with clients, fans and others in real-time? Live online broadcasting within a custom-branded environment will build a lasting relationship with your audience, especially if you're featuring niche events for dedicated fans and followers.

While some of the video sharing sites do offer to host your live broadcasts, you better be prepared to give up control over your revenue and your brand. So if you’re serious, stop reaching for their “carrot on a stick” and begin fully capitalizing on live event opportunities to connect with your fans with your own platform. Learn from LifeLight's cost-effective, custom-branded efforts and capture your own dedicated fan base using live online broadcasting.

Bringing Concert DVDs Online - Broadcasting Live Video From the Stage

By Jason Anderson
A few weeks ago I trekked to Pagosa Springs, Colorado for our annual "man trip" featuring paintball, Texas Hold 'Em and plenty of Wii. Concert DVDs by Matchbox 20, Eric Clapton and Rush provided the soundtrack for our extravaganza.

If you're a music lover or just a big fan of a special group of bands, you've no doubt plunked down $35 or more for these concert DVDs, which according to our trip DJ--whom himself is a killer percussionist--is the next best thing to being at the show. This from a guy who's seen literally hundreds of concerts including U2, Elton John, Tim McGraw, Rush, Billy Joel and many more.

Frankly, it amazes me that such a solid musician and huge audiophile would want to see his favorite bands on the small screen. But my friend's love for concert DVDs got the gerbel in my head back on its wheel...

Why don't bands stream live from the stage and sell online season passes to all of their shows? Unless fans are utter Dead Heads, Parrot Heads and/or perpetually unemployed, they won't be able to make it to every show. Broadcasting live video from concerts can solve this problem. With the advent of synching your computer with your TV, killer home audio and unbelievably fast broadband access, any true fan should be able to see every show.

Imagine a concert DVD that features every tour stop! How much would you spend on that? $49.95? $99.95? More?

And what about music festivals? Imagine Alive Fest, Lilith Fair and the thousands of other music fests--either with several stops or one multi-day show--offering live online concert packages! Add to that user-gen contests leading up to the show and fan video uploads after the show(s) and you've got a recipe for huge fan response and big revenue! Did I mention online title, video advertising and banner sponsorships by existing sponsors?!?

The concert DVD was just the beginning. Now it's time for bands, promoters and fans to bring the show online.

Never Been A Better Time To Be An Indie!

By Stephen Wilkes

Being an indie artist these days comes with amazing new opportunities for success—real money-making opportunities not previously available to indie artists. But there are stiff challenges too — like building your own brand, growing your own fan base and making your own money.

Achieving success depends on differentiating your music brand from the competition. And effectively utilizing social media and new technologies can help Independent artists break through the music industry clutter.

Look, as an artist you’re a content producer — be it songs, music, pictures or videos. Question is: What are you doing with your content?  Where does it go? Who sees it? Sure, some merely upload their videos to YouTube where they might generate a few hits. But what happens to your brand? And how do you make money from your content?

Having an online video platform helps independent artists stand out, attract new fans and succeed financially. An Internet TV platform provides control over content and brand. Your fans can get social tools for interacting with each other and for inviting more people to share in your content. They can even upload their own videos and pictures taken at your events. And you keep control over your content, audience and how you make money from it.

It’s true, many indie artists today use free Web sites. So, how do you make money that way? YOU DON’T! But you can with your own branded Internet TV platform.

Your platform provides a place for you to connect with fans in an environment that screams your brand.  You can charge a small fee to be part of your fan club, if you choose.  You can provide premium content for members only. You can promote your albums, merch or upcoming concerts. You can even sell ‘tickets’ to shows that you will then stream live and make some extra cash on people who can’t be physically presents at your events. The point is, you choose.

Have you thought about the ads on the social sites you are on? How come you aren’t generating significant revenue from them? Well with your own online video platform you can negotiate your own rates with advertisers and sponsors and start making real money.

Look for our next post soon on more ideas to help indie artist make money with their own Internet TV platform.