Live-streaming has become an unprecedented force in today's social media landscape. From providing personal access to the consumer, to being the center of controversy, it's hard to ignore the feature that has become one of the most popular forms of video consumption today. In fact, Facebook Live videos are watched 3x longer than regular videos, drawing more engagement in a spur of a moment.
But 'going live' is not enough to guarantee your content will succeed anymore. For starters, every person with access to a smartphone can easily produce a live video, meaning there's a lot of content to choose from. Secondly, brands are subject to increased competition; With platforms like Facebook and Twitter opening their live-streaming API to the public, larger brands can afford to spend more money on better setups and professional-grade cameras - which makes redirecting eyeballs to your content harder than ever before.
But despite the increasing competition, mobile live-streaming can still provide you with the edge to make your video marketing efforts succeed. For example, camera quality on modern day smartphones provides clear video that even compares to higher budget cameras, but in addition to this, there are plenty of affordable accessories which, when connected into a proper rig, will enable you to create high quality live-stream content, akin to what you would expect from a camera worth a few thousand dollars.
To that end here's a list of live-streaming setups designed to give you a competitive advantage without breaking the bank. Each rig contains these essentials: mount/tripods for proper stability, lighting , and microphones, and additional accessories that will increase production value.
As you can see, it is possible to produce high quality, stand out live-stream content without breaking the bank. Here are the tools you should consider.
Setup #1 (Total: $255)
- Mount: iOgrapher Case ($60)
- Tripod : Ravelli APGL4 ($60)
- Lighting: Godex LED ($20)
- Microphone: Rode VideoMic Go ($100)
- Cable to connect to iPhone: Rode SC7 ($15)
- Accessories: Lens: iOgrapher 37mm Wide Angle Lens ($40)
Setup #2 (Total: $292-390)
- Mount: Shoulderpod X1 Pro Rig ($130)
- Alternative: Shoulderpod R2 Pocket Rig ($85)
- Tripod/Phone Mount: Shoulderpod S1 Rig ($35)
- Lighting: Genaray LED-6200T ($139) (Alternative: LUMIMUSE 6 LED Light ($87))
- Microphone: Rode VideoMic Me ($60)
- Accessories: Microphone Windshield: Rode WS9 Deluxe Windshield ($25), Lens: olloclip 4-IN-1 Clips ($80), Bluetooth Remote to start/stop videos: HISY Bluetooth Remote ($25)
Setup #3 (Total: $449)
- Mount:Shoulderpod X1 Pro Rig ($130) (Alternative: Shoulderpod R2 Pocket Rig ($85))
- Tripod/Phone Mount: Shoulderpod S1 Rig ($35)
- Lighting: Genaray LED-6200T ($139) (Alternative: LUMIMUSE 6 LED Light ($87))
- Microphone: Rode VideoMic Me ($60)
Setup #4 (Total: $465)
- Mount: Padcaster Cage System ($140)
- Tripod: Padcaster VT-16 Fluid Head Tripod ($160)
- Lighting: F&V Lighting K320 LED Light ($65)
- Microphone: IK Multimedia iRig Mic HD ($100)
- Accessories: Live:Air App
Our last setup is curated by Geoff Golberg, a popular Periscope livestreamer and influencer. Geoff's setup is more on the expensive side, but the video and quality are second to none, and recommended for those with the budget to spare.
Setup #5 (Total: $698)
- Base: DJI Osmo X3 ($509)
- Mount: DJI Universal Mount ($25)
- Lighting: Manfrotto Lumimuse 6 LED Light ($70)
- Microphone: Rode VideoMicro ($60)
- Mic Mount: Osmo Quick Release 360 ($9)
- Accessories: DJI Extension Arm ($25)
There's no definitive right way to put these elements together, but if you really want to stand out and attract viewers - and keep them watching your live-stream content - it's worth going the extra mile to ensure your broadcast quality is top notch.