Equipment for successful Live Shopping

Streaming live on Facebook and Instagram has become a must for many businesses. So, if you are not doing it yourself, then give it a try. The great thing about live shopping is that you can start doing it just by simply using your smartphone. And you can do absolutely great just like that. But if you want to level up the game, have no noise issues, or just stand out, we have gathered some input to technical practices for a successful live selling session. Continue reading and discover what camera, audio equipment, and lights we recommend.

Basic considerations before live streaming

No matter the platform you wish to stream on, there are a few basic things you should consider setting up your session:

• The background – make the atmosphere as friendly and familiar as possible. A good idea would be to show a nice corner of your shop or include your latest arrivals in the back.
• Camera – a video source must be linked to our streaming platform of choice. Start by doing a session right from your smartphone and take it from there ‍
• Audio equipment – it’s best to practice testing your audio settings and noise level before going live. If your audience can’t hear you, it will have a negative impact on their viewing experience. ‍
• Recording – make a try-out recording. This way, you will be more relaxed when the actual event takes place. ‍
• Other accessories – these might include lighting and tripods.  ‍
• Internet connection – make sure you have a stable connection so that you don’t get any interruptions during your event. 4G on your smartphone is often more stable than Wi-Fi, but make sure to test it. Or perhaps a portable Wi-Fi device can help. ‍
• Streaming platform – this is the place where your video will go on air. It’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or maybe a combination.

Now that the basics are covered, let’s dive deeper into each one of these key aspects.

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Choosing the background of your Facebook or Instagram Live

The background of your Instagram or Facebook live video should be spot on. You want to build trust with your audience and make people feel at home, so picking the right place for your live is essential. Maybe you have a cosy corner in your shop, which your clients love, or maybe you have just added a new collection to your offer that you want to highlight during your show. Think of something that your customers like and appreciate and add it to your video. By this, you will create a personal experience for them, and you will also build trust, and what can be better than loyal customers who come back for more?

Streaming equipment for all budgets

If you’re new to live shopping, you don’t have to worry about making big initial investments. If you’re not sure what to use, keep reading to understand the essentials of the equipment you’ll be needing.

Starter equipment for every beginner

Going live is easy. You can use your tablet, smartphone, or even your webcam. To make your image more stable, you might want to add a tripod, but we’ll tell you more about it further down. Using basic everyday technologies is the fastest way to start broadcasting. The setup is familiar and it will be just like video chatting with your friends. Only difference is that when streaming directly on Facebook or Instagram a few more people are watching. However, there are some limitations to this, like missing options to add overlays or changing between angels.

Going all-in with your video equipment

When you want to go all the way with your Facebook Live camera equipment, then you can go for multiple pro cameras. This setup requires much more equipment than just the 2-3 cameras. Tripods, video encoder, video splitter, audio mixer and computer graphics software to mention a few, so we don’t recommend this option if you don’t want to make big investments.  

If you use a professional camera for your Facebook Live, you must connect it to the social media platform. For this, you will need live streaming software and a signal converter box. We recommend following these 5 easy steps:

• Connect your camera to your signal converter box.
• Check if you can send a signal from your camera to your laptop.
• Access your live streaming software.
• Go to Facebook and add the live streaming software.
• Check your signal and confirm you’re transmitting on the social media platform.

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Adding the best audio equipment for Live Shopping events

You will need audio equipment in your sessions if your camera’s microphone isn’t that great, if you are in noisy surroundings or if you’re going to stay far away from your camera. If you’re sitting close to the camera and there is no background noise, then you will most likely not need an external microphone. Keep in mind that audiences sometimes tolerate bad video quality, but not bad audio quality. Therefore, you should check the audio settings in your Facebook Live or Instagram session and how your videos look and sound before starting to broadcast.  

Depending on the format of your event and your camera’s audio quality, you can use several types of microphones:

• regular mic – a standard microphone connected by cable to your camera device;
• Lavalier / wireless mic – connects to your camera device or audio mixer through Bluetooth so you are free to move;
• mic on a boom stick – when you don’t want the microphone to appear in the video.

Making a try-out recording for your Facebook or Instagram Live  

Before you do your actual event, you should check that all your settings are in place. An effective way to do this is to do a try-out recording for Facebook Live where you rehearse for your show. Once you do this, you can see what goes right and what you need to improve. The great thing about this is that you can repeat it in front of the camera as many times as you like. Besides understanding best angles, you can also become familiar with all the Instagram or Facebook Live settings, so that they are known for the actual live session. This way, you can rest assured knowing your first show will be a remarkable success.

Adding other live streaming accessories for successful live shopping

For a great session, you can add some other accessories too. The first thing that you can include in your event is lighting because this improves the quality of your video and adds the right contrast to your filming. There are several types of lights you can use:

• Key light – illuminates the speaker.
• Fill light – eliminates shadows.
• Backlight – creates contrast.

If you have a small or medium-sized business that has limited resources, then you should focus only on the ring light to highlight the details on your videos. As the ring light produces a halo shadow it will help you outline the host in your video.

Another piece of equipment you might need is tripods. These will support your camera and lights, and we recommend that you have them at least for your camera if you don’t have a cameraman.  

If you’re filming with a professional camera, you will also need an encoding device because you must convert your video into a digital format that can be broadcast on streaming platforms. You have two options: a hardware encoder or a computer with encoding software installed.

Connecting your live stream to a high-speed internet connection

Securing an entertaining video is just half the battle in Live Sales. For a successful show, you will need an internet connection that is fast and stable.  

How to stream on Facebook and Instagram Live at the same time?  

Once you make sure all the technical settings are in place, you need to decide where you will go on air. Sprii supports your streaming on both Facebook and Instagram. What is even greater with Sprii is that you can go live on both platforms at the same time. This is a tremendous advantage as you will be able to sell more with no added effort. Even more, on Facebook, Sprii supports your sales hours after your event has ended, so you can keep on selling long after the session is done.

Getting ready for an unforgettable live sale  

Prepare your equipment, turn on the camera, and get ready to record! But first…

• Rehearse – Create your script and rehearse it so that you make sure everything goes right when you first start streaming to your audience. ‍
• Plan – Decide on the products you want to present in your show. Know exactly what you want to talk about as you want to keep your viewers entertained. ‍
• Customers – Know who your customers are so that you can give them the kind of video content they are looking for.  

Final thoughts

The equipment you use for streaming is important, but your personality is even more. Most people have a 2 min time span in which you must capture their attention. Without the right content, you risk losing your audience. No matter the camera you’re using, remember to practice beforehand and feel relaxed during your event. If you’re new to this, use the tips and tricks we gathered in this article or try it with the support from Sprii.