It’s easy for nearly anyone to start live streaming, but not quite as easy to do it with professionalism and success. Thankfully, a crash course in novice mistakes can help you avoid making the same slip-ups when you’re trying to stream to an audience. Whether you’re gaming, teaching, or hosting a company event, these are the top mistakes to avoid when live streaming professionally.

Forgetting To Test Your Setup

Never forget to do a test run before going live. If you begin streaming and your video quality is choppy or your audio is messy, engaging your audience will be harder. Test runs give you the chance to confirm that your equipment, such as cameras, microphones, and lights, is working the way it should be. Furthermore, tests give you a look at how your software and internet connection is performing. That way, if something’s wrong—from an incorrect video setting to a broken wire—you can find a swift solution before going live.

Not Prioritizing Your Platform

The platform you choose to host your stream is more important than you might expect. For instance, not every platform will offer the same customer support options. Taking the time to find a platform that offers 24/7 customer support means that if something goes wrong during the stream, a professional can help you find a solution.

If you don’t prioritize customer support, you might find yourself without 24/7 assistance. This is only one of the many factors to consider when choosing a streaming platform. You also have to think about how accessible the platform is to your audience, how comfortable it is to use, which hardware you can use with it, and what special options you can access (live chat monitoring, video archiving, etc.) Each platform will differ slightly, which can have a significant effect on your stream’s overall quality.

Using Cheap Equipment

One of the top mistakes to avoid when live streaming professionally is using mid-to-low quality equipment. If you’re streaming for professional purposes, you have to use professional-grade gear for your audience to take you seriously. Spend time researching the best cameras, lighting tech, encoders, microphones, and other essential streaming gear before purchasing any. Investing in the best tech means you can host one of the best streams on the platform. That sounds like a big goal, but you can achieve it with the right level of effort.

Professional streaming doesn’t just come down to buying high-quality gear; you have to learn the right practices for using that gear in the field. For instance, as a professional streamer, you must learn how to get the best performance from your lighting setup. By getting the best performance possible from your gear, you can create the best stream possible for your audience.