The Perfect Live Stream Length (and other useful tips)

Does streaming longer equal more money? What is the right time to stream for? Here we answer these and other important questions to help live streamers get the most out of their time in front of the camera.

Intro into the Best Live Stream Length

Why do most people stream? You can ask one thousand streamers and get one thousand answers, but they essentially boil down to two main reasons. People are either looking to connect, or looking to make money.

Does it work? As of this writing, it’s been phenomenal for many people around the world! As a sign of its efficacy, streaming is poised to become a $184 billion industry by 2027.

While most sites have more than enough information explaining what kind of equipment to buy, or what sort of topics to stream about, it seems that nobody is answering the question that everyone is asking: how long should you stream for?

So let’s dive in and answer this important question. Additionally, we’re going to go over these important subjects as well:

• Why the right Live Stream is ideal for creating connections
• How Stream Time relates to making money
• Unique data on stream time based on the popular Tango streaming app
• How to overcome obstacles that stop your from streaming longer
• Turning Live Streaming into a living

Connecting on Live Stream

It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago that social media was the newest thing. Today, social media is so popular that it’s actually strange to meet someone who doesn’t have an account on at least one social network. Social media does have one major flaw however:

It doesn’t really create deep and honest connections.

Sure, it’s still a great way to share information, connect with old friends, and spread news – both personal and global. However, social media doesn’t allow strangers to connect in a way that allows for a real friendship to develop and blossom. Let’s let comedian Tom Segura explain just how important those deep connections really are:

“‘Are people the same everywhere?’ No. Some places suck and they have ******* people. I just gave you a sociology degree… Here’s one universal truth about people, though. This one is true, and that is that everybody just wants to connect. It doesn’t matter where you go, or what language you speak, people just want to connect.” -Tom Segura

The Success of the Live Stream

Where social media fails, live streaming succeeds. Streaming gives everyone a chance to meet people and develop real friendships and relationships with them. A lot of that has to do with the power of LIVE!

Going live means that things are more authentic, that people are communicating in real time, and that nobody has a chance to perfectly form and curate their answers to make them sound smarter or wittier than they really are. You’re getting a real person. Live and uncut.

Like every relationship between two people, it takes time and the right chemistry. In order to build those relationships and find the people who you like and like your stream, you need to keep the camera on for longer. Think of it like fishing, the longer you’re fishing, the better the odds you’ll catch something.

Make Money Streaming Live

It’s no secret that the internet provides endless avenues for anyone to make a full time living, and streaming is yet another proven way to earn. The difference between earning money streaming live vs something like setting up a YouTube channel is that you can start making money right away.

Seriously, from the moment you open up your phone and start your first stream you can actually make money right then and there. YouTube requires that you first have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in the last 12 months before you earn a single dollar. We’re not just picking on YouTube either, most online opportunities are like this. Not streaming though.

In order to take advantage of those streaming benefits you need to be streaming for the right amount of time. That leads us to our next question:

What is the Right Amount of Streaming Time?

According to our research at Tango, the streamers who made the most amount of money in July 2021 streamed for an average of 56 minutes per stream.

Meanwhile, the top 1000 highest-earning streamers did so for 51 minutes. Just a five minute difference was all it took to separate the top 100 highest-earning streamers from the 1000 highest.

The main point is that the streamers making the most amount of money on Tango were streaming for around an hour. It is important to point out though that many of these “high earners” have been streaming for a long time by now. As a result, they tend to have a lot of followers.

Before we go on and show you how much a new streamer earns based on streaming time, we need to make sure everyone understands monetization on Tango.

learn from the Chart

So what can we learn just from looking at this chart? Clearly the hour mark makes a significant difference when it comes to earning money.

When streamers go for longer than an hour they’re earning nearly 3 times as much money as those who stop before the hour. Those Tango streamers have the potential to earn upwards of 3,000 diamonds in just a single day.

Based on this data, someone who streams for several hours 2 days in a row has the possibility of already making their first $25 redemption. That’s money that you earn without having to invest in equipment, or even pay any money for a website or anything else. It’s money being earned right away, and it’s just the beginning.

So Why Aren’t People Streaming Longer?

The first and main reason is that if you’re just starting out, it takes time to learn how to stream. At the beginning you’re just going to be learning the basics and getting comfortable being in front of the camera. Over time, as you get more relaxed and confident, streaming longer will come more naturally.

The second reason is that, at the beginning, you’re not going to have a loyal fan base. Sure, people will filter in and out of your stream, but they likely aren’t going to stay long, especially if they don’t see anybody else watching your stream too (group psychology also works in live streaming).

So what happens to most early streamers?

They get discouraged, they feel stupid or awkward, and so they turn off the stream and go do something else. Rather than just sticking to it for another hour, they give up on that potential money when they don’t have to.

How to Stream for More Time

There’s really no secret trick to this, all you have to do is not turn off the camera during your stream (duh). Easier said than done of course, but that really is the number one rule.

In order to keep your stream rolling, and keep the money and followers flowing your way, we’ve gone ahead and compiled a few easy steps in order to help you lengthen your stream without it feeling too awkward.

Prepare and Practice Before Going Live

Rather than just trying to wing it and hoping for the best, you’re much better off if you take the time to prepare and practice. Write down what you want to say and do in your stream, then say it in front of the mirror.

You don’t necessarily have to do an entire hour’s worth of streaming, but just having a game plan is going to make everything much easier than doing streaming improv.

Make it a show

Rather than streaming the same thing for hours on end, you can break your live-stream into segments. For instance, you could include challenges, giveaways, a dance routine, or a quiz show. You could also set up a discussion on what you are streaming about or the video that you are playing.

Add value to what you are doing

When it comes to long hours of streaming, it is important to keep your fans entertained since at the end of the day, they are investing their time in you.

One way you can do this is by showing your viewers that there is a reason why you are doing what you are doing. For instance, you could add value to your stream by supporting a charity, in which case you will end up attracting new viewers who are looking to rally behind somebody who is live-streaming for a good cause.

Don’t be afraid to take breaks

If, for instance, you have decided to challenge yourself with a 24-hour live stream, then taking well-deserved breaks will help you to keep going. You can take a break to have a snack or water to keep you energized. You can take a 15-minute break, during which you can leave your audience to play a mini-game or to answer open-ended questions until you return.

Conclusion

There are a ton of ways to lengthen your stream time and earn extra money. One of the most important things to remember though is not to let yourself get burnt out doing this. Ultimately, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

At the beginning you’re going to have a ton of motivation. If you start streaming for hours and hours at the beginning you’ll eventually get tired. Figure out a way to incorporate streaming into your daily life and you’ll have a much easier and enjoyable time accomplishing your streaming goals!

Q&A

What is the world’s longest stream?

According to Guinness World Records the longest stream ever lasted 259 hours, 46 minutes and 45 seconds – over 10 days! This was accomplished by Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (China) in Chongqing, China, from 16 to 27 December 2020.

Does Tango have a time limit?

Unlike other streaming apps, Tango does not have a time limit for streaming. You are able to stream for as long as you want without interruption. If you do exit out of your stream you will lose whatever audience you’ve gained during that session, meaning that you’re better off staying in one stream for a lengthy period of time.

How many days a week should you stream?

If you’re looking to get financial support as an artist then you need to be streaming at least 3 hours a day everyday. That being said, we would recommend that you stream for as much as you feel comfortable with, and no longer. If your schedule only allows for 3 days then do that. However, the best results are generally found after someone has streamed between 5-7 days a week.

What’s better, live streaming videos, or blogs?

According to the site, Livestream, 80% of people would rather watch a live stream than read a blog. This means that content creators and other marketers would do better investing their time and energies into this new platform, rather than trying to compete in older and probably more oversaturated forms of content and marketing.