Live streaming Apps are booming
2020 was a wild year for live streaming. If there’s one thing that the year proved to us was that people crave connection more than ever. With bars, restaurants, and other places that we’d taken for granted gone, people turned to live streaming to stay in touch. Quite frankly, it was nothing short of a technological miracle that, even though we were all stuck at home, we could still talk to friends and family. See their smiles, their homes, and feel just a tiny bit less alone.
Now it seems like the world is opening up again. People get to hug each other and see smiles and, honestly, things are starting to feel a little bit better. But even with things getting (somewhat) back to normal, there is no doubt that streaming is here to stay.
Today the world’s biggest tech companies are now jumping on board the streaming train and they don’t seem like they’re getting off of it any time soon. Instagram Live, Tango, Facebook Live, YouTube Live… even TikTok Live are all competing for the massively growing live streaming market that has captured the hearts and eyes of billions of people across the globe.
Thanks to human innovation and clever marketing, these live streaming apps can now be seen pretty much anywhere that people are working, socializing, learning, or relaxing. Here are just a few areas where people use live-streaming nearly every day:
- Education had to take a new quick U-turn when the pandemic appeared, and kids worldwide started going to school online while teachers went live to teach and moderate. But online streaming education isn’t just for school children. There are so many more webinars available for those who want to learn and use their spare time to discover new things, grow themselves professionally, or perfect a new hobby.
- The way people showcase their business has changed as well. Most of the best companies have updated their marketing strategies and now focus on getting a more substantial online presence, especially by pushing videos that promote their services. Stats say that there is a huge percentage of people that buy online products after seeing just one video.
- With streaming now in the picture, companies are realizing that they have to work a lot harder, but they get to create those intimate connections with people that only streaming can provide. But they’re also discovering that those connections come with huge rewards in the way of lifelong loyalty from those customers.
- Employees are also streaming to feel closer to their coworkers. As anyone who worked full-time through the pandemic can likely attest to, it gets a little lonely when you’re going from working in a large and crowded office to sitting by yourself in your home office. Of course, parents might disagree. They never got a moment alone, even during the pandemic.
- With streaming bringing people together no matter the space between them, there is a huge surge in social and romantic long-distance relationships, causing a massive boom for apps and platforms where you can interact live with real people anytime. During such times, it is very important to pay attention to live-streaming apps like Tango Live, as people from around the world are discovering the joy of having friends who live in a totally different time zone.
While the need and desire to livestream more is here, the technology and infrastructure still has a little catching up to do. Thankfully, it seems that in a very short time live streaming will be bigger and better than ever.
Live Streaming and Technology 5G
Of all the critical technologies that will significantly improve the Livestreaming experience, 5G is leading the way. 5G, or the fifth generation of mobile communication, has the ability to reduce latency time and improve the quality of the streams themselves.
Think about how fast 4G is. 5G is going to be 20 times faster. The time it takes for 5G to transmit data is predicted to be anywhere from 4 milliseconds, to one millisecond. This technology opens the door to not only better live streams, but to makes possible technologies like self driving cars or remote surgeries.
How long will it take until this future tech is part of everyday life? If we look back in history, 4G LTE it was made commercially available in 2009. It wasnât until 2013 that 4G LTE had replaced the now-defunct 3G networks. Based on that timeline, we predict that 5G wonât be fully available at a global scale until 2022 or 2023.
Edge Computing
Despite the promise of faster bandwidth in the next few years, the worldâs data use is growing at a rate that even 5G might now be able to keep up with. The IDC, or International Data Corporation, predicts that by 2025 we will have as much as 175 zettabytes of data in existence – 61% more than there is today.
Since data is stored in a central location (such as a central server or the cloud) a networkâs bandwidth will be pushed to its absolute limit with this data increase. Edge computing attempts to mitigate this issue, by moving all data processing and storage units to the âedge,â or closer to the devices that are producing that information such as computers, factory robots, or routers.
This reduces the need for centralized servers or even cloud computing, and helps to reduce the amount of data attempting to reach these devices all at the same time. As a result, edge computing promises to reduce latency even more than 5G would on its own. As we enter into the age of the âinternet of thingsâ (when everything we own is connected to the internet) edge computing could reduce download time, improve streaming, and, under certain circumstances, even save lives.
New Protocols for Low Latency
What is a protocol? In a nutshell, a protocol is a rule that governs how data travels between one system to another. You no doubt know what an IP address is, IP actually stands for Internet Protocol. Your IP address dictates how your device communicates with other devices and how they communicate with you.
The streaming industry has been hard at work to develop new protocols that will make streaming faster and easier for the masses. These include protocols like WebRTC (real time interactivity without needing to be plugged in), SRT (better playback, no lag), Low-Latency CMAF (decreased latency), and Low-Latency HLS (latency lower than 2 seconds, courtesy of Apple).
These are all available today and, overtime, are going to be felt throughout the entire streaming industry making for faster, higher-quality streams than ever before.
AI and Machine Learning
Companies are already taking advantage of AI and machine learning to improve their usersâ experiences on their streaming platforms. Just look at companies like TikTok, whose infamous algorithm makes it possible for anyone, no matter how popular, to have their videos viewed by interested users.
As AI and machine learning improve itâs likely that these algorithms will become far more dynamic, able to make complicated real-time decisions based on a userâs history. While this might sound a little spooky, itâs projected to make streaming much more personalized – giving viewers the streams they like while making sure that streamers are able to find more fans.
Automatic Language Translations
Streaming is all about interconnectivity, allowing people from all over the world to talk and connect. Unfortunately, unlike Facebook, nothing is being written down. People are talking to each other in their native languages and so if youâre an American and you want to see someone streaming in Japan, you two better hope that you speak the same language because Google Translate isn’t going to work here.
At least for now. There are promising technologies that are working to be able to translate what someone is saying and have it written into subtitles in real time. One of the most prominent is Microsoft Azureâs Cognitive Speech Services. This software promises to be able to translate one language into another, meaning that a global audience can watch one stream and actually understand what is going on no matter what language they speak.
What Live Streaming Will Be Used For
These technologies may sound impressive, but they’re only a few years off. When they finally go mainstream we may see a streaming explosion that will make 2020 look like just a taste test.
Shopping
According to Insider Intelligence, China is projected to generate about $132 billion in live streaming sales in 2021, proving that the West has hardly scratched the surface of live streamingâs commercial potential.
This is because China isnât just selling beauty products or other small-scale items from individual influencers, huge companies are taking advantage of this new technology in order to earn massive profits. The biggest example was Alibabaâs Taobao Live platform, which generated $61.7 billion in overall revenue for the company in 2020.
Itâs clear that US companies got the message and are jumping on board as well. Facebook has launched the new Live Shopping Fridays, where major American companies like Petco and Abercrombie & Fitch are selling products on live streams. Some of these streams are nothing more than just one person holding a camera; not exactly exploding in production value.
Theyâre far from alone though,
has worked with Walmart to create numerous live shopping events. Then thereâs Amazon, where the new Amazon Live space is looking to allow sellers to demonstrate their products, likely in hopes of repeating the success of companies like Taobao.
Influencer Economy
This is going to mean a big change for influencers as well. Since the dawn of the internet most user-generated content has been curated and prepared well in advance. This rise of the Instagram-influencer type model who portrays the look and feel of wealth and success thanks to crafty lense work may soon disappear with the rise of Livestreaming.
Livestreaming doesnât allow influencers the luxury of being able to set up an elaborate set and trick the audience into thinking that theyâre living the âhigh life.â Instead itâs based on authenticity and genuine connection. Users are looking to actually get to know these streamers, and get a sense of who they are as people.
Those who are able to connect on a level that inspires their followers, or at least entertains them in real time, are able to acquire a large following and become an âinfluencer.â Rather than being able to hide behind fancy equipment or sets with high production value, those wishing to be the next generation of influencers have to rely solely on their talent and ability to entertain. This is a trend that weâre very excited about seeing.
Are Livestreams the Future for Musicians?
Even before Covid-19, fans and musicians were flocking to live streams in massive numbers. This has everyone wondering: could livestreaming be the future of the music industry?
Letâs face it, the past 2 decades have not been great for musicians. Between online piracy, streaming services and record labels that hold on to huge portions of artistsâ profits, and a global pandemic, making a living as a musician is harder than ever.
This might explain why so many musicians are turning to a new type of content medium. One whose growth in the last 5 years was over 130% and is expected to be worth anywhere from $180 – $250 billion by 2027.
To understand why livestreaming may be making such a revolutionary impact in the field of music, we first need to understand its history, and how we got to a point that so many of our societyâs talented musicians are looking for a change.
The Changes in the Industry
Where it Started
For most of music history, looking for new talent meant actually going to bars, pubs, and clubs either on your own or (hopefully) with a few friends. The Beatles didnât just walk up to producer George Martin and demand that he record Please, Please Me for them. They were discovered playing in bars in Liverpool and Hamburg, and invited by the studio to make an album.
The good news is that today you donât have to go from open mic to open mic hoping you stumble across a sound you enjoy. In a world connected by computers you can discover new music and musicians on a daily basis from your home.
Technology Changes Music
From the earliest days of the internet a permanent shift was made in how audiences found their next favorite song. One site in particular would change how music was enjoyed and listened to by millions of fans, and begin a struggle between artists, fans, labels, and online platforms that has lasted until today.
Napster was a simple yet ingenious concept. By allowing data to be compressed into an mp3 file it could be shared between millions through a peer-to-peer network. All for free.
Naturally, artists werenât thrilled about no longer making royalties, and the site was brought down by a $300 million lawsuit. Instead of stopping illegal downloads, Napsterâs fall allowed for dozens of other sites to take its place, and free music downloading spread like wildfire.
Enter Music Live Streaming
Revenues for the music industry were in freefall, and nobody had any clue what to do. Who wants to buy CDs when every song you love is available online for free? Apple tried to create a profitable market with  iTunes, allowing users to purchase a song for download for a mere 99 cents. But it still wasnât free, and people kept pirating music.
It got so bad, that by 2008, the IFPI estimated that 95% of all digital music was being downloaded illegally. Every time law enforcement successfully shut one down, another site stepped in to take its place.
Clearly paying for downloads wasnât working, opening the door for streaming. In 2005 three former PayPal employees launched YouTube. Although not the first video streaming site it quickly exploded in popularity, particularly for music.
In 2006 and 2007 music streaming sites like Spotify and Pandora were launched, bringing millions of listeners away from piracy and towards more legitimate sharing sites. Clearly, these companies were on to something.
How Does Streaming Work?
Streaming technology worked in a surprisingly simple way: a platform would deliver continuous data in small amounts to the user, who would get a pre-buffered song or album on their device.
With a powerful enough connection and broadband, users could get an unlimited amount of music delivered straight to them no matter the size of their device, since nothing was ever stored or saved.
Streaming Faces an Uphill Battle
In 2011, 80% of music sales were dominated by physical sales. By 2020 streaming had changed the market, and 85% of all sales were now digital.
Despite these impressive figures the industry still hasn’t managed to match the peak of its success in 2001. While streaming brought those figures up, much of its success was believed to be due to people making the switch from physical to digital. That growth is slowing down though.
Between 2014 to 2015, the streaming industry grew by an impressive 32%, a trend that more or less continued up until 2018. Between 2018 and 2019, music streaming grew less than 20%.
Iâs unclear whether or not these services will be able to provide a sustainable financial model in the future. MIDiA Research has predicted that by 2026, the streaming industry can realistically expect a growth of 7%. This is considered, by investment standards, to be stagnation.
Can the streaming industry overcome this? Unfortunately growth isnât its only issue. Streaming has been a magnet for controversy.
Streaming Controversy
Earlier this year the British DCMS, or Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, engaged in a series of hearings to determine whether artists are being paid fairly by streaming services. While the streaming services themselves are arguing that they pulled the music industry from the brink of destruction, artists are complaining of beingintimidated into silence and one record boss described it as âliving in cuckoo land.â
According to the hearings, artists can be paid as little as 13% of the income generated via streaming, receiving as little as $0.0028 to $0.0052 per stream on Spotify and about $0.0081 on Apple Music. As a result, artists have been forced to rely on touring in order to earn for their music.
By the end of the hearings, chair of the DCMS Committee, Julian Knight MP said:
âWhile streaming has brought significant profits to the recorded music industry, the talent behind it – performers, songwriters and composers – are losing out.â
Is There a Better Way?
The First Livestream
History was made on June 24, 1993 at a little place called Xerox PARC in Palo Alto, California. There, a group of scientists and researchers had come together to form a band, Severe Tire Damage.
That band of accomplished researchers, in coordination with computers from Xerox PARC, Apple, and DEC Systems, created the worldâs first music livestream, heard as far away as Australia.
Livestreaming Goes Mainstream
In 1998 people began to take livestreaming seriously after George Washington University hosted the Third Way Politics in the Information Age webcast with a very special guest host; then-President Bill Clinton.
A year prior, live streaming was pushed to its limits. 4 friends broadcasted a 24/7 livestream of Justin living his life. That site, originally known as Justin.tv, eventually became Twitch.tv, now one of the most popular livestreaming sites in the world.
However, livestreaming has one company above all to thank for its explosive success. YouTube. In 2008 YouTube hosted itâs very first YouTube Live. Just 3 years after the companyâs founding, celebrities like Katy Perry, Smosh, and Bo Burnham were being interviewed and interacting with fans, all in real time.
Is This Growth Sustainable?
The number one question on everyoneâs mind when entering into a new content medium is: is this trend going to continue?
Currently, livestreamingâs financial growth has a predicted increase of 20% year over year from now until 2025.
Viewership is a different story, industry analysts are seeing a trend there with enormous potential: a 50% yearly increase, not accounting for 2020 which saw a 70% rise in viewership during the Covid-19 pandemic.
For new artists looking to get involved in livestreaming itâs important to begin with the correct mindset:
- Livestreaming should not be relied on as a single source of income. For the majority of new streamers it will be a way to ensure that the majority of their musical income is going into their pockets. Like all new content creators though, it will take time before that art becomes full time. The good news is that they have a better shot at live streaming than they do on traditional streaming platforms.
- Creating a following is easier than ever. Livestreaming devices can now be connected to social media which means that fans being discovered while performing live can easily follow new artists. This ability to build a following is not only free, itâs profitable as well and can be done entirely independently.
The Future is Live
Streaming as a technology is a constantly evolving technology that is still in its early stages. Originally designed as a counter to the endless music piracy online, it has now become the primary income generating technology for the music industry. Sadly, while it has been good for the industry as a whole, it has not been good for artists.
Live streaming is an attempt to balance the scales. To bring the power and income back to the creator. As musicians both famous and just starting out make the choice to move their music to live streaming, it is possible that we will see a major shift in the power and focus within one of the biggest industries in entertainment.
Ultimately, it will be up to the artists themselves to decide whether or not they will take control of their own music. It might be difficult at the beginning, but being able to keep your music profits is something that no artist should turn away from.
Why You Need to Explore Tango Live
Whereas many people feel that technology is separating them, Tango is one of the best streaming apps that are actually making people feel closer to each other. Whether it’s connecting with friends and family, or learning more about a product or service in a way that’s specific to you, streaming on Tango makes people feel less alone than they may have felt in quite awhile.
Not to mention that during challenging times (like a pandemic) having a streaming community is the safest and most responsible way to stay in touch with people close to you. Humans need personal interaction. Streaming provides that in abundance, with people from all over the globe looking to have fun, show off talents, and make new friends.
Tango Live is the Best live streaming app to Start with
Tango app live Live gives you the opportunity to pursue your passions and earn money at the same time. Having a platform to showcase what you love and what you’re good at in a way that allows you to have fun and play was a total game changer for so many streamers. All you need is to make an account using your phone number and start creating content for your niche. You will be able to create a community, find a ton of fans, and, with enough perseverance, you might be able to quit your job and start a business in the streaming field.
The Best way to Follow your Dreams
Tango Live is the best way to adapt to these new fast-changing times by following your dreams, passions, and hobbies. The beauty of this field is that it leaves plenty of room for your imagination. Use Tango live to create movie and game characters, show off your talents, or even provide make-up or music tutorials.
On Tango Live you Get Paid to Broadcast
Meeting people all over the world was never more accessible, especially for the fans and followers that share your beliefs or have the same sorts of hobbies.
You can become a full-time broadcaster, earning a monthly salary by monetizing your supporters on a platform with over 350 million users waiting to view your talents and interact with you. Quite frankly it’s surprising at times just how much Tango’s unique content creators earn per month by simply live-streaming to those high-paying supporters on Tango Live!
Livestreamingâs Explosive Growth
Today it seems like every site, from TikTok to Reddit, is investing in livestreaming. They all offer, with limitations, opportunities for content creators to produce live entertainment in various forms.
This has also led to the growth of various livestreaming apps. Tango is one of the biggest front-runners in this world. It offers artists the opportunity to monetize their art in a way that traditional streaming simply canât offer.
Tango and Livestreaming Musicians
Unlike with streaming services such as Spotify, YouTube, or iTunes, streaming apps like Tango donât take the lionâs share of the artistsâ earnings. Instead, 70% of every dollar made on the app goes directly to the artist.
Not only that, but Tango allows for artists to collaborate, interact with fans, and put on concerts that they are in control of. No more managers, venue owners, or production assistants reaching into the pockets of the artists who are driving the broadcasts forward.
Is Live Streaming the Future?
Currently, live streaming concert sales amount to $20 billion worldwide, with an estimated growth of nearly 2% each year. Thatâs just for organized music sales though, which generally benefit the professionals whose concert sales can attract global audiences.
For many musical stars, selling tickets at a cheaper price with the potential to reach a much larger audience is preferable to touring worldwide and performing for a limited audience.
At a time when âonline content is kingâ many artists are sparing no expense to create a livestreaming audience that translates into real dollars. This includes major stars for whom finding fans isnât an issue.
Sofi Tukker, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, Dua Lipa, BTS and numerous other celebrities turned to live streaming platforms to keep the show going at a time when leaving the house wasnât an option for much of the world.
Even as the world opens its doors again, celebrity musicians seem unwilling to give up this newly discovered revenue stream. In an interview with Time, Timbaland explained:
âWeâre going to have a hybrid of both live and digital because as you can see the way the world is going. We still like to go out, but this gives us an option.â
Not Just for Celebrities
While platforms like Instagram Live, YouTube Live, and Twitch are earning artists a much larger percentage of revenue that they would on Spotify (by Spotifyâs own estimates, 97% of their artists are making less than $1000 a month), new artists are coming in to a market where their competition is literally the likes of Taylor Swift and Dua Lupe.
For those new artists looking to build a fan base and expand reach around the world, apps like Tango make the most sense. Not only does Tango not require any previous followers, it is also free, and doesn’t need the use of any special equipment in order to set everything up and get started.
As an example, on Tango musician, Lelya, the chance to reach out to fans and earn money on her own is an incredible opportunity. Having only started in May 2020, Lelya has since become one of the top earners on Tango. Her live musical performances have already earned her 20,000 fans, including increased traffic to her YouTube and social media accounts.
Over 350 Million Users Worldwide
Tango Live is the best place to start your career online! Youâll have the highest quality video streaming, fast and secure payments, and direct integrations with your existing social media accounts so you can spread the word.
With engaging gifts that you can easily cash out, interactive games that you can play with your followers, or even dual broadcasts with a content creator or friend, you can gain exposure, find new people interested in your stream, and earn real money from your supporters. The best part is that Tango provides the streamers with all the tools they need to make sure their broadcasting business succeeds. These amazing analytics include the ability to:
- Track stats and earnings with a personalized statistics page
- Play interactive games with followers for money
- Refer to a friend, and get a special gift and money from Tango
Start Now with Tango App
It is amazing just how many people want to connect, and how creating an account on Tango is the best way to do that with a whole new world of humans! Tango also allows for people to compliment their passions and talents with an app that allows them to make their own money from them. With so much going on, what are you waiting for?