At a time when everything from the Olympic Games to influential social media feeds to online webinars depend on successful live streaming, defining overall event success is more important than ever. Success is not just about pulling off an event without technical hiccups. It is about meeting specific, measurable objectives that indicate a strong performance and audience satisfaction. For content publishers, this is essential. These metrics, such as average bitrate delivered, peak concurrent users and rebuffering rate not only paint a picture of the event's performance, but they also help guide strategic decisions for future content delivery. 

This article takes a closer look at the key metrics that industry experts have selected as defining the overall success of live streaming events, and what this might mean for future content delivery strategies.

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Viewer metrics for live streaming events

At the core of any live streaming event analysis are viewer metrics. These metrics are those that suggest the amount of people interested in the content and, when relevant, how engaged they are. If audience member numbers are high, viewing times are long and individual viewers were interested enough to comment, like or repost, providers can feel more assured that their audience was satisfied. 

These specific metrics include peak concurrent viewers/average minute audience (AMA), the total number of unique users and the average watch time. In a recent survey conducted by Qwilt, AMA and unique users were voted as the best overall indicators of live streaming event success, demonstrating their effectiveness in providing content providers with a comprehensive view of both audience size and engagement, critical points when assessing the real impact and reach of live streaming events.

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Technical performance metrics for live streaming events

Technical factors are also critical when it comes to live streaming event success, including latency, buffering rates, playback failure and CDN performance. The technical quality of a live stream can greatly influence a viewer’s experience and satisfaction with the content. In the worst case scenario, if technical playback issues, such as buffering events, overcome the smoothness of the broadcast and the viewer’s enjoyment, they may end up abandoning the content altogether, leading to churn. 

Churn can be devastating for a content publisher’s revenue, and so it is important they pay close attention to technical performance metrics. As part of Qwilt’s recent survey, respondents stated that average bitrate delivered and connection induced rebuffering rates were among their best overall indicators of live streaming event success. This highlights the importance not only of attracting viewers, but also of ensuring a smooth and stable viewing experience that will maintain audience engagement. The close monitoring and optimization of these technical performance metrics can help content publishers minimize churn, increase viewer satisfaction, and ultimately maximize their revenue and success of live streaming events.

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Conversion metrics following live streaming events

In many cases, the overall objective of live streaming content is to attract and engage viewers, and eventually, convert them into revenue, whether that is through product purchases, registrations, advertisements, or another form of conversion. As such, measuring conversion rates is another important metric for gauging the overall success of live streaming events. By showing how many viewers decided to follow through and act upon a CTA —such as making a purchase or signing up for a service— after watching the stream, content providers can assess the effectiveness of different techniques and justify the investment made in producing the content.

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Maximizing success with System73’s Data Logistics Platform

System73’s Data Logistics Platform is able to help content providers understand the overall success of a live streaming event. This is thanks to our patented technology that offers unprecedented visibility across the entire content delivery chain by monitoring all ASN routers, from CDNs to end devices. Advanced AI diagnostics assess the network's traffic and capacity to find the least congested routes for live content, minimizing latency, optimizing QoE, and enhancing viewer satisfaction to reduce churn and increase revenue. Our state-of-the-art analytics platform delivers detailed insights into your live streaming network during the broadcast. Intuitive dashboards and real-time data make it possible to monitor network conditions, observe viewers and their behavior and proactively optimize content delivery before issues arise. 

For more information about our Data Logistics Platform, to speak to a member of our sales team, and to stay up-to-date on all the news from System73, visit www.system73.com.