Video streaming app would create widespread dominance around the world in the future.

Take a closer look at the following statistics:

• In the year 2020, video content is to generate 70% of mobile traffic.
• Rise of 65% viewing hours of live video content from 2017 to 2018 was noted in a report by Conviva’s 2018 State Of The Streaming TV Industry, confirming the largest viewership surge globally throughout 2018.
• The U.S. population of 42% was observed to have live-streamed video content online in 2017, a rise by 25%, as per the data shared by Nielsen’s U.S. Video 360 Report.
• Game Of Throne TV Series was live-streamed on Facebook, generating 2,00,000 comments and 3.5 million viewership counts.
• China is witnessing the meteoritic rise of the live streaming industry, reaching 425 million users in 2018.
• The business of live streaming is to be a $70.5 billion industry by 2021.

It is a fact that videos generate one-third of all the content viewed by users. Meaning, the online marketing would witness pre-produced video content as its mainstay element ruling the roost. Videos delivered a significant contribution to nearly 74% of marketers and small business owners to experience direct positive results on their brands. If the report by Cisco Inc. is to believe, the global web traffic of 80% would be generated by video content alone, by the end of the year 2019.

What is a Live Video Streaming App?

Live video streaming can be defined as a real-time, web-based streaming media, or simultaneously recorded live footage of all actions either computer-generated or streamed through a game console. Here the term “streaming” is not applicable in the context of “live streaming”, even though media contents of Vlogs and YouTube can technically be streamed but NOT live-streamed. Famous social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Periscope allow live streaming of any scheduled promotional activities for users to watch them in real-time.

Reasons Why Live Video Streaming Apps Are Popular

• Fitness clubs use live streaming broadcasts of their online training sessions for potential customers to attract them.
• Culinary classes conduct live streaming sessions to get monetized.
• Allow users to monitor their children, pets or housemaid on their smart devices.

Also, businesses using live video in their services have experienced a significant boost in their revenue generation cycle. Statistics presented by Statista have revealed that online video content would generate double of revenue from 2016 to 2027.

Technical Challenges of Video Streaming App

One of the technical challenges of mobile app development for video streaming is that they abruptly stop and rebuffer during playback time, one of the strongest reasons behind forcing 21.6% of people to quit viewing the video page.

Over-rebuffering is ostensibly a technical challenge that results in losing the interest of nearly 85% of the audiences, as the report predicts.

To stream live video generally depends on available network bandwidth capacity. The slower the internet connection speed, the more lagging streaming the video. To overcome such challenges, videos are compressed and then digitally decompressed while maintaining approximate video quality.

Cautions Before Creating A Video Streaming App

• Make sure your app has intuitive UI for users to find it easy to interact.
• It can play HD video.
• Must have adaptive bitrate streaming.
• Can cater to both live streaming and video on demand.
• Multi-screen compatibility for smartphones.
• Can allow users offline viewing.
• Security-powered to counter cyber threats effectively.
• Enabled with the “video monetization” feature.
• Can notify users about trending video streams by geography.

Types Of Streaming Apps

• Live broadcasting apps – Allow real-time streaming of video contents based on simultaneously recorded broadcasts. Popular apps are – Livestream, YouTube Live, Periscope, Facebook Live, and so others.
• Audio-only streaming apps – Allow real-time listening of music without having to download the audio file. Popular apps are – Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
• Video on-demand streaming (VoD) – Allow users stream TV series, movies, and other video contents without downloading, plus featuring options like pausing, resuming or skipping unwanted moments. Famous VoD apps include – Netflix, Hulu, Vevo, Amazon Video, and so others.

Steps To Creating A Live Streaming App

Licensing your product

Mandated here for your live streaming app are license and usage rights for end-users. Content to be streamed via your app must be copyright-protected materials under compliances of the given Terms of Use.

Consider end-users

Streaming apps prioritize end-users falling under two specific categories of interactions; user to user, and user to the audience.  For instance, Skype promotes the concept of user to user interaction, while YouTube/Facebook, etc. promote a user to audience interactions. Make sure you have prioritized end-users in the first place.

Consider Content Delivery Network

CDN/Content Delivery Network is needed to scale your service for allowing seamless and uninterrupted content streaming experience for end-users. Though not mandatorily required, using this step means a proactive approach for ensuring hassle-free broadcasting of live video on different devices of the users, though it may involve certain payout.

Subscribe to a trusted hosting

To have a stronger server infrastructure and flawless streaming service for end-users for your streaming app depends on the quality of hosting you have subscribed to. The reason behind taking this preliminary step is to ensure uninterrupted video streaming service solutions for end-users when the popularity of your services would encourage many more users to engage with your app for quality viewing experience.

Create an impeccable UI/UX

To create a powerful impression of your streaming service for end-users, ensure intuitiveness of your app’s UI/UX design. If finding it difficult, hire skilled designers to get created an impeccable UI/UX design for your streaming app.

Other Key Considerations

• Choose a powerful SSD-storage for the flawless functionality of your streaming app in terms of uninterrupted video streaming services.
• Consider adding MVP version of your live streaming app with several key features, including design, search, personal user profile, user registration and so on.
• Make sure that the app is integrated with Geolocation feature to trace location-based broadcasts.
• Ensure designing of an impressive UI/UX for your streaming app, at least corresponding to the popular trends and personality of your brand.
• Include privacy feature in your streaming app for users to easily select the option of whom to broadcast video for.
• Upgrade the streaming app with features like push-notifications for newly released broadcasts and scheduled broadcast based on user’s subscriptions.
• Conduct occasional testing of your app to fix any technical snag for the sake of quality live streaming service for end-users.
• Allow users to select video quality options (HD, Standard, Low) based on their network bandwidth capacity.
• Add “show me your screen” feature to your live streaming app.

Technologies For Creating A Live Video Streaming App

• DaCast
• Wowza
• WebRTC

At last, you can monetize on your live streaming app using strategies like premium installation, freemium feature, and running ads on the app.

Final Verdict

No doubt, video streaming apps are ruling the competitive market. Users are getting lured to online video streaming rather than switching to television for day to day entertainment & live updates. Therefore, it’s quite obvious to say that these apps are gaining popularity not only for being a source of entertainment but also for information.

Though it is predicted that the demand for video streaming app is expected to double up in the coming years, most entrepreneurs are aspiring to go for it. Hopefully, if you’re planning to get one for your business, the aforesaid guidelines for creating a trending and great live streaming app would help you realize a great app project.