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Technological advancements keep changing our lives in many different areas. As digitalization continues, more aspects of our day-to-day move into the digital space. One technology that’s having an increasing impact is livestreaming. Broadcasting video live online allows for all kinds of experiences to move onto the web and be accessed from around the world. From entertainment to shopping and fitness, livestreaming is changing how we do things.
Events and entertainment
Attending events and enjoying all kinds of live entertainment has never been as easy as today. Throughout the last couple of years, more organizers have started broadcasting events live online, allowing audiences from around the world to attend: from classic concert halls like the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera to huge music festivals like Coachella or the Global Citizen Festival.
But it’s not just musical entertainment that is making its way into our living rooms. For instance, live escape games have seen a huge hype in recent years. These can now be experienced from the comfort of your home, as you find your way out of the escape room through a live video with the game master streamed into your home. Similarly, you can now visit a casino through a livestream. There are a lot of platforms available that allow users to play casino games such as roulette, blackjack, and slots online. Some of the best online casinos, which have been reviewed and rated by experts, offer a live casino among their game libraries. They stream a real dealer live onto the player’s screen to bring a casino experience into the user’s home. From cooking classes and wine tasting to virtual magic shows, livestreaming technology is shaping the future of the entertainment industry.
E-commerce
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Do you still remember the TV shopping channels QVC and HSN? Now a digitized version of those TV channels is gaining traction and set to change the face of e-commerce: livestream shopping. It’s a revival of the shopping channel, but instead of happening on TV, brands stream live over the internet on social media and through websites. Live video shopping is already a major phenomenon in China, and it’s slowly making its way into the Western world.
Livestream shopping bridges the gap between the digital and the real world, connecting consumers and brands in an immediate and interactive way. Instead of simply scrolling through an online catalog, you tune into a live show with a host – usually an influencer – who presents products in real-time. Via a link in the livestream, these can be purchased instantly. It’s also an interactive and social experience, as shoppers can interact with other users and the host through a chat box. Retail giant Amazon launched its shoppable livestreams on its platform in 2019, allowing content creators to sell through live videos. With live shopping features on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, major social media platforms have already jumped on the bandwagon. Who would have thought the future of e-commerce could look a lot like the shopping channel?
Fitness
Working out with a coach or attending a fitness class no longer requires you to join a local gym. Thanks to the trend of online fitness classes, the gym now comes into your home. Many gyms and coaches are making use of livestream technology and videos to stream fitness classes online. While some offer a wide variety of on-demand videos online to work out with on your own schedule, others stream classes live from the fitness center to join in real-time.
Online fitness classes offer great advantages. You can work out wherever you are whenever it suits you instead of having to drive to a local gym. Online gyms are also a lot cheaper with lower membership fees, while many fitness videos are available for free. And while a local gym can only offer a limited number of classes, the web is filled with fitness programs to suit every taste. No matter if you like spinning, Zumba, HIIT, yoga, or any other type of workout, the growing variety of online fitness programs for exercising at home offers something for anyone. With this trend, video and livestream technology are changing the way we work out.
Livestreaming is getting increasingly important as it changes more and more areas of our lives. From live events and entertainment to shopping and fitness, live video is taking over and shaping the future.