Google has made it possible for individuals, companies and brands to broadcast their events, conversations and experiences live through an innovation known as a Google Hangout on Air.
“Surely this must be very complicated?” you must be thinking. But you’d be wrong. Hangouts on Air are so simple that almost anyone can create one. All that’s needed to create a live Hangout on Air is a Google+ page, a YouTube account, a portable device that has a webcam and a steady Internet connection. Once live and streaming, the Hangouts on Air can be viewed on both Google+ and YouTube, and are stored for future reference on both pages.
For the first time at INDABA 2013, Flow managed four Google Hangouts on Air from various presentations and ceremonies at the travel marketing event. These were not only a first for Flow, but a first for South African Tourism and, after one or two minor glitches, a great success. We set up more than one laptop at each event to make sure that we could maximise the space in which the events were happening and if any technical glitches did happen, we had back-up screens from which to stream. These Hangouts on Air were a great way to include those who could not be at the event, but also to showcase what was on offer at the event to potential future exhibitors or buyers.
South African Tourism hosted 15 bloggers from around the world in a campaign called: #MeetSouthAfrica. The live broadcast of the Blogger Conference was a brilliant learning experience, and it set the tone for the rest of INDABA 2013.
“Hangout Airs are revolutionising the broadcasting space in the same way that YouTube did to video production,” says Brett St Clair, our contact from Google South Africa. “Now everyone and every brand has the ability to create live broadcasts. It is a rich, engaged experience where brands and people can communicate at scale.”
Google Hangouts on Air are fast becoming the most affordable form of instant video marketing and the perfect way to promote your event, product or brand. If you’re not already on the bandwagon, we suggest you hop right on. “People join Google+ not to link with friends but to make friends and build relationships with like-minded people and brands around passion and interest points,” continues St Clair. With 500-million users internationally, it’s definitely time that your brand was on board, too.
Here are some tips and tricks to help you “Hangout”:
A key element of the Hangout on Air is the ability to experience and connect in the moment, and share the content live with people around the world. Below are a few key points to help you make your Hangouts that much more effective …
Your gear: an important aspect to deliver clear and visible coverage of the respective content you’re sharing via your Hangout on Air is the equipment you use. Hence, a good-quality webcam and microphone are key. The webcams and microphones on your laptop, phone or tablet do the trick depending on the environment. Alternatively, you can enhance the broadcast by connecting a separate HD camera or mic.
Mobile-friendly: Google Hangouts are mobile device-friendly, thus allowing people to truly immerse and deliver the experience. The Google+ app can be downloaded via the iOS and Android platforms for your smartphone or tablet.
Lighting: when capturing a person on camera, to avoid having them or the surrounding content appearing too dark, don’t have backlighting.
Camera position: camera positioning is key. Keep your laptop, camera, tablet or phone at eye level or pointed slightly downwards. When using your laptop to capture the footage, rest it on a table or stool to keep it steady.
Spread the word: with Hangouts on Air, Google’s functionality allows you to schedule the coverage of an event via a digital invitation which can be shared on all social networks. Keep that in mind, so that the next time you want to showcase your Hangout on Air, schedule and share the event well in advance so that people know when it’s happening and what it’s about.
