The coronavirus pandemic pushed the already booming livestreaming ecosystem into overdrive. Yoga classes, art lessons, cooking demos, church services – you name it – it was all being streamed via social. Last spring, Facebook Live viewership jumped 50% in the U.S. as lockdowns took effect. And though the country has been gradually reopening since then, the power of live video can’t be denied. Consider these stats: 80% of viewers say they’d rather watch a livestream from a brand than read its blog, and consumers are 39% more likely to share video content.

If you haven’t yet dived into live, now may be the perfect time. Here are some tips for getting started.

1. Stick to a Schedule

Scheduling is the primary rule that dominates any kind of online content production. Even when factoring in shorter YouTube videos, average viewer retention sits at about only 50% to 60%. Many full-day livestreams via Twitch have viewers that only appear for an hour or more, then depart. Communicating to your audience is your top priority while setting up a schedule. Once you have one locked, stick with it. Alterations to scheduling often equate to a direct loss in viewership. Carve out an hour-long block for your workweek and keep it. If you’re a consistent content producer, this will never fail you.

2. Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

One of the most difficult parts of setting up a successful livestreaming production is the room around you. Without an appealing backdrop, people aren’t likely to stick around. Your living/recording space allows the audience to understand a lot about you in a single glance ‒ the information it offers viewers is vital. Typically, a good setup entails a quality mic, camera and presentable clothing; tasteful room decorations, exterior digital devices and even props. Bonus branding points if you have your company logo displayed prominently on your shirt or in the background.

Your environment reflects the content you produce, and the kind of atmosphere you’d like to generate for your viewers. For inspiration, check out the tongue-in-cheek Twitter account Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom), which has been scoring the backgrounds of video appearances since the pandemic began.

Well lit. Nice lamp. Corporate apartment. Oddly placed art. Minor cord violation. 7/10 @alexwagner pic.twitter.com/zktszuqyxH

— Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) February 26, 2021

3. Foster Community Relations

One of the most fulfilling aspects of livestreaming is the formation of individual communities that surround you and your content. Whether you cook, review books, comment on stocks or share your business and marketing insights, a completely unique and personable community of viewers will become your primary audience. So, foster it! Give in to inside jokes, allow people to communicate in your live chat and make sure to stay informed about what your audience wants out of your content.

4. Stop With the Formalities

In livestreaming, character is content and content is character. The primary draw of your livestreams should be your own character and personalized skills/commentary. Long-form video essays and prepared content should be saved for Instagram and YouTube, for the most part. The more relatable you allow yourself to be, and the more fluid you keep your content and commentary, the better. It might take some getting used to; performing with nothing to fall back on can be stressful and difficult for first-timers, but improvisation is a key aspect of livestreaming’s unique appeal ‒ and it must be mastered, to some extent.

5. Stay Connected

Livestreaming is not a single-platform occupation or art form. Most streamers livestream over various platforms (such as Twitch, YouTube, etc.). Not only that, but your growing audience/community will need a place to consolidate and communicate. Using multiple streaming platforms, as well as linking yourself to multiple social media sites, will lead to more mass engagement of your content from the internet at large. Ultimately, staying up to speed on social media will also allow you to grow closer to your audience and relate to them as much as they relate to you.