Live streaming has recently gained popularity across all platforms, from Facebook live to Snapchat to Instagram. However, live streaming can be quite intimidating, especially if you are not used to being in front of a camera. Use these 5 steps to help you get over your fear of live streaming:

How to Get Over Your Fear of Live Streaming

1. Worry less about your appearance

Sometimes the smallest things like appearance can cause anxiety. This is totally normal and I experienced this myself when I first started live streaming.

But remember, one of the good things about live streaming is people are more forgiving.

They expect the live video to be raw and recognize you may not look flawless. Just be sure to avoid a distracting look to keep your audience focused on what you are covering.

As a general guideline, follow these outfit tips to make sure you are camera ready:

• Avoid stark white, bright yellow, and red outfits that might be too bold for the camera
• Avoid complicated patterns on fabric as they may distract the audience
• Most importantly, dress according to the event, whether it is formal or more casual

If you want to learn more about this, check out this full list on what to wear on camera. But most importantly, wear whatever makes you feel the most confident and that will help you to get over your fear of live streaming!

2. Prepare your script

Some live streams require more preparation than others. For example, if you are going to cover an event that includes interviews, you should have an idea of who you would want to talk to and what kind of questions you would like to ask.

SEE ALSO: How to Cover an Event on Snapchat

While you don’t want to write down everything since that would take away the candid factor of a live stream, you want to have a plan outlining what you will say.

By having an idea beforehand, you will be more prepared once you arrive at the scene and you can avoid periods of silence.

3. Plan and practice your intro

Most live streams begin with an introduction of the speaker, regardless of the event. A lot of people struggle with starting their live streams because they don’t know how to start.

As a general idea, you should be prepared to share the following information:

• Your name and the name of any additional speakers
• The company you are reporting for
• The purpose of the live stream

With preparation, you can avoid finding yourself struggling with your intro like this:

4. Double check your equipment

Broadcasting live is already scary enough without technical difficulties. So another way to eliminate your fear of live streaming is to be sure that your equipment is working properly.

By checking your equipment ahead of time, you know that malfunctions are not likely to disrupt your live streams which mean you have one less thing to worry about. Here is a checklist:

Check microphone, camera, and wifi

• Before live streaming, do a test run on your personal account to make sure your microphone, camera, and wifi are working properly.
• This is also a perfect time to perfect your intro.Record yourself on your device, then watch your recording. Write down two or three things you want to improve upon and do another test run if necessary.
• By doing a test run in advance, you can eliminate any preventable technical difficulties.

Charge your phone

If you use your phone to live stream, make sure the battery is fully charged and bring your portable battery if you have one. Live streaming drains your battery, so make sure your phone is ready.

SEE ALSO: How to Pick the Best Live Video App for Your Brand

5. Relax before broadcasting

The moments right before you go live might be the most nerve racking. To avoid a panic situation, take a moment to relax and don’t think about anything that is going on. I find it useful to also focus on your breathing for a minute or two before you go live to release any tension.

For more tips on relaxing techniques, check out Everyday Health’s 10 instant ways to calm yourself down!

6. Broadcast time

This is it. You have prepared yourself, and now you are ready to go live. Know that not everything has to be perfect.

One of the reasons why people enjoy watching live streams is because the experience feels natural and spontaneous as if they are watching someone they know speaking to them directly.

So if you find yourself making small mistakes, it’s okay! Just keep going, focus on your message, and your audience may not even realize you made a mistake.

SEE ALSO: Top 7 DIY Video Production Tips You Should Know

Like most things in life, practice makes perfect. So if your first live stream did not turn out exactly the way you want it to be, don’t worry about it! You can rewatch it afterward, take down some notes of what you would like to improve next time, and try again!

The more you practice, the better you will be. In no time, you will be more comfortable live streaming and you won’t even remember why you were so worried in the first place.

Do you have any other tips to overcome your fear of live streaming? Share them with us in the comments below!