Live streaming's usage has been growing steadily over the past few years, in large part due to the pandemic, and is expected to increase further in 2023 with its use in e-commerce experiencing a particularly sharp boom. Gonzalo de la Vega, VP strategic products at Fastly, explains how broadcasters can meet consumers' expectations with their live stream offerings
By Contributor
Published: December 1, 2022
Live streaming's usage has been growing steadily over the past few years, in large part due to the pandemic, and is expected to increase further in 2023 with its use in e-commerce experiencing a particularly sharp boom. Gonzalo de la Vega, VP strategic products at Fastly, explains how broadcasters can meet consumers' expectations with their live stream offerings
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Live streaming consumption has significantly increased over the past few years. According to research carried out by Cisco in 2021, video represented 80 per cent of total global internet traffic, with live video accounting for 13 per cent of this. For a range of reasons, this is only going to continue to increase in 2023.
Brands are increasingly choosing to rely on live streaming to drive their marketing strategies. While YouTube advertising will remain a central pillar of any online video campaign, contenders, such as TikTok, which recently launched Tik Tok Shop, are only going to gain momentum and see use as a channel for B2B marketing, rather than just as a tool to reach customers. The pandemic has caused a fundamental shift in the way consumers approach the buying experience, accelerating the adoption of online shopping, and this is the natural next step in this evolution.
A further trend we've seen throughout 2022 has been that the streaming giants have continued to put out content at tremendous pace. Netflix and Disney have worked to satisfy consumers' thirst for content by investing heavily in constantly renewing their offering, while live streams of sporting events - such as the Premier League by Amazon and Serie A by DAZN - have placed this tech at the forefront of the entertainment industry.
These signs all point towards the continued growth of the streaming industry. Here's how broadcasters can ensure they keep these experiences running as smoothly as possible.
Unlocking the power of edge computing and real-time observability
The growing prevalence of live streaming highlights broadcasters' need for expertise, knowledge and best-in-class technology. These allow the delivery of secure, fast and reliable streaming services.
From a technological standpoint, edge computing brings multiple advantages when it comes to live streaming. Locating servers closer to their target audiences enables broadcasters to improve performance and massively reduce latency. This is because, with edge computing, data flows directly from the edge servers to the user, allowing for request times to be cut by up to 90 per cent.
This performance increase comes in the context of a rapidly evolving and highly competitive live streaming landscape where user expectations are constantly growing. Efficiency and speed are elements of paramount importance for broadcasters aiming to provide best-in-class services. With so many new players in the market, OTT providers and broadcasters will need to work extra hard to win over undecided customers with reliable streaming services.
Real-time observability plays a pivotal role in this. Rather than simply monitoring ( observing the state of a system across a period of time), observability provides the information needed to make decisions in real time. By unleashing the power of real time data, observability enables broadcasters to achieve a deep and comprehensive understanding of a system and of what can be improved. Thanks to real-time observability, it is possible to react to setbacks quickly and efficiently. However, this also has potential drawbacks, due to the range of available data and broadcasters need to learn which metrics should be prioritised to reach their desired results.
Build stacks to support your streams
Simply leveraging the right technology is not enough to deliver successful live streaming experiences. Broadcasters should dedicate time and energy to carry out a thorough stack assessment ahead of key events. This includes, among other things, load testing and the implementation of configuration changes on-the-fly for all the partners a broadcaster relies on. It's important to remember that there are no second chances with live streaming. In order to be fully prepared for major events, broadcasters can conduct a dry-run with a smaller event. This gives them the opportunity not only to test technology and processes, but also to gather data facilitating the optimal delivery of more important events.
Making audience projection is also crucial. Although predicting the audience size of a live streaming event with accuracy is a near-impossible task, making an educated guess is highly recommended. Broadcasters should generate audience projections both for the most likely scenario and for the best-case scenario, so as to ensure that there is the necessary capacity reservation in place. The old saying better safe than sorry' has never been more true.
With demand for live streaming services soaring, broadcasters need to take advantage of the latest technology and of an effective strategy to deliver fast and safe digital experiences. Shifting away from centralised infrastructures in order to embrace the myriad benefits of edge computing promises to be a major move in 2023.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
10/06/2026
DAZN-owned digital-media company launches three fan-first series leaning into cr...
10/06/2026
Clear-Com has announced the appointment of Jason Dino as Southwest Regional Sales Manager USA, covering Southern California and the Southwest region. Dino joins...
10/06/2026
An 11% decrease in number of global broadcast deals reflects the organization...
10/06/2026
The Women Without Boundaries Awards recognize women whose work is advancing the future of media, broadcast, AV, workplace technology, digital experience, and re...
10/06/2026
Today is match day minus two for FIFA and HBS. On Thursday, there will be two ma...
10/06/2026
SES is supporting broadcast distribution of the world's biggest football tou...
10/06/2026
NDI has announced that BirdDog has become the first hardware manufacturer to achieve full NDI 6.3 compatibility across its complete lineup of cameras, encoders,...
10/06/2026
Vince Caputo and Scott Carter, winners of the 2026 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Post Produced Audio have been announced as presenters for the 2026 SVG Advanced A...
10/06/2026
FOX One today unveiled a slate of new product features and enhancements designed to elevate the viewing experience for fans on the official streaming platform o...
10/06/2026
Primary production partners Dome Productions and Raycom Sports once again played...
10/06/2026
The Women in Sports Filmmaking Experienceship is an immersive professional devel...
10/06/2026
The league has expanded its HSAN architecture for the NBA Finals to manage more ...
10/06/2026
The inaugural MoonPay X Games League (XGL) Winter Draft will take place Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at Cosm Los Angeles from 7-9 p.m. PT. The event will strea...
10/06/2026
The University of Oklahoma (OU) Athletics Department and Learfield have announce...
10/06/2026
The Video Services Forum (VSF) has released TR-06-4 Part 8, a new specification for RIST Satellite-Hybrid: Out-of-Band Method. The specification creates a mecha...
10/06/2026
Riedel Communications provided the communications infrastructure for the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Lisbon, supporting live medical proc...
10/06/2026
A still from The Doom Generation by Gregg Araki (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
By Lucy Spicer
Have you checked out our Sundance Film Festival 101 list yet...
10/06/2026
Get Hands-On with Interfaces & Mic Preamp Brands
If youre after a new interface or preamp, then GearExpo UK is the place to be! Well have a whole host of au...
10/06/2026
November 13-14 2026, The Midway, San Francisco
Following their recent rebranding, MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo) have officially announced thei...
10/06/2026
Debut instrument free for limited time
deFORM is the debut release from newly founded developer ebbandflow, and it's being offered as a free download fo...
10/06/2026
Alone Australia Season 4: Meet the Cast
10 June, 2026
Media releases
WATCH THE TRAILER
Smash-hit survival series Alone Australia drops its highly anticipa...
10/06/2026
DEADLY THEN, DEADLY NOW, DEADLY ALWAYS: SBS & NITV IGNITE NAIDOC WEEK 2026 WITH ...
10/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF advance laser-based drone defense with THORIS LCS Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing THORIS at ILA 2026: A sovereign, end to end counter...
10/06/2026
MAHLE and Rohde & Schwarz develop application for sensor testing of modern drive...
10/06/2026
Production and Development Funding supports the creation of compelling, commercially viable, artistic and culturally relevant South African screen content. Deve...
10/06/2026
Media buyers and sellers can now compare YouTube reach from computer, mobile, an...
10/06/2026
Accedo, Humans not Robots, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) have announced the launch of Ecoflow X. Formerly an IBC Accelerator project, ...
10/06/2026
Frequency, the engine powering the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced that James Smith has joined the company as General Manager...
10/06/2026
At the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Lisbon, Riedel Communications provided the communications infrastructure for live medical procedures s...
10/06/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media, and entertainment managed services, today announced the launch of its Content Exchange platform powered by Or...
10/06/2026
Klvr will showcase how venues, integrators and production teams are rethinking disposable battery usage at InfoComm 2026 (Las Vegas, June 17-19, booth #N6311). ...
10/06/2026
The Video Services Forum (VSF) has further enhanced the Reliable Internet Streaming Transport (RIST) protocol by incorporating a new feature, RIST Satellite-Hyb...
10/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
10/06/2026
10 Jun 2026
VEON's Banglalink Brings Every World Cup 2026 Match to Football...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
How to watch every ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match live on Sky Sports
Where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 availabl...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
P RLA brings first-ever Beautifully Clean Oral Care'...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
Sky reveals pulse-pounding first teaser trailer for upco...
10/06/2026
Wuppertal June 10, 2026
Riedel Artist at the Heart of the 14th World Live Neurovascular ConferenceAt the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Li...
10/06/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Showcases New Mobile Experience, Collections and Games Vision in APAC
Product
10 June 2026
GlobalSouth KoreaJapan
Link copied to c...
10/06/2026
Back to All News
Ready to Join? The Netflix Fan Club Arrives at Cannes Lions
Business
10 June 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download all assets
N...
10/06/2026
Chemists snap together complex 3D molecules from highly reactive radicals-without losing their shape Scripps Research team develops stereoretentive radical-radi...
09/06/2026
Kiswe announces an expanded long-term partnership with ONE Championship (ONE), t...
09/06/2026
SiriusXM will broadcast FOX Sports' English-language commentary for all 104 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches from June 11 through July 19, available to subscribe...
09/06/2026
EVS has announced it is changing its corporate name from EVS Broadcast Equipment to EVS, reflecting the company's expanded portfolio beyond broadcast equipm...
09/06/2026
Fox Corporation and the NFL have announced a multi-year agreement to bring NFL c...
Live streaming's usage has been growing steadily over the past few years, in large part due to the pandemic, and is expected to increase further in 2023 with its use in e-commerce experiencing a particularly sharp boom. Gonzalo de la Vega, VP strategic products at Fastly, explains how broadcasters can meet consumers' expectations with their live stream offerings 
