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How to go live on instagram and facebook


How to Go Live on Every Network

From Saturday Night Live and the Super Bowl to celebrity slaps at the Oscars, there’s no denying the thrill of watching events unfold in real time. You just never know what could happen. That’s why social media live streaming is so appealing to viewers and why content creators should be getting in on the action.

Since YouTube’s very first live event in 2008, internet users have grown from lukewarm to fully obsessed with social media streaming. These days, nearly a third of all internet users report watching at least one video live stream each week.

And can you blame them? Live streaming is authentic, engaging, and—we won’t deny it—a little bit thrilling.

What is social media live streaming?

How to go live on social media

8 tips for successful social media live streaming

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

What is social media live streaming?

Social media live streaming refers to real-time videos shared on social media platforms (as opposed to videos filmed in advance and then posted to social media). It is sometimes referred to as “going live” and is most often used by creators and influencers, who can tap into features like live chats, polls, and question prompts to invite viewers to participate in real-time conversations with them.

Because most platforms also allow users to give streamers gifts that can be redeemed for cash, creators can also earn a fair amount of money with social media live streaming.

Source: Facebook

How to go live on social media

At some point, you’re going to get that burning urge to go live on social media.

But the smorgasbord of social media live streaming platforms can be downright overwhelming. Instagram or TikTok? Facebook or YouTube? Is Twitch just for gamers? (Side note: no, it’s not. )

The answer, though, is simple: you should be streaming wherever your audience (or future audience) is hanging out.

Here’s some helpful demographic information on each of the major social media networks to help you address your target audience and figure out where to go live.

Then, read on for details on how to master live streaming on each one.

How to go live on Facebook

Depending on your user profile and your device, there are a few different ways to go live on Facebook.

If you’re creating a mobile Live video for a business page:

  1. Tap Create a post.
  2. Tap Live Video.
  3. (Optional) Write a short description of your video.
  4. Hit the blue Start Live Video button to begin your stream.

If you’re creating a mobile live video for a personal profile:

  1. Tap the What’s on your mind? field at the top of your newsfeed and then tap Live Video.
  2. (Optional) Adjust your audience in the To: field at the top, and add a description. This dropdown also gives you the option to share your live video to your story.
  3. Hit the blue Start Live Video button to begin your stream.

If you’re creating a Facebook Live video on your computer:

  1. In the create post box in your newsfeed, tap Live Video.
  2. Select Go Live. If you want to schedule a live event to start later, select Create Live Video Event.
  3. If you want to broadcast using your webcam, select Webcam. If you want to use a third-party streaming software, select Streaming software and paste the stream key into your software.
  4. Select where your video will appear, who can view it, and add a title and description if you’d like.
  5. Click the blue go live button.

Once you’re live, you’ll be able to see the names and number of live viewers and a stream of real-time comments.

When the show is over, the post saves to your profile or page (unless you’ve shared it to your story only).

Source: Facebook

Learn more about how to live stream from Facebook here.

How to go live on Instagram

On Instagram Live (available on the mobile app only for now), you can collaborate with guests, ask followers questions, or use filters. When your session’s over, you’ll be prompted to share your stream to your Story if you’d like.

Here’s how to go live on Instagram:

  1. Tap the camera in the top left corner of your phone.
  2. Swipe right to access the Instagram Live screen.
  3. Tap the Go live button to begin streaming.

Source: Instagram

Find more tips for how to use Instagram Live here.

How to go live on Instagram and Facebook at the same time

While there’s no official way to live stream the exact same content on Facebook and Instagram simultaneously, there are some third-party that can help.

StreamYard, OneStream are a few of the multi-stream platforms that can be customized (unofficially) to broadcast to multiple platforms at the same time.

Though be warned that Instagram does not officially support streaming outside of its own app.

If you want to keep the solution lowtech (and legal), you could also use two devices to record simultaneously: one for streaming to Instagram, and second to stream to Facebook from another angle.

Keep in mind that double the broadcasts also means double the comment streams to keep track of. You may want to enlist an engagement specialist to help you.

Ugh, we get it, you’re popular!

How to go live on LinkedIn

As of September 2022, LinkedIn Live is only available to users who meet certain criteria based on follower count, geographical location, and adherence to LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies.

To check if you are eligible, tap Event from your home page. If you see LinkedIn Live in the event format dropdown, you are allowed to go live on the platform.

Source: LinkedIn

Unfortunately, LinkedIn doesn’t have the same native live streaming capabilities as other social media platforms. Instead, you’ll need to use a third-party tool to broadcast live to LinkedIn.

  1. Grab two devices before you start streaming. One will be for the video, one for monitoring comments as they come in.
  2. Register for a broadcasting tool from a third party like StreamYard, Socialive, or Switcher Studio. Authenticate your LinkedIn account.
  3. Click the Broadcast button on your third-party tool and film.
  4. Use the second device to watch for comments (or get a friend to play moderator for you). Respond on camera as they come in.

Note: When your broadcast is over, it will live on your LinkedIn feed to attract even more engagement on the rewatch.

Get the complete guide to going live on LinkedIn here.

How to go live on Twitter

A video is the perfect way to stand out from the crowd in the non-stop stream of tweets. When you’re all done, you can share from the beginning to tweet the video in full.

How to go live on Twitter:

  1. Tap the camera icon in the composer. Note: If you don’t see the camera, make sure Twitter has access to your photos on your phone’s privacy settings.
  2. Tap Live. (If you just want audio and not video, tap the mic at the top right to turn off the camera).
  3. (Optional) Add a description and location, or invite guests to join in.
  4. Tap Go live.

Source: Twitter

Here’s the full breakdown for how to go live on Twitter.

How to go live on YouTube

YouTube was the first major social network to offer live streaming. Today, it is the most popular place to consume live content.

A webcam or smartphone (if you have at least 50 subscribers) will get you rolling right away. More advanced streamers can use encoders to broadcast from external devices, or screen share that awesome Mario 2 speedrun.

Any stream under 12 hours will be automatically posted to your Youtube channel for future generations to enjoy.

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

Get the free guide right now!

How to go live on YouTube with a webcam on desktop:

  1. Tap the video camera icon in the upper right corner.
  2. Select Go live.
  3. Select Webcam.
  4. Add a title and description, and adjust privacy settings.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Click Go live.

Note: you will have to verify your phone number with YouTube before you can go live from your desktop.

How to go live on YouTube on mobile:

  1. Tap the plus sign at the bottom of the home page.
  2. Select Go live.
  3. Add a title, select your location (optional), and adjust privacy settings.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Take a thumbnail photo.
  6. Click Go live.

Note: Only users who meet certain requirements can go live via mobile on YouTube. You’ll need at least 50 subscribers, have no live streaming restrictions, and be a verified channel.

How to go live on YouTube from an encoder:

  1. Set up your channel for live streaming here.
  2. Download an encoder.
  3. Select Go live. You’ll be able to set things up in the Live control room here.
  4. Select Stream.
  5. Add a title and description, and adjust privacy settings.
  6. Start your encoder, and check the live dashboard for the preview to begin.
  7. Click Go live.

Source: YouTube

Find more detailed instructions on how to live stream on Youtube here.

How to go live on TikTok

As of 2022, TikTok’s live feature is only available to users who have at least 1,000 followers and are at least 16 years of age.

Haven’t reached the threshold yet? Here’s a potential trick for how to go live on TikTok without 1,000 followers.

If you’ve got access to TikTok Live, here’s how to use it:

  1. Tap the plus sign on the bottom of the home screen.
  2. Swipe to the LIVE option in the bottom navigation.
  3. Pick an image and write a quick, enticing title.
  4. Press GO LIVE.

Source: TikTok

How to go live on Twitch

Twitch is unlike other social platforms in that it was built specifically for streaming, which means it’s a must for creators who want to break into live content.

This also means that going live on the platform is relatively straightforward.

If you want to stream videos of yourself or your surroundings, follow the instructions for how to go live IRL. If you want to stream yourself playing a video game, follow the instructions for how to stream games.

How to stream on Twitch in IRL:

  1. Tap the Create button on the top of the home screen.
  2. Tap the Go live button on the bottom right.
  3. Select either Stream games or Stream IRL, depending on the kind of content you’re streaming.
  4. Write a description for your stream and select your category.
  5. Tap Start Stream.

How to stream games on Twitch:

  1. Tap the Create button on the top of the home screen.
  2. Tap the Go Live button on the bottom right.
  3. Tap Stream games.
  4. Select your game from the list.
  5. Tap edit stream info to add a title, category, tags, language, and stream markers.
  6. Adjust the volume and VOD settings.
  7. Tap the Go live button.

How to stream on Twitch from desktop

  1. Head to your creator dashboard.
  2. Download Twitch Studio.
  3. Configure Twitch Studio and grant access to your device’s microphone and camera.
  4. From the home screen, click Share stream.
  5. Click Edit stream info to add a title, category, tags, and language.
  6. Click Start stream.

Source: Twitch

8 tips for successful social media live streaming

1. Leverage live analytics

As with any other kind of social media post, you’ll want to pay close attention to your analytics after you’ve done a few lives. Instagram’s Live analytics, for example, can help you benchmark performance and hone your live strategy.

Make sure you’re posting at the right time to maximize views and engagement. Shameless plug: Hootsuite will tell you the best time to post based on when your followers are the most active.

Make note of views, watch time, average view duration, engagement rate, and reach.

2. Promote your big moment

People might happen to catch your video as you press that “go live” button. Letting your audience know it’s coming up is only going to boost those numbers. When you schedule your social media posts, be sure to include information about upcoming lives.

Start a countdown on your various social platforms to hype up the moment: your Twitter crew might need a nudge to migrate over to YouTube when it’s your time to shine.

3. Make it timely

Your live video is competing for attention with the millions of other videos already out there. Having a timely “why now” hook will give your video an urgency more evergreen content will lack—like a one-night-only event (a holiday concert!), a seasonal special (an interview with Santa!) or an exclusive scoop (Santa’s dropping an album!).

Bonus: Read the step-by-step social media strategy guide with pro tips on how to grow your social media presence.

Get the free guide right now!

4. Create a dream team

Sharing a live broadcast with another influencer or expert in your field is one way to attract attention.

Whether it’s an interview with someone you admire or a more collaborative production, it’s a great way to leverage your guest’s audience into your own new followers. Sharing is caring, right?

5. Keep the context clear

The hope is that viewers will be watching from the very beginning, but the reality (or maybe magic?) of live streaming is that your audience will come and go throughout the broadcast.

Make sure it’s clear what they’re tuning into by occasionally reiterating the topic. A watermark, text or logo that clarifies who is on screen and what’s going on can be helpful, too.

6. Engage with your audience in the moment

The whole reason you’re doing your video live is to connect with your viewers, right? So make sure they know they’re a part of the show.

Say hello to commenters, welcome new viewers who are just joining the stream and answer questions on the fly if you can.

7. Have a roadmap

The beauty of a live stream is that anything can happen. But that isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have a goal of what you want to happen.

Financial expert Josh Brown may have been responding to viewers live on Twitter, but the Q&A format gave the off-the-cuff show some structure.

Jot down your key points or segments before you go live to keep yourself on topic. Think of it as less of a script, more of a road map.

8. Optimize your setup

While on-the-fly filming definitely has its charm, videos that are inaudible or poorly lit can be a struggle to stick with.

Set yourself up for success by doing a sound check before you go live. Seeking out bright, natural light whenever possible, and using a tripod if a shaky arm is too distracting. (Why do they make those phones so heavy?)

Promote your live videos in advance with Hootsuite, an easy-to-use dashboard that lets you schedule posts to all the major social networks from one place. Then, engage with new followers and track your success. Try it for free.

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Going Live on Facebook and Instagram

While we all practice physical distancing, live streaming can make personal connections happen in real time.

Here’s how to create that shared experience on both Facebook and Instagram Live. With live video, your community can instantly ask questions, comment, react, or just follow along.

Ideas to get you started:

  • Share how you’re feeling and coping and offer any tips
  • Answer crowdsourced questions
  • Livestream a performance you’ve been working on
  • Teach a class, showcase a skill or share your services virtually
  • Livestream yourself playing video games. Check out the steps on how to set up your Gaming Video Creator Page here.
  • Share an announcement that helps keep your community informed
  • Post “process-style” content, such as a behind-the-scenes look at:
    • Your craft or hobbies
    • Cooking
    • Working out
    • Getting dressed for a day inside
    • Talking about an upcoming project

Best practices to keep in mind:

  • Make it conversational.
  • Keep your setup casual.
  • The majority of Live content is shot selfie-style so consider having direct eye contact.
  • Aim to stream for at least 15 minutes or longer, since it takes time for viewers to join
  • Consider whether to record your content horizontally or vertically. Horizontal video can make it easier for people to view on a connected TV or laptop.
  • If filming on your phone, lock the focus and exposure by holding down on the screen before you begin.
  • For improved audio, consider using a wireless microphone that plugs into your phone or camera.
  • If adding music to your live streams, make sure you have the rights to use the music or you can download and use music from the Sound Collection tab in Creator Studio, which is already cleared for use in videos. Use of commercial music without proper clearances could result in your stream being removed.

Go live and raise money for a cause:

  • Live video is a powerful way to engage with your community and rally support for health organizations. In specific markets, people can donate as they watch your live video or after you’ve posted the video. See a list of eligible countries here.
  • Explain why the cause is meaningful to you and be clear about fundraising goals and what you hope to achieve.
  • Consider inviting others (family, friends or other influential figures) to join you and help advocate for the cause.
  • On Facebook Live, pin a comment to give your viewers an idea of what you’re doing and direct them to the right place to provide support.
  • Qualified Facebook Pages can add a Donate button to their live videos by using the Facebook app on mobile or Live Producer on a computer - more information is available below.

For step by step instructions check out Facebook Live and IG Live.

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how to simultaneously broadcast on two popular sites

Article provided by Utify, a YouTube promotion automation service through Google Ads.

Broadcasting video content on multiple platforms can save time for a blogger and remove issues related to recording lectures/speeches and further content resizing. For example, in the company's text blog on the website or in Zen, as well as in your personal one.

We'll show you two easy ways to simulcast to any venue you like. nine0005

Why do we need simultaneous broadcasts and why do we need to record them?

Instagram airs* are used to promote a product, conduct useful training events, broadcast from the scene of important events, or simply communicate with the audience and answer questions from subscribers.

At the same time, live broadcasts can be saved to IGTV, but this is not always possible due to problems with updates to the application itself. Therefore, at the end of the broadcast, an unpleasant surprise may await you in the form of the absence of the desired video. You can lose useful information from subscribers, record a joint lecture with another specialist, and so on. nine0005

If you keep a record, then you can:

  • After processing, pour it into another site. For example, on YouTube or Facebook*, if necessary.
  • Save the video to your device/cloud and then use it to create articles, video content for other sites or advertising. For example, save the broadcast, and then make several videos for TikTok, posts on Instagram * or videos for advertising on YouTube using Utify based on it.
  • Use audio to create a podcast. It is relevant if the quality of the picture leaves much to be desired or contains negative elements, and most importantly for you is the sound. nine0020
  • Conduct competent work with the audience and then write to all the indignant customers or those who are interested in your product (provided that you left the opportunity to view the comments), and so on.

Simultaneous broadcasts save time and allow the blogger to be in several places at once. This is especially convenient if you need to ensure the interaction of subscribers on different sites.

Two ways to broadcast live simultaneously

Method 1. Use the BlueStacks emulator + OBS Studio broadcasting software

What you need : phone, computer, access to the YouTube account from which you are going to broadcast, installation of BlueStacks and OBS Studio programs on your PC.

How works: one program creates an emulation field for your phone on the computer, and the other broadcasts everything that happens in it to YouTube.

How to start:

  • Download BlueStacks. After installing the program, sign in to your Google Play account. This will require your mailing address. nine0020
You need to accept the app's terms of use
  • Search and download the Instagram* app on Google Play. After installation, the system will prompt you to change the graphics settings. Give consent to this and wait for the restart. After that, you will have an application that you need to launch.
You can start working
  • After authorization in the application, you will see phone emulation to work with the desired account.
All functionality will be preserved

Download and run OBS Studio. Close all dialog boxes and go to the "File" tab, then to "Settings".

This will open the settings menu
  • Select the Broadcast tab, YouTube platform. Then you need to click on the "Get Stream Key" button for the program to access your account and start broadcasting.
In the menu that opens, copy the desired key and paste it into the program window
  • Then select the broadcast source. In our case, this is capturing the window of a specific program. Select it from the list of sources. nine0020
Pay attention to the area highlighted in red. It can be moved to different parts of the broadcast screen and enlarged or reduced depending on what you want to show to users
  • After you need to start broadcasting on Instagram*, and then click on the “Start Broadcasting” button in the program. If something is wrong with the access key, then she will ask you to update it and tell you how to do it.
There will be a slight delay in broadcasting on YouTube, but users will see everything that happens on your screen. You can move freely with your phone and don't worry about the video not being saved

If you just need to record the broadcast, then click the "Start Recording" button.

Method 2. Using the SMMplanner service and the OBS Studio program

What you need : an account in the SMMplanner service, a phone, the OBS Studio program and a little time.

How works: the service sets up re-streaming of broadcasts from Instagram* and other social networks to any platform. However, while it is in development, access to it must be requested from the support team. nine0005

How to start :

  • Register with SMMplanner.
  • After registering, contact support using the dialog box in the lower right corner. Write that you need access to the service for broadcasting.
  • After opening access, follow the link https://smmplanner.com/home/streams and fill in the broadcast data.
The settings are quite simple
  • Create the first and second broadcast sources. In the second case, you will need a key and a link to the broadcast from the YouTube settings. nine0020
In our case, these are YouTube and Instagram *
  • After that, go to the window of the broadcast itself and follow the instructions on the screen.
Then start broadcasting in the application and on the device

Now you can broadcast on several platforms at once and not waste time repeating the same information for subscribers.

Broadcasting online broadcasts to several social networks at the same time is available only on paid plans. Broadcasts are not available on the trial plan. In 2022, the broadcast limits in SMMplanner increased by a factor of

  • "Starting" tariff - 2 hours daily.
  • Tariff "Professional" - 5 hours daily.
  • Tariff "Small business" - 12 hours daily.
  • Tariff "Medium Business" - 24 hours daily.
  • Tariff "Big business" - 72 hours daily.

More details can be found in the section with tariffs.

And here you can read the detailed setup instructions.

You can read more about live broadcasts in our blog:

  • “Live broadcasts on Instagram*: to be watched and loved”;
  • "IGTV: all about the tool";
  • "Turn off comments on Instagram* - guide";
  • “How to run marathons and webinars using a private Instagram account*”;
  • “Unloading comments from Instagram*: methods, services, features”;
  • "How to track comments on Instagram*, Facebook* and VKontakte. "

Successful promotion!

nine0000 How to successfully broadcast live on Instagram?

Live broadcasts on Instagram are an excellent business promotion tool that allows you to keep in touch with your followers, create “live” content, convey the necessary information to the audience and receive feedback.

Conduct live broadcasts to:

- increase the activity of subscribers;
- to attract new customers;
- show your expertise and increase the level of trust in your organization; nine0180 - promote your services for free.

In the educational business, live broadcasts will help expand the classroom and supplement the learning process with master classes, lectures, and online training. In some cases, Instagram can be a worthy alternative to offline classes and be used as a full-fledged learning platform.

Tips for broadcasting

Prepare for the speech in advance:

- announce the performance in the feed, publish Stories, tell about events in other social networks and on the website; nine0180 - select the venue for the broadcast - it can be an auditorium or a sports hall of your school;
- determine the broadcast time. View account statistics and find out what hours your audience is most active;
- write the timing of the speech, noting in it all the key points that you want to cover. The recommended broadcast time is 40 minutes;
- check the technical readiness - the quality of the camera, the absence of unnecessary noise, stable Internet.

On air:

- introduce yourself to the audience and indicate the topic of the speech;
- fix the topic of the broadcast in the comment;
- activate the "hide offensive comments" filter;
- watch the time.

After the broadcast

- publish the entry in Stories among the actual;
- save the video to IGTV and launch its announcement in the feed;
- upload the video to video hosting sites and tell about it on social networks.

5 ideas for interesting broadcasts

Do not limit live broadcasts to the format of online training or lessons. Try to diversify the content of your broadcasts.

Learn more