How to start a livestream on instagram
Use Instagram Live to Connect with Customers
As people are increasingly isolated during the COVID-19 situation, we know it may be tough to stay engaged with your audience. Instagram Live allows you to maintain this direct line, and easily connect with your community in an authentic way. More importantly, you get to receive comments and questions from your audience in real-time. This is a very meaningful tool for building a strong connection between your brand and customers. To help you get started, we are covering how to launch your first Instagram Live and our top tips to drive meaningful connections with your customers.
Getting Started
Make sure you have a strong internet connection to keep the stream as high quality as possible. Swipe right from feed to open the Stories Camera then tap 'Live' then 'Start Live Video'. You can go live for up to an hour, and you'll see when new people join. The longer you stay live, the more time your fans have to join. Your most engaged followers may receive a notification that you're live and your story will move to the front of their stories bar at the top of the feed.
Tips for Businesses
Before you go Live:
Test Instagram Live on a test account to make sure you’re familiar with the functionality and set-up.
Give followers advanced notice (try using the countdown sticker in Stories or posting on your Instagram Feed).
After your first live stream, try going Live at certain times during the day/week so your audience knows when to look forward to tuning in.
While you are on Live:
Go Live with a business partner, creator or fan. Using Live With prompts a notification to your collaborator’s followers so it’s a great way to reach new audiences as well.
Try a Live Q&A. Either ask for questions during the stream or use the Questions sticker in Stories to source questions beforehand.
Turn on comment moderation to facilitate a positive community experience.
If on iOS, try the Media sharing button (to the bottom right of your Live recording screen), which allows you to share any video or image on screen.
After you end Live:
Share your Live to IGTV. Make sure Post a Preview is on so that a preview of your video will be shared to your feed and profile. You can also download the video to your device. (Update on October 5, 2021 at 10:00AM PT: IGTV and feed videos have been combined into one format, Instagram Video.)
How to set up Instagram Live
To start a live video, follow these steps:
1.
Tap the camera icon in the top left of the Feed or swipe right from anywhere in Feed to open the Stories camera.
2. Scroll to Live at the bottom of the screen to start Live. Before you go live, tap the wheel icon in the top left corner to open controls to select who you would like to be able to view your Instagram Live, who can reply, where it saves to, and how it can be shared. The number of viewers appears at the top of the screen. When you are ready, then tap the Live button.
3. You can take a few moments to say hello to your audience while everyone is joining to see your Live broadcast. Comments from your audience will appear at the bottom. Broadcasters can see questions that are submitted by their audience via the Q&A sticker and select the ones they want to appear.
4. To ensure you won’t see inappropriate words in the comments on your Instagram Live, you can hide offensive comments, and filter comments that contain specific words.
Open Instagram settings, scroll down to Privacy, select Comments, and then toggle the Hide Offensive Comments toggle from Off to On. To filter out comments that contact specific words or phrases, toggle Manual Filter from Off to On, and type the words or phrases you would like to filter out.
5. If you are on iOS, you can tap the camera roll icon in the bottom right to share photos and videos from your camera roll to your live video. When you add a photo or video from your camera roll, your video live stream will move to the top right corner of the screen. To stop displaying your photo or video, swipe right on your camera roll below and tap
. Keep in mind that only you can see the photos and videos in your camera roll while you're sharing a live video.
6. When you're done, tap End in the top right then tap to confirm. From there, you can tap the save icon in the top left to save it to your camera roll, or share it to your Stories.
Your Live will stay on Instagram Stories for 24 hours. Once you have saved your video to your camera roll, you can repurpose this content and share on Instagram Stories, feed, and IGTV. (Update on October 5, 2021 at 10:00AM PT: IGTV and feed videos have been combined into one format, Instagram Video.)
How to Go Live on Instagram by Yourself or With a Guest
- You can go live on Instagram by scrolling to the "Live" tab on the "New Post" page.
- When you're live, all your followers will be notified and can view your live video in real time.
- You can also go live together with a friend, or request to join a friend's live video.
Instagram launched its live video feature in late 2016. Since then, the social media company has built up the function by adding other features like questions and the option to add friends to the live video, too.
Going live on Instagram can be a fun way to let your followers see events happening in real time, like a concert or special event.
Here's how to go live, go live with a friend, or request to join another user's live video.
How to go live on Instagram1. Open the Instagram app on your iPhone or Android.
2. Tap the plus sign "+" icon in the top-right corner of the homepage. Alternatively, you can swipe left to get to the same screen.
Click the plus sign icon or swipe left. Grace Eliza Goodwin/Insider3. After tapping the plus sign or swiping left, you'll be taken to a New Post page.
In the menu bar at the bottom of the page, swipe all the way to the right to select Live.
4. A camera screen will open up. On the left side, tap the icon of four lines to add a title to your live video. You can also tap the icon of a circle with a heart in it to make your video a fundraiser.
Customize your live video. Grace Eliza Goodwin/Insider5.
When you're ready to go live, tap the circle icon at the bottom of the screen and you'll be live. Active followers will be notified that you're now live. As followers begin to watch your live video, you will see their usernames appear at the bottom.
6. To end a live video, tap the "X" in the top-right corner and select End Now in the pop-up. Once the live video has ended, Instagram will show you how many people viewed your video and give you the option to share the video for the next 24 hours so those who missed it can see it via your Instagram Stories.
Or, you can choose to Delete video.
1. Open the Instagram app on your iPhone or Android.
2. Tap the plus sign "+" icon in the top-right corner of the homepage. Alternatively, you can swipe left to get to the same screen.
3. After tapping the plus sign or swiping left, you'll be taken to a New Post page. In the menu bar at the bottom of the page, swipe all the way to the right to select Live.
4. A camera screen will open up. On the left side, tap the icon of four lines to add a title to your live video. You can also tap the icon of a circle with a heart in it to make your video a fundraiser.
5. When you're ready to go live, tap the circle icon at the bottom of the screen and you'll be live.
6. Once you're live, tap the icon of a video camera at the bottom of the screen. From here, you can type in the username of someone to go live with, or search for them in the list of viewers. Select a user to invite them to join your live video.
Click the video camera icon. Grace Eliza Goodwin/Insider7.
You can only go live with someone who is already watching your live video. But, you can invite someone to join your live video who isn't already watching — to do so, type in their username, tap the circle button next to their name, and select Send Request.
8. Once they've accepted your request, their video should appear alongside yours in a split screen. To remove your friend from the Live video, tap the "X" at the top-right of their screen.
9. To end your live video, tap the "X" in the upper right-hand corner and choose End Now in the pop-up.
Once the live video has ended, Instagram will show you how many people viewed your video and give you the option to share the video for the next 24 hours so those who missed it can see it via your Instagram Stories. Or, you can choose to Delete video.
Note: To use Instagram's Live Rooms feature for creators, you can follow this same process to add multiple guests.
How to request to be in another user's live video on Instagram1. Open another user's live video and tap Request to join.
2. Then, tap Send request to request to be in their live video.
3. You will then receive a notification letting you know if your request has been accepted or denied.
Meira Gebel
Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland, Oregon.
She writes about business, culture, and technology for Insider. Her work has been featured in Digital Trends, Willamette Week, USA Today, and more. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and San Francisco State University. Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter, where she can be found most of the time, @MeiraGebel.
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How to go live on Instagram: step by step instructions Instagram Live
Contents
What is Instagram Live - live broadcasts.
Advantages of live streaming
What should be done before the broadcast?
How to go live on Instagram
How followers see your live on Instagram
Popular formats of broadcasts on Instagram to promote goods and services
Highlights of the live broadcast
Conclusion about live broadcasts on Instagram
Many people know that Instagram has live broadcasts or Instagram Live.
But few people understand that a live broadcast can be not just a way to tell how your day went or show how you “shop” in a shopping center, but also an effective sales tool.
Instagram Live has many advantages, and we will talk about them in this article. We will also show a detailed guide on launching and further interaction with live broadcasts on Instagram. Go...
What is Instagram Live - live broadcasts.
Back in 2017, Instagram joined the ranks of advanced applications and launched the live broadcast function - real-time video broadcasts. This tool is located in the Stories section. It makes it possible not only to communicate directly with your subscribers, but also to broadcast together with another Instagram user. Live broadcast time limit - up to 4 hours.
Pluses of live broadcasts:
- are launched directly from the Instagram mobile app. No additional equipment needed. Ether can be launched at any time;
- your followers see the live stream in Stories in the first place.
Stories of other accounts are displayed after your broadcast, as usual, in chronological order; - at the start of a live broadcast - subscribers receive a notification about this;
- commercial accounts use ethers to tell some unique information, which is then not always saved or duplicated. Therefore, subscribers get the impression that they can only benefit at the time of broadcast, or they will be the first to receive up-to-date information;
- live broadcast can be saved in your account in the "Video" section.
- regular broadcasts increase reach as Instagram promotes its service and shows them in recommendations;
- broadcast statistics are easy to track: after the end of the broadcast, you will automatically be shown the number of your viewers.
See also IGTV review on Instagram: how to use it to promote a business?
What should I do before the broadcast?
A good commercial air is obtained only when you prepare for it.
Before going live on Instagram, take care of the following:
-
Theme and scenario of the broadcast. What will you talk about, what questions will you answer, what will be in the frame. Most importantly, always keep in mind the purpose of your broadcast.
-
Broadcast announcement. Tell your subscribers about the upcoming broadcast in advance. Announcements need to be made several times: a week before the broadcast, a day before, and day-to-day. To make video communication as useful as possible, conduct a survey among subscribers in advance, find out their preferred topic. Then they won't miss it.
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Broadcast format. Select the broadcast format (more on formats later in the article).
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Smartphone technical preparation. Just in case, we check that the Instagram application has access to your camera and microphone on your phone. You will also need free space on your device if you decide to download the broadcast to your phone.
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Air settings in the application. You can hide the video from some subscribers, prevent the video from being shared or replies to messages. You can even "Hide offensive comments" that Instagram recognizes itself.
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Preparing location and angle. You give quality to a picture of an ether! What will be in the frame: your face, product, switching plans, background. Everything matters, therefore, think over where you will sit, from what angle to shoot, what will be behind your back (there are awkwardness here).
How to go live on Instagram
In order to go live on Instagram from your phone, click on the "Create" button in the upper right corner. Then select "Ether" from the menu. Before starting the broadcast, we recommend that you immediately add a title so that subscribers who connect to the broadcast after it starts will immediately understand the topic.
Launch of live broadcast
In the live camera settings, available by pressing the "gear", you can:
- Allow broadcast reposts;
- Hide live broadcast from individual users;
- Set up automatic saving of air to the archive;
- Set up automatic use of the front camera;
- Select how the toolbar is displayed.
Live camera settings
Before starting the broadcast, we recommend adding a title and using other settings options.
Adding a Live Header
For example, if you use the "Audience" - "Training" option, you can start the broadcast in test mode. This is a great feature to prepare for the broadcast, check the lighting, the quality of the picture and the Internet, set up the camera, rehearse the speech.
Audience selection in live settings
You can also schedule a live broadcast for a specific date and time.
Live broadcast planning
To start the video broadcast, click on the button in the center and the broadcast starts.
Congratulations, you are live :)
Functions available during live TV
During the broadcast, the following functionality is available to you: the ability to write a comment (1), requests to join the broadcast from other users (2), invite a guest to broadcast (3), a window with questions from subscribers (4), the ability to send a live broadcast to your subscribers (5), select and apply a mask (6), switch camera (7), mute video (8), mute microphone (9), show users photos and videos live (10), end live broadcast (11).
Window with questions from viewers
Sending an invitation to broadcast to your subscribers
Adding photo/video to the air
To end the broadcast, click on the cross in the upper right corner.
End window live
We confirm - "Finish" and Instagram offers several options:
- View broadcast statistics.
- Watch the broadcast in the archive of live broadcasts. The video will be saved on Instagram.
- Do not save video.
Choice of options after live broadcast ends
After selecting the option "Watch live in the live archive" you will be prompted to save the video.
Save live
After saving, the broadcast will appear in the "Video" section on your page.
Saved live broadcast in the Video section
How followers see your Instagram Live
An automatic notification is sent to your subscribers when a broadcast starts.
In Stories, they immediately see the ether. If this is a joint broadcast, there will be two icons at once.
Live broadcast button
When a subscriber turns on your live broadcast on his phone, he sees it like this:
Watch live TV
Subscribers can send quick reactions (1) or write comments and ask questions (2), share your broadcast (3) and like (4).
Also, the "Submit a request to participate in live" window automatically pops up with the "Become a guest" button. If you agreed in advance with the owner of the broadcast, then you press the button and the broadcast becomes joint, in the format of an interview. Although, a joint broadcast is not always planned, for example, as in the case of Nastyushka Ivleeva, who accidentally stumbled upon Jared Leto live. Important: only two users can participate in a video broadcast.
Random joint broadcast of Nastya Ivleeva and Jared Leto
And you can watch the broadcast on the desktop in the browser.
To do this, log in with your account on the instagram.com website and go to your feed or the profile of the author who will broadcast live. You will see a note that the broadcast is already on.
Active live tag
This is what broadcast looks like from the desktop:
Viewing live broadcast on a desktop device
Popular formats of broadcasts on Instagram to promote goods and services
Question and answer
Collect the pains of your subscribers in advance and, live, answer their questions. You can collect questions in the comments under posts or post special Stories with a question box. During the broadcast, it is not always possible to follow all the comments and questions. In order not to miss anyone, ask participants to duplicate questions in Direct if they remain unanswered.
Interview
This format implies a joint broadcast of two profiles. It looks like a question-answer, only the questions are answered not by you personally, but by the guest, he is the expert whom you invited. Usually, they invite professionals from industries related to your business. This revitalizes subscribers and causes them additional interest in your company. For example, if you have an exclusively female audience, you sell children's products or professional online courses for women, a psychologist, nutritionist, or cosmetologist can become a guest of your broadcast.
Backstage or backstage
Show the life of the company from the inside. An online tour of the production or a live picture of how you sew shoes, cook cakes. So subscribers will not only immerse themselves in your field, but also appreciate the reality and stability of your company.
Master class
Only the laziest sloth does not watch master classes. For you, this is an opportunity to show expertise and attract a new audience: how to assemble a kitchen or make a design project in a 3D moderator. In the end, look at what your colleagues (they are competitors) offer.
By the way, third-party services are now working that allow you to download other people's saved broadcasts to a computer or phone.
Live highlights
- Not all users are in time for the very beginning of the broadcast, so during the broadcast, remind about the topic. Also indicate the title of the broadcast.
- During the broadcast, users write comments and questions. You can pin any comment or attach a sticker with a question from Stories to clearly show what is being said now.
- Don't ignore comments. Choose your message handling option:
- respond immediately;
- at the beginning of the broadcast, comment on when and how you will answer questions and, of course, fulfill your promise;
- during the broadcast, ask to duplicate unanswered questions in Direct.
- If you want not all subscribers to see the broadcast, you can make a restriction in the account settings in the "Privacy" - "Live" tab. You're just hiding the story from certain followers.
Live access restriction settings
You can also immediately hide offensive comments and phrases.
Setting up comments and hiding insults
Conclusion about live broadcasts on Instagram
In 2022, and in subsequent years, it is important and necessary to use live broadcasts to promote your idea. This is a good feedback from your target audience, and an increase in brand loyalty, and an increase in the reach of your target audience as a whole.
See also How to promote Instagram yourself from scratch: detailed instructions
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How to start live on Instagram?
You can start broadcasting and chat with your followers in real time.
When the broadcast is over, you can post it or find it in the live stream archive.
Start Live on the Instagram app
Instagram app for Android
In the feed, swipe right and select Live from the options at the bottom of the screen.
To add a title, click Title on the left side of the screen and enter it, then click Add Title.
Press at the bottom of the screen. The number of viewers is shown at the top of the screen, and comments are shown at the bottom.
To add a comment, click Comment at the bottom of the screen.
To pin a comment at the top for viewers, click on it and select Pin Comment.
When you're done, tap in the top right corner of the screen and select Finish to confirm the action. You can then click Share to post the live video to your profile.
Instagram app for iPhone
In the feed, swipe right and select Live from the options at the bottom of the screen.
To add a title, click Title on the left side of the screen and enter it, then click Add Title.
Press at the bottom of the screen. The number of viewers is shown at the top of the screen, and comments are shown at the bottom.
To add a comment, click Comment at the bottom of the screen.
To pin a comment at the top for viewers, click on it and select Pin Comment.
When you're done, tap in the top right corner of the screen and select Finish to confirm the action. You can then click Share to post the live video to your profile.
Note. When you save a broadcast to a profile or download a video from a live stream archive, only the video is saved, not the comments, viewer information, or likes. It may take some time to save the broadcast to your phone, especially if it is long.
Live stream management
Instagram app for Android
To turn off comments, tap the icon at the bottom of the screen and select Turn off comments.
If you have applied keyword filters, they will also apply to comments on the broadcast.
To turn off live stream requests, tap at the bottom of the screen and select Turn off live stream requests.
Instagram App for iPhone
To turn off comments, tap the icon at the bottom of the screen and select Turn off comments. If you have applied keyword filters, they will also apply to comments on the broadcast.
To turn off your live stream requests, tap at the bottom of the screen and select Turn off live stream requests.
If you are using an iOS device, tap in the lower right corner of the screen to add a photo or video from your camera roll to live stream. To stop showing a photo or video, swipe right on the camera roll at the bottom of the screen and tap . During a live broadcast, photos and videos in your camera roll are only visible to you.
