Live streaming is the new trend these days, everyone is curious about how and why to use it.
Big brands like Facebook , Twitter, Youtube all have jumped in the war of live streaming. Brands like Blab and Instalively, even not of widely known, are the senior and efficient players in the field. These brands also liked by a lot of users.
Live streaming can be used to bring revolutionary change but again not everyone is aware of how to use these app.
Going through this how to Live Stream guide you shall be able to Live Stream in any of the mentioned App easily.
WHY DO YOU NEED LIVE STREAMING?
In the world of gadgets and technology, everything is literally in man’s hand. Things happen later they become news first. From an 80-year old to a 5-year-old everyone wants to be a part of this modernisation.
Everyone wants to be a part of what is happening around the world.
Relying on the news to know what is happening is an old affair.
Live streaming is a landmark in the modernising the world more. Live streaming gives you the ultimate power to know what is happening how in the very raw form. You don’t need to spend thousands to tell someone your story now. All you need is an app and go live before the whole world.
From a child’s birth to his first word, your daughter’s first drawing to her ballet recitals, your new hairstyles to what you think about your country’s politics, your trip to Paris to peaceful sunrise show world everything and anything.
You don’t need big setups and a team of dozens to go live. Now you have so many platforms like Facebook live, Periscope, Instalively, Blab and YoutubeLive.
PERISCOPE : PIONEER FOR LIVE STREAMING
Periscope is a live streaming application for ios and android. You can share your life with the whole world now. Periscope was acquired by twitter before its launch. It was launched on March 26, 2015.
While Periscope is hotter than a Starbucks Coffee, it can be a bit tricky for the people new to the platform. After all, you’re going to be talking in front of a live audience and you want to at least look like you know what you’re doing.
It is the first app to create such a big name in live streaming. Being the first among others it has a slight advantage
One very good thing is you can you can sign in through twitter as the application was bought by twitter itself. But it’s your choice that whether you want to or not link it with your twitter account
It gives you the opportunity to directly interact with your viewers, it’s like you can create your own “live-on the go” broadcasting station.
This is your opportunity to share your knowledge, your experiences, and your way to see life or make new friends and know what they think.
How to use Periscope?
Using periscope is a simple task if you are new to the platform just go through these steps and you will be able to broadcast on periscope easily.
Firstly just download the app from your app store, it is available for free.
Sign in
- You can sign in using your Twitter account or you can use your phone number
- However, you need to create a username. You can make a different username as of your twitter username but it will be preferable if you have the same user name as it make easier to be found
- If you sign in with your twitter account it will become easier for you to connect socially with more people
Image source: appadvice.com
- If you have more than one Twitter handle, you can add the additional ones using the “Add Account” function under the Twitter settings on your device.
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Search and Manage your profile
Image source: janetfouts.com
- Your profile is on the top right screen of your screen.You can manage your profile by tapping it.
- You can edit your bio, only text is allowed not HTML yet.
- Change your profile picture by tapping on the avatar
- As you go downwards you’ll see following, followers, blocked and past broadcasts.
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Broadcasting
- Tap the broadcast icon to start broadcasting. Third icon at the bottom of your screen
- Enter some catchy title related to your broadcast to attract people. Make you title clickable if you are broadcasting location specifically.
- You can choose to make your broadcast private or public when you are typing the title.
- You can also choose whom you want to allow to chat. you can only your followers, people you follow or no one.
- Periscope has now added filters which it lets you draw in between the broadcast.
- Do reply to the comments of your audience, it keeps them interested in your broadcast and makes them feel more connected.
- If any of the viewers is writing offensive comments you can block them from commenting.
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Save and Watch your broadcast later
- Periscope lets you save your videos for 24 hrs only yet. They have announced that soon you will be able to save your videos for longer periods of time.
- A viewer can watch the broadcast and add hearts for that 24 hour period. If the broadcast isn’t saved for replay the user will only see a summary of the broadcast including the title, time and location (if you chose to share it). If you don’t want this to be shown, view your broadcast on the watch page and swipe left to delete it.
- Saving your video to the camera roll allows you to upload it to another platform, share it on Youtube and embed it in a website. Comments and viewers do not show if the version saved to your camera roll.
How to watch broadcasts on Periscope
- You can watch broadcast by simply going on the links and opening it browser or periscope.
- You can also see what broadcasts are going around the world. Go to the globe icon, it denotes world map. You can see red dots for all the broadcasts going on at different places.
- If you like what you are watching give hearts to the broadcaster, it encourages them and let them know that people are interested in what they are showing.
Image source: www.forbes.com
FACEBOOK LIVE
In the going war of live streaming apps, Facebook live is surely biggest buzz creator. It has been launched this year only just a few months ago.
In the short span of time it has gained fairly large popularity.
Everyone is curious about it.
Image source: marketingland.com
Facebook live has been launched in 60 countries until now. So, if you don’t have it, don’t worry soon it will be available all over the world.
Facebook live is at an advantage due to its already big audience but this does not mean it will be winning this. Facebook live is available on the Facebook app only so you can’t use in a browser.
Many of you may not be much familiar with the platform yet; you must be thinking how you can use it.
How to use Facebook Live ?
Even if you are new to platform you can use facebook live easily by going through this guideline:
How can you broadcast on facebook live?
- To go live- go to “What’s on your mind?” just above the News Feed on your screen in facebook app.
- You will see that a new red icon looking like a man radiating signals. This is the icon for live streaming. Tap on it to start broadcasting process.
Image source pocketnow.com
- Give Facebook access to your camera and microphone when prompted. You’ll stop receiving these prompts after the first time you use it.
- You can set your privacy settings accordingly. It is up to you whom do you want to see your broadcast. You can make it public, private, friend,etc.
Image source: hubspot.com
- Add a catchy title and description to our broadcast. It makes audience attracted to your broadcast and lets them know what the broadcast is about.
Image sourcepocketnow.com
- Tap on go live and your broadcasting will start.
- All your friends or people selected will receive notification of you going live.
- Interact with people, reply their comments, make jokes so that people remain interested in your broadcast.
Image source: newsroom.fb.com
- You can broadcast upto 90 minutes. Tip: the longer you broadcast the more people will stumble upon your broadcast.
- Facebook live comes with filters, which let you draw in between your in between and make broadcasting more fun.
Image source: techcrunch.com
- If someone is talking nuisance throughout the broadcast you can simply block the viewer from commenting
- Click finish to end your broadcast.
Image source live.fb.com
- Soon feature called MSQRD will be available for all, this feature let you use masks on your face. It is somewhat like Snapchat’s lenses.
Image source:www.tubefilter.com
If you are reluctant about streaming to public and want to see first how you look you can change the privacy setting to “ Only me”
Image source: hubspot.com
- You can save the broadcast in your phone’s camera.
- Also you can choose the quality in which you want to upload your broadcast.
Image source: www.socialchefs.com
How to watch a Broadcast on Facebook Live ?
- You will be notified when your friend uis goiung live you can directly go to link to see it.
- You can go to the map and watch where live broadcasts are happening and simply join in. facebook map is available for desktop only.
Image source: www.idigitaltimes.com
- You can express your views on the broadcast by commenting and giving emoji of different expressions.
Image source: www.theverge.com
INSTALIVELY
Instalively lets you share your live stream not on just Instalively but Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. It lets you stream live on all these social platforms where the video plays inline so that all your friends can watch live videos from their social media account
The makers have designed the app with consideration of low internet in the Asian subcontinent, which means it let you stream live even on a low internet.
The company has its fair share of angel investors. Funding is given by big names in the market. Instalively has it all you would want a live streaming app to have.
With the current going craze of live streaming, Instalively is sure to grow big in the coming time.
If you are new to the platform and yet to discover how it works read the guidelines below:
How can you use Instalively ?
- Once you are done with installing the app, open the app. You can sign in the app through your google account.
- You will need to allow the app to take basic information from your google account in order to sync it with your app.
- Once you are successfully logged in, you’ll see a list of popular Instalively streamers you can follow.
How to broadcast on Instalively ?
- Just select the camera icon on your screen to go live
- You will be asked to verify your account before going live. This is just first time procedure.
- Create channel on youtube if you don’t have a channel previously.
- Choose your country location. You need to enter your mobile number in order to receive a verification code.
- Enter the verification code to complete the process.
- Go to camera icon again to start broadcast.
- Give your broadcast some catchy title, it attracts people interest and let them know what broadcast is all about.
- You can choose on what platforms you want to share your live stream.
- Once you are ready select Start Broadcast.
- You can use colorful filters to make your stream more fun.
- You can save your stream in your device.
How to watch broadcast on Instalively
- You can choose to watch the broadcasts displaying on your home screen in your instalively app.
- You can watch live streaming by going to live icon on your screen
- You can choose what you want to see from the list displaying on your screen.
- You can comment while watching the broadcast and ask your questions.
BLAB
The makers claim themselves as the best place to hangout live. Blab is like better version google hangout, google hangout proved complicated to use which is not the case with blab.
Blab is the best platform if you want to hold some debate or competition.
For instance, Meerkat, Periscope and Facebook Mentions are mobile-only and are mostly just you talking to your audience. Plus, if you want to interview someone, he or she needs to be right next to you. And while you can include up to 10 people on a Google hangout, the session feels more like an interview and doesn’t provide the same sense of engagement as a Blab.
How to use BLAB ?
- You can sign in with your twitter account to start blabbing. If you want to change your bio or notifications, click on your photo and select Settings.
- Once you are logged in to the platform, follow people to receive notifications about their streams. You can search by name or twitter username to find people you want to follow.
How to Broadcast yourself on Blab ?
- To start a blab just click on the purple color tab next to your profile picture.
- Describe what your broadcast is about in maximum 80 characters. You can choose up to three tags relevant to your broadcast.
- You can set up a blab to go live immediately or can schedule it for later.
Things you can do as a host on Blab :
1. You can Accept / Deny Calls
2. You can remove a Guest
3. You can exclude a viewer
Similarly to the previous feature, you are also able to prevent someone from being a part of your broadcast. While you can’t completely block them, you can prevent them from commenting and disrupting your broadcast in any way. They will still be able to watch it, though.
To block someone, click on the red button that will appear when you click on someone’s profile. Note that it only blocks the user for that particular session, not in the future, too.
4. You can delete Comments
If you feel that some comments are inappropriate and offending, you can delete their comment by clicking on the comment.
5. Choose how any people you want to include
If you wish to keep your broadcast limited to a certain group of people, Locking seat is a great feature.
Lock icon will appear when you hover over someones screen, select it lock that seat.
6. Changing the topic
As you are live-streaming, your topic of conversation might change. For this reason, blab has an option of changing the title of your Blab as you are live-streaming. That will allow for new people to join who might be interested in what you are talking about at the moment.
7. Muting
You have the power to mute yourself, or any of the other speaker. When you mute yourself no one will be able to listen to you but when you mute some other speaker only you won’t be able to hear them everyone else will be
8. You can record your BLAB
As the host, you can record your Blab, as well. If at any point you go off topic, you can pause your recording and go off the record. This is a great option if you want the end result to be a well-organized conversation on particular topics. You won’t need to edit the session again as it will come out perfect without nay interruptions.
Image source: socialmediaexaminer.com
When you’re done recording, you will receive links to audio and video recordings of your broadcast. You will also get a link you can post on your website or social media, so people could watch it in the future. To end a Blab session, everyone needs to disconnect before you. So, either you’ll ask them to do so, or you will hit the “x” in the corner of their screens.- It is important to mention to end because if you don’t and you end it, the session will continue without you, even though you are the host.
- You can promote your blab beforehand or afterwords by sharing tour link on your twitter.
How can you watch a blab ?
- Blab is very easy to use. To find blab of your interest, choose tags of your interest from the tag box on the left side of your screen
- You can see the Blab going on live as well as replays and the Blab scheduled for near future related to your tags.
- To join a Blab, simply click on the one that you’re interested in and the stream will open. On the left side, you’ll see the name of the topic people are talking about and Twitter accounts of the participants.
- You can comment during the video give votes as feels . This encourages the speakers and lets them know you are interested in what they are telling.
- If you want to join in someone’s broadcast you can send them a request to accept you as a guest.
YOUTUBE LIVE STREAM
Seeing the changing trends and big craze for live streaming youtube also decided to join the race soon. It is surprising that youtube decided so late to give live streaming for all.
Live streaming on youtube was there for last 5 years but it was not for everyone.
Though everyone is claiming youtube to be very late in the race, the company believes that it won’t take them much to compete with others. Youtube claims with its already established channels and audience it will be able to give the fastest service from all the others out there.
Though there is no confirm date yet announced when will this feature will be launched but just an announcement saying ‘soon’
How youtube live stream will work?
- According to what youtube says a new button will be added which will allow you to go live directly.
- You can choose you privacy settings accordingly. You can make it public or private just for your subscribers.
- You can add title and description to your broadcast. Make your article catchy to attract an audience.
- You can choose whether you want the viewers to chat during your broadcast or not.
- You can also notify your subscribers about you going live.
- Select next to start the broadcast, go live and interact with the world.
- When you are done touch finish to end the broadcast.
- It has yet to announce how watching broadcast will be included. But it is expected that it will like all the other app like facebook live, periscope,Instalively,etc.
- As a viewer youtube live is expected to give you a right to vote, chat and express your point to the broadcaster.
- It is expected that searching broadcast will be similar to searching videos on youtube generally with extra features like search by interest and username or subscribed name
Live Streaming though intimidating, as presented to you in raw form without the post production editing and related dressups, is the next big thing in marketing.
This is precisely for the following reasons:
- Your are Live! Sense of authenticity is there among the audience
- No one expects you to be perfect, so cost of production of content is relatively low
- You are connecting with your audience in real time.
When the question of which app to use comes, it is a matter of your comfort and onboarding.
I would suggest try each one and then suit yourself.
Which Live Streaming App will be the best for marketing; certainly numbers of adoptors will tell with the passage of time. However Facebook does seem to have an edge with the inherent audience it enjoys.
SO GO AHEAD AND KEEP STREAMING LIVE!