Are you wondering how to live stream on YouTube? If so, you’re part of a rising trend in recent years. With competitor Twitch cornering the live stream market in its early years, YouTube has been fighting to claw back creators creating live streaming content. And if recent events are anything to go by, it appears that YouTube may just be starting to win this fight. Of course, we all understand the importance of video, but what about live video?
In September 2021, YouTube successfully landed 2 huge Twitch streamers – Ben “DrLupo” Lupo and Tim “TimTheTatman” Betar. Now, the race is on to see who can ultimately come out on top as the no. 1 live stream service.
With that said, it seems like there’s never been a better time to start YouTube Live Streaming! This beginners guide will break down exactly how to live stream on YouTube in 2022.
What is YouTube Live?
YouTube Live does exactly what you think it does. It’s an online service provided on the YouTube platform where you can stream your video content live. In recent years, it is becoming another viable way to monetize YouTube.
What are the benefits of YouTube Live Streaming?
You might still be wondering why you should be looking at how to go live on YouTube. Sure, traditional YouTube videos and Shorts seem like the 2 main pillars of content on the platform (certainly reflected in YouTube analytics). But Live streams offer something a little unique and different because they’re really interactive. They allow for richer content experiences and connections with your audience that you can’t get in traditional YouTube videos or YouTube Shorts.
It’s worth remembering that YouTube is now at war with Twitch. So, if you decide you’re going to start YouTube live streaming, it’s plausible that the algorithms will favor you. YouTube streaming creators can be surfaced via recommendation, leading to large discoverability. For example, Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter left Twitch for YouTube in early 2020 and hasn’t looked back since. She’s now one of the biggest names in live streaming, becoming the fastest growing female streamer of 2020, regularly bringing in 100,000+ views. Could she have found that success on Twitch?
YouTube streaming ideas
Before you look at how to go live on YouTube, you may want to ask yourself why am I YouTube live streaming? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Gaming
This one is obvious. Live streaming is dominated by gaming – it’s probably the no.1 reason people go live. So sharing your gaming experience with an audience has massive potential for virality and growth if you’re someone who’s entertaining and engaging.
Podcast interview
Sometimes, you may want to host an interview on your podcast in a livestream format. This can allow your audience to ask your guest questions and receive answers live, as well as help to boost the popularity of the podcast and YouTube channel.
Q&A
This is another popular reason why you may be looking at how to go live on YouTube. Hosting a live Q&A session is a great way to interact with your audience and fans, giving them the chance to get to know you that much better.
Hanging out
Alternatively to Q&A sessions, perhaps you simply just want to hang out with your audience? While no questions are asked, it’s still a great way for them to connect with you.
Live show reaction
Similar to podcasts, you may want to run a live stream reaction to a trending TV show episode that’s just aired or even watch with your audience in real-time. Think about big, cultural TV shows that draw in millions of viewers and spark weekly conversations – shows like Game of Thrones, for example.
How to live stream on YouTube
Now that you’ve got an idea and a plan, it’s time to look at how to live stream on YouTube. You’ll be relieved to know that for beginners, it’s a very simple, easy process.
- First up, you’ll want to head to YouTube.com/verify to confirm that your channel is verified. Once that’s done, you’re good to go.
- On the home page of YouTube, navigate to the “create” button in the top-right corner – the camera icon with the + symbol inside. Click this and select “Go Live” from the drop-down options.
- On your first live stream, you’ll be presented with “YouTube Live Terms of Service” that you’ll need to review and accept before going live.
- When you first enter the “YouTube Live Control Room” (this is basically the YouTube Live dashboard), you’ll be prompted to select when you want to go live. It could be right now or at a later, scheduled date. Select start on “right now” and begin creating your live stream.
- If this window doesn’t appear, just select “webcam” from the 3 menu options on the left of the YouTube Live dashboard.
- Now, you can fill in the details about your stream. These details are very similar to how you would upload a normal video. You need to come up with a title, a stream description, a category, a thumbnail, whether you want to add it to a playlist and if it’s appropriate for kids.
- Once you’re done with this, click next. You’ll be asked whether you want to monetize the stream. Pick your option, then click Next.
- In the Customization options, you can select settings for the live chat and participate (is it just subscribers or anyone). So decide how quickly the messages show and use other features such as adding a trailer and redirecting the audience to other content after your stream ends. When you’re ready, click Next.
- Then, you’ll be asked to pick the visibility of the live stream. You can make the YouTube streaming a private session, unlisted or public. Once you’ve selected, click Done.
- Lastly, you’ll be taken through to a “stream preview” on the YouTube Live dashboard. Here, you can review all your settings before finally clicking “Go live.” Good luck!
Do’s and don’ts
Do…
- Make your YouTube live stream public. You want people to see that you’re live and click on the notification.
- Find out when your audience is most likely available and able to watch. There’s not much point in going live at 3am if 95% of your fans are asleep, right?
- Ask viewers to subscribe and click the bell so they receive notifications whenever you go live or upload.
- Promote your stream across other social media channels. Do this in the lead-up to the stream and when you’re live. This gives people the chance to make a note of when you’ll be live and ensures you’ll draw a bigger audience.
Don’t…
- Worry about perfection. By its nature, YouTube streaming isn’t going to be perfect and polished. It’s a different type of content to the standard YouTube video so, if you mess up your words or something doesn’t go quite right, don’t sweat it. It’ll happen! With streaming, you don’t have to worry so much about how to upload high-quality videos to YouTube.
- Live stream across multiple platforms. While you may think this is a good idea, it’s actually better to try pooling all of your audience members into 1 stream rather than having them spread out over multiple streams. That could get very confusing…
- Stray off-topic. People are coming to watch your live stream for a specific reason, so stick to the plan and keep the content based on what you promised in the title and description.
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Wrapping up
So, that’s everything you need to know about how to live stream on YouTube as a beginner! If you’re starting a YouTube channel over the next decade, YouTube live streaming may just be an alternative way to tackle how to become a content creator.
Figuring out how to go live on YouTube can seem like a confusing, daunting process, but it’s actually straightforward and easy. All you really need is a desktop or mobile with access to a verified YouTube account, a working webcam and a microphone.
Of course, there are many more features that you can incorporate, such as YouTube livestreaming software that will enhance your YouTube streaming experience or improve your webcam lighting setup. Before you get to the more advanced stuff, just practice how to do YouTube Live by getting comfortable on camera and interacting with your audience.
