Live streaming on YouTube isn’t as complicated as it appears. Whether you’re using a smartphone or computer, all you need is an internet connection and a YouTube account.
Live streaming on YouTube is perfect for any business, blogger, or YouTuber who wants to create high-quality videos and share them with the world at large. But to make the most of live streaming, it’s essential to understand what you’re getting into before you press record.
You must have a YouTube channel to live stream. First, go to YouTube and log in with your account. If you have more than one channel, select the appropriate channel from the menu options on the left side of the screen that appears when you enter your Google credentials.
Once logged into YouTube, click “Creator Studio.” You’ll see several icons displayed as small pictures along the left side of the Creator Studio window. Click the TV screen icon with red and white waves around it to open your live streaming channel.
Once you’ve opened your channel, you’ll see several different icons available on the right side of your screen below the menu options. Click “Live” for the drop-down menu that contains all of your live streaming options.
A few new icons specific to live streaming will appear below your video icons once you click “Go Live” at the top of the screen. You’ll see one or two new icons depending on the setup you choose for your live broadcast.
One of these icons is a TV screen with a red circle inside it. This icon will turn red when other people are watching your live stream and green when you’re going live. The second icon resembles a smartphone attached to a larger device with an antenna on top, which lets you record and stream from your smartphone.
The YouTube live dashboard is the control room for your live broadcast. The default configuration lists each option along the left side of the screen, but you can reorder these icons by dragging them into a new order with your mouse.
The settings and attributes for your live stream (including where you can adjust your camera and microphone) are listed in the center of the screen. At the bottom of the Dashboard, you’ll see a list of people who are watching your live stream.
To use YouTube’s live streaming option, click on “Stream Now” to begin recording and broadcasting immediately. The default camera is your computer’s webcam or built-in microphone, but if you want to adjust the settings for your broadcast,
Click on the toggle switch next to “Streaming priority” in your YouTube live dashboard to enable live streaming. A new window will pop up over the YouTube Live Dashboard. Click “Go Live Now” in this window to begin broadcasting immediately.
Streaming from your web browser is the easiest way to get started. Because you’re already logged into YouTube, all you need to do is click “Go Live” in your live streaming dashboard. This will prompt a new window that takes your web browser full-screen and opens your live stream on YouTube.
Use the arrows along the bottom of the screen during your broadcast to move forward and backward. Then, click on the video icon in the upper left-hand corner to switch between your webcam, built-in microphone, or smartphone.
You must first download the YouTube mobile app for iOS or Android to stream from a mobile device. Next, open the app and log in to your Google account. Then, if you have more than one YouTube channel, select the appropriate channel from the menu options on the left side of your screen.
Once logged into your YouTube mobile app, open the menu bar under “Home” and click “Live Streaming.”
This will open a drop-down menu with several options where you can either start broadcasting (if you want to stream live from your mobile device right now), or create a new stream.
Choose “New Broadcast” to open the YouTube Settings page, where you can adjust the details of your live-streaming broadcast.
Click the toggle switch next to “Streaming priority” in your YouTube live dashboard. A new window will pop up over the YouTube Live Dashboard.
Click “Go Live Now” in this window to begin broadcasting immediately.
If you want to use a professional-level streaming service, the first step is to download and install an encoder. Next, open your encoder software (there are many free options available for both Windows and Mac) and log in with your YouTube account.
Streaming services like this usually offer more flexibility than broadcasting through YouTube’s live dashboard because the software encoder usually provides a greater range of camera and microphone options.
If you want to broadcast with a peripheral encoder, plug your encoder into your computer first. Next, launch the program that came with the encoder. This will open a second window where you can adjust all of your encoder settings.
With many hardware encoding devices, there are some additional steps to follow before you can begin streaming through YouTube. For example, the device may need to connect with your router over an ethernet cable (if you’re using a wireless connection). Some software packages will walk you through this process.
When complete, open the encoder’s software and move back to YouTube where you’ll find your live stream settings in the left-hand menu under “Shows and events.” Click the gear icon next to your live stream and select “Edit settings” from the drop-down menu.
Move back to your encoder’s software and click “Start / Stop Streaming” so both programs are connected and ready for streaming. Please note: Your hardware encoder will determine how you navigate these two programs together, so refer to your encoder’s documentation for more information.
Once you’re connected, you can begin broadcasting through your hardware encoder just as you would from YouTube’s live dashboard. From here on out, the process of streaming is the same whether you start from a web browser or choose one of the other options we’ve outlined above!
Here are some tips to get you live streaming like a pro:
We suggest starting with a short stream of about 20 minutes, if possible. If you expect many viewers for your first broadcast, 20 minutes will be plenty of time to test everything out without overwhelming your audience or yourself!
You don’t have to prepare for this, but you should have some kind of general idea about what you want to cover in your first stream. If you’re not sure where to begin, think about what would be most helpful for your subscribers or new viewers who are watching on their mobile phones.
Once you know what you want to stream and how long it will be, make sure your set is ready. If you’re using a camera (phone or digital), make sure the lighting is good, and skin tones look natural. If you’re using an external microphone or professional equipment, make sure those components are turned on and plugged in.
You can start streaming on YouTube using one of several options, including the YouTube live dashboard or professional software encoder—we recommend this option if you’re new to live streaming. If you’ve already set up your streaming service, log in with your username and password, so everything is ready to go once it’s time for your stream.
Double-check all of your equipment before you go live, including the connection between your hardware encoder and software encoder if you’re using one. Then, with everything in order, press “Go Live” on YouTube’s live dashboard or hit “Start Streaming” in your encoder’s software.
Like any live, online broadcast, you will get out of it what you put into it. So if you’re prepared for your first stream, feel free to experiment with new ideas or revisit old content that your fans may enjoy seeing again; there’s no wrong way to go live on YouTube!
Setting up the YouTube Gaming app for live streaming is very simple. When you initially download and open the app, you’ll be prompted to log in using your Google account credentials.
After logging in, you will have access to the main menu, where there are four sections: Favorites, Subscriptions, History, and Live. Your YouTube Gaming broadcasts will appear under the Live section.
When you select Live, you will be taken to a screen where you can begin broadcasting at any time by pressing the big red “Go Live” button.
Press the button, and you will be prompted to select your broadcasting resolution, give your stream a title and choose whether or not you want to use any of the app’s live streaming features like chat video quality settings (720p is best for tablets), as well as push notifications.
When you’re done configuring those basics, press “Go Live,” and your stream will be out to YouTube’s massive community of gamers.
You can check out the best streaming software for more choices.
