How to Use YouTube Live: Step-by-Step Guide

Doing live broadcasts through YouTube is an excellent way to capture and maintain the attention of your audience, since it transforms the online video transmission into an interactive experience.

To be successful in your live broadcasts, it is not enough to do a tutorial or show a product as you would in a normal video. You need to create a virtual event with which you attract the attention of your audience, for which you can make a launch, an important announcement or bring a special guest. You can also generate an interactive exchange with your audience, answering questions and adding elements that make your transmission more spontaneous.

How to start your live broadcasts

• Enable your channel

In order for you to do live broadcasts you need to verify your YouTube channel. If you haven't already, click the link www.youtube.com/verify, add your phone number and receive a verification code. Then proceed with the following steps:

On a desktop computer.

1. Login to www.youtube.com/dashboard.
2. Click the Create button, located in the upper right. 
3. Select Go Live. 

Note: The process of activating your account can take up to 24 hours. 

On a cellular device.

1. Open your YouTube app.
2. Click on the camera icon in the upper right. 
3. Tap the Go Live button.

Note: You need more than 1,000 subscribers to broadcast live from your cell phone. 

Decide how you want to record your live broadcasts

There are 3 options for you to make a live broadcast:

• Webcam
• Mobile device camera
• Broadcast software

With your computer's camera you can record easily. However, with this method the image quality is not entirely good. With broadcast software, you can use better video and audio recording equipment, multiple cameras, and much more. 

Start recording

In this step, I recommend that you have the title, description and cover image (thumbnail) of your transmission ready. 

How to create a YouTube broadcast on a desktop computer.

1. Click on  www.youtube.com/dashboard in Chrome 60+ or in Firefox 53+.
2. Click on the camera icon, located in the upper right.
3. Click on broadcast live and then select the camera. 
4. Add your title and set the privacy level.
5. Click More options to add a description, enable or disable live chat, activate monetization options, promotion, and much more. 
6. Click Next. YouTube will take a cover photo automatically, which you can change to a new capture or a cover photo that you choose from your files. 
7. Select Go Live. 
8. You can stop the live by clicking End broadcast at the bottom of the screen. 

How to create a YouTube broadcast from a mobile device

1. From the YouTube application select the camera icon.
2. Tap the Go Live option. 
3. Add your broadcast title and privacy settings.
4. Select More Options to add a description. Select Show More, to enable or disable live chat, define age restriction, activate monetization, etc. 
5. Click on the Show Less option to exit and select Next. Take a photo or select an image from your device. 
6. Press Share to send the link to your social networks. 
7. Select Go Live. 
8. To stop streaming, click Finish and then OK. 

How to Create a YouTube Stream with Broadcast Software

1. Download broadcast software. Click the link to see the list of available programs endorsed by the platform. 
2. Select the icon for your editing software.
3. Click Go Live and then select Stream. Then click New, where you can select all your streaming settings. 
4. Add the title, category description, privacy settings and upload your cover image. You can also schedule your broadcast and enable monetization. Then click Create Stream. 
5. Then go to Settings and copy your transmission key, which you can use in the future. In the same way you can customize and save multiple keys. 
6. Paste the transmission key into your broadcast software.
7. Go back to the YouTube platform and click Go Live. 
8. To stop streaming, click Finish.

Here are 8 tips for your broadcasts on YouTube:

1. Prepare the basics

Each transmission must have a goal, so you must ask yourself, what do you want to get from your transmission?

Decide what you want to achieve and plan how to achieve it. Whether you want to connect with your audience or promote a product, the configuration of your transmission should be according to your objective. 

If you have a team of contributors, determine what role each plays in the broadcast. For example, you must decide if there will be one or more hosts, if you will need someone to control the camera, if the chat will be available live and if you will have a comment moderator.

In the same way, it is very important that you are clear about the reasons why you should do a live broadcast instead of a normal video. 

These answers will help you get the best result from your broadcast.

Before starting your video, I recommend that you prepare the following:

• Title: Be precise, specific, and use eye-catching words. 
• Description: Use keywords, page links and up to 15 hashtags related to the theme of your broadcast.
• Cover image: The resolution must be 1280 x 720, with a minimum of 480 pixels. 
• Script: I recommend that you have prepared the topics that you are going to discuss and even that you have some development of ideas or important appointments.
• Calls to Action: Decide what you want your audience to do, during and after the live broadcast.

If you haven't already done so, connect your social media profiles to your YouTube channel. This makes it easier for your audience to share your video. 

1. Pick a good time

There is no perfect time to broadcast live, but you can choose the one with the best performance. 

Check YouTube Analytics statistics to see when your videos have the most views. This will give you an indicator of when your audience is most connected. 

Similarly, check where your audience is so you can choose the best time to broadcast. 

If you are planning an online series, I recommend that you keep a consistent schedule. This will allow your audience to anticipate and schedule your broadcast on their calendars. 

1. Optimize your settings

Keep in mind that you cannot edit the configuration once the transmission begins, so I recommend you follow the following steps:

• Check your camera frame: Make sure there are no items in the frame that are inappropriate, confidential, or distracting to your audience. 
• Adjust the lights: Check that what you are going to show has the correct lighting so that your communication achieves the impact you want. 
• Check the audio: Test the microphone and do a sound check, to make sure the acoustics are correct. Try to make your recording in a place where there are not many ambient sounds, such as sirens, vehicles, animals or other sounds that can distract your audience from your message. 
• Charge your batteries: This point is very important since your transmission time will be entirely limited to the battery time of your equipment. If possible, try to connect your cameras and microphones to a permanent power source, so you don't have to rely on this factor. 
• Test your connection: Carry out a speed test of your internet connection, with the tool of your choice. This connection should support up to 10MB per second of data transmission, to give you optimal performance. 
• Turn off distracting elements: Keep in mind that many sounds, such as message notifications from your computer or your cell phone, can interfere with the proper development of your transmission. I recommend that you silence or turn them off, as you see fit. 
• Have water on hand: When people speak in public, they can sometimes have a dry throat, so it is ideal that you can anticipate a situation like this, having a glass of water available. 

1. Promote your event

If you plan to do a live broadcast, it is important that you have an audience that wants to hear your message. For this reason, you must make the correct dissemination with the correct anticipation so that your audience can schedule your event.

Your live broadcast is a virtual event, so you should treat it like any other event. There are many ways to broadcast, either on or off YouTube, so here are some suggestions:

Inside YouTube

• Design a banner for your channel, which promotes your broadcast. 
• Make a trailer to build buzz and highlight this video at the beginning of your channel. 
• Ask those who view your videos to subscribe. In this way, the platform will be able to notify your audience of the existence of your live broadcast. 
• Invite your users to enable notifications for your channel so that the platform will notify them when your videos are on the air. 
• Associate your website with streaming, as this helps improve the relevance of your content in search engines. 
• Run a display ad campaign with your event invitation. 

Outside of YouTube

• Share the link of your broadcast on your social networks at least 48 hours before your event, clearly advising the day and time of the live. Don't say "In 3 days" as this way of communicating can be confusing. 
• Send invitations via email. Include an invitation in the calendar so that users can schedule the event. 
• Create an event on Facebook or countdown on Instagram. Include the link to the broadcast in your description, in your stories, or in your profile bio. 

Take advantage of the best practices of social networks and create an image or use the trailer that you made for YouTube, with the information of your event. In the same way, develop in the copy of your publication, when and on what platform it will be broadcast.

Finally, include the link of the transmission that YouTube previously gives you.

1. Interact with your audience

Convincing users to go to your broadcast is only half the job. The other half is managing to keep them there. That's why I present you some tactics so that you can retain your audience in your lives:

Offer summaries

Keep in mind that many users can join your broadcast when it has already started. That is why I recommend that when you detect an increase in the number of visitors, offer a brief summary of what has been said so far. 

Create urgency

Give your visitors a good reason to watch your video to the end. For example in a makeup tutorial it is important that you show how the character looks at the end. You can also use a special announcement or the ability to answer questions. Test which incentive works best based on your content type. 

Greet your audience by name

Let your visitors know that you see them and that you appreciate their interest in your content. This can help you engage with your audience while other users join the stream. 

Enable live chat

Start conversations with those who write in your broadcast chat. If possible, assign a moderator. It can interact with messages, share comments, and delete inappropriate messages. 

Take advantage of this space to interact with your audience and request that they subscribe to your channel and like your video. 

• Make your live broadcast accessible

For those channels with more than 10,000 subscribers, YouTube allows subtitles to be shown simultaneously. 

If you don't have this number of subscribers, I recommend that you speak as loud and clear as possible and use simple language. I also recommend having a well-defined content structure. Give your audience time to process the information you are sharing. Finally, I recommend you share illustrative images of what you are communicating and explain in words what is being shown, for those users who have difficulties with viewing the video. 

Remember to comply with the YouTube community policies. If your live content does not comply with these policies, your account may be penalized for broadcasting for up to 3 months. 

• Try YouTube Premiere

YouTube Premiere merges live broadcasts with pre-recorded content. As in television programs, the platform offers the owner of the channel to watch a video with their audience. 

This tool allows those content creators who do not feel comfortable broadcasting live, have a second option in which they interact with their audience, from content that has been previously created. As in the base version of YouTube, this platform offers a live chat. Finally, 2 minutes before the broadcast begins, Premiere offers the ability to install a timer with a countdown. 

• Check your stream stats to see what works best

YouTube offers statistics during the broadcast and once it has finished. Reviewing your metrics will help you better understand what works for your audience and what doesn't. Find where the peaks were and when the visitors decided to leave the broadcast. 

You will also be able to see how many users stayed until the end. If this figure and the average duration are low, try to generate expectation in your next broadcast so that your visitors stay until the end. 

To see how your live streams contribute to your channel growth, look up subscriber growth statistics and total watch time. In the same way, use demographic data to see in effect, from which places your audience connected and make the pertinent changes if necessary. 

I hope these tips help you get the most out of your live broadcasts and that eventually this effort contributes to the growth of your channel.