Certainly an exciting development on the YouTube front, Live has been around since 2011 but gained a lot more attention recently. Why have you not heard about it before? It first launched in the USA, like many other YouTube developments but was actually available globally by 2012. BT Sport streamed the Champions League final last month and more well-known and well-followed YouTubers have been using it to add a new format to their channel. YouTube Live is now taking off in Europe.
With YouTube Live, creators have the option to go live and offer real-time streaming of shareable moments. Now available in 33 countries across the world, it allows fans to see the Champions League final from the sidelines or see famous athletes like Tiger Woods play from a different angle.
With Instagram and Facebook also having a live option, you may wonder why YouTube should be your first choice. What we love about this live streaming option is that it doesn’t disappear into the depth of the Internet, you won’t have to scroll through months of Facebook posts to find it again. Your live stream will automatically be added as a video to your YouTube channel just like any other upload. Your fans will be able to enjoy it again and again. This also gives you the option to edit and upload best bits as separate videos.
- No post production! The video is what it is and goes live straight away. Of course, you can up the video quality immensely by considering the best lighting, background and audio quality.
- Live streams are a great way to share unfiltered moments, emotions, events and behind-the-scenes explorations. The rawness will offer a new perspective and realness to your content.
- The live chat options mean that your audience can actively participate and ask you questions which, in return, you can answer, offering a new form of interaction with your fans.
- You can actually turn on ads, just like on normal videos and create revenue from your live content.
Ready to go live? Let’s get the setup straight from the source — YouTube
But hold on, before embarking on your live adventure, frame your shot, test your microphone and make sure that your Internet connection is ready. Maybe give it a trial run, you wouldn’t want your audience to suffer through endless buffering.
If you want to know details about YouTube Live and how you can use it, drop us a message!