One of the greatest things smartphones provide is the ability to catch video at any time and broadcast it to an audience. Livestreaming gives people the ability to show their friends, family and followers what is happening around them at any given time.
There is a lot of great interaction and intimate expression that you can achieve with a mobile livestream. There are many ways you can livestream from your phone and they all offer their benefits. Practically every social media and video hosting platform allow for some kind of livestreaming from mobile. Let’s go over them all so you can get a better idea of how you can livestream on mobile and which platform will work best for you.
YouTube
YouTube is one of the best platforms for livestreams to reach a wider audience. Since YouTube is owned by Google, YouTube videos are pushed to the top of search results. Additionally, practically anyone and everyone can access and watch a YouTube video. Also, when a livestream finishes, you can save it and have it up for your audience to watch later.
How to livestream to YouTube on mobile
While in the YouTube app, hit the Camera icon. You can find it at the top of the app interface. After that, go through all the permission screens if this is your first time. Eventually, you will land on the page that will allow you to go live and set up your video options. You will have access to a title, whether the video is public or unlisted, and a tagged location if you want to add one. In more options, you can turn live chat on or off. You will also be able to choose a thumbnail for your livestream, which will help attract new viewers. After all this, you can hit Go Live and the livestream will start.
In the stream, you can see your current viewers and all the comments. Additionally, you can switch between cameras, mute your microphone and turn on some filters. YouTube is one of the more professional livestreaming services out there, so many creators use YouTube to livestream from their phone because it is flexible, easy and able to reach their audience.
Twitch
As an alternative to YouTube Live, you can also stream from mobile on Twitch. To start a broadcast, you just have to hit the broadcast icon in the app and title your stream. After that, you can select a category for your content. However, Twitch is primarily a livestreaming service for gaming. While people can use it for other things, most people come to see gamers game or talk with their audiences. So, if you are looking to livestream games from your mobile device, it gets a little more tricky.
How to stream mobile games on Twitch
One of the easiest ways to stream mobile games on Twitch is to install an app that will allow you to do that. There are a number of options available for iOS and Android. Some of the top picks are StreamLabs and Mobcrush. These apps will allow you to stream directly to Twitch from your phone. This is the easiest way to stream mobile games on Twitch.
Facebook is great for anyone that has a social media community on Facebook or those that just want to stream for their friends and family. It is also a way to start using the Stories feature since livestreams are counted as a part of Stories.
How to livestream on Facebook
To start streaming, have the Facebook app up. Hit the Add button on the Stories panel. After that, you can scroll to the Live button. You have a few options while streaming on Facebook. For instance, you can cross-post on Instagram, allowing you to reach two different communities at the same time. You can also limit the feed to your friends if you want a more private stream. It can also be public if you want as many people to see it as possible. Additionally, you can choose to make a saved recording and post it to your feed after you’re finished streaming.
When you are ready to start streaming, hit Start Live Video. You will be able to add comments for viewers to see and interact with everyone watching.
Unsurprisingly, Instagram operates a lot like Facebook. Streaming on Instagram can give you direct contact with your audience or your friends. If most of your audience and friends are on Instagram, it is a good option to use for your livestreaming. You have a few controls over who can see the stream and you can add your stream as a Story, as well. You can also save your streams and post them on other platforms.
How to livestream on Instagram
To livestream on Instagram, hit the Camera icon. It is located in the top-left corner of the app. After that, select the Live option. If you want the stream to be hidden for some followers, hit the cog icon. You can also stop people from commenting on your broadcast there. After all that is set, hit Start Live Video.
Choose what works best for you
There are many ways you can livestream on mobile. Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages. Choose the one that fits your goals for livestreaming. If you want more guidance, check out our article that goes into depth about all the streaming platforms.
