Live video streaming can be a great way to make a podcast stand out, encourage engagement, and give fans another way to consume your show. But with the disappearance of both Blab and Google Hangouts as live streaming options, podcasters wonder what the most reliable options are – and whether there’s really a demand for live podcasting at all. Here are four great, easy-to-use options to consider:
- Livestream via Mevo: This small, portable, no-rig-required camera makes it easy to capture high-quality audio and video, and offers real-time editing tools that make it easy to create a professional result on the fly. Your podcast can be then streamed as it’s captured via Livestream or Facebook Live. Priced at $399.99, this is a great option for the podcaster who’s getting serious about live-casting.
- Facebook Live: It’s free, easy to use, and your fans are probably already there. Just follow these instructions to begin streaming your show to your profile or page right from your phone or a GoPro. Another plus: Facebook tends to favor its own content, so Live videos often get more engagement and views than other types of content on Facebook. Facebook Live users also report better engagement on that platform than in other live stream platforms. Check out Facebook’s easy-to-follow instructions to make the most of your live stream.
- YouTube Live: Basically a replacement for Google Hangouts, YouTube Live offers some options Facebook Live does not, such as the ability to set your stream to private, public or unlisted, and a “Fan Funding Card” that allows your audience to donate to your show directly via the stream. You have the ability to edit the video for 3 hours after recording, and it’ll be archived for 12 hours. YouTube Live also offers the ability to stream from any camera you want to use and is not limited to in-app.
- Periscope: This Twitter-owned company made a splash in the live streaming world, and offers several benefits to live podcasters, including a streamlined, dedicated app that allows you to keep tabs on audience engagement and follow other streams. Periscope is now upping the ante with Periscope Producer, which will offer podcasters and other live streamers the ability to generate a unique URL that they can stream to from professional cameras, satellite trucks, desktop streaming software, studio editing rigs and even drones. The feature is currently only available to select brand partners and media organizations, but the company is looking to roll it out to a wider population of content creators in the future.