Whether you’re looking for a fun hobby or a reliable source of income, live streaming is always an option. In fact, depending on the type of content you’re going to produce, how much time you’re willing to spend post-processing it, and the audience you want to reach, there’s a live streaming platform that will work best for you.
Here’s a quick guide to the best ones:
YouTube Live
With over two billion active users on its platform, YouTube is your best option no matter what kind of audience you want to reach. You can go live at any time, interact with your audience in real-time, and have your videos saved on the platform automatically.
If you’re looking to generate a lot of revenue, YouTube Live is also your best bet. After all, not only can you place pre-roll and mid-roll ads during streams, but you can also overlay ads post-live. The only catch is that you have to create truly unique content, as the competition is tough due to the platform’s size.
Facebook Live
It’s difficult for people to stumble upon a livestream on YouTube, but since Facebook doubles as a social media website, this isn’t a problem. Anybody who follows your page (or is a friend-slash-friend-of-a-friend of your account) will see your stream while scrolling through their feed. So if your goal is to build your audience using your existing network, Facebook won’t let you down.
Due to the social nature of the platform, streams on Facebook Live are also more intimate. Many Facebook live streamers even go live via phone—much like how Instagram stories work.
Twitch
Twitch’s audience is massively made up of gamers. This is because of how the platform has categories for nearly every video game title developed (plus games that aren’t video games like cards and chess). When people seek walkthroughs, they go to Twitch.
Much of Twitch’s features, such as Raids and Cheers, also make the platform the most community-driven one. If you’re the type who likes connecting with their audience and supporting other creators, Twitch lets you do that.
TikTok Live
TikTok’s biggest market are people under the age of 25. As such, content targeted towards young audiences, such as makeup how-tos, social media challenges, and jam sessions, thrive on TikTok Live. However, know that many people go to TikTok to learn new things as well, so educational streams like classes and tutorials are also quite popular.
Furthermore, the pre-prep and post-processing for TikTok Live streams are minimal, which makes it enticing to a lot of creators. You can stream mid-stroll in a mall or in a bathroom and people will still watch you. Only the quality and uniqueness of your content matters.
Clubhouse
Clubhouse is a live audio-only platform, making it a particularly popular platform for busy people (usually those who are big fans of podcasts). In fact, if you’re a podcast host yourself, this is a great platform to grow your audience. Streams are divided into “Interests” (like sports and wellness), allowing people to discover new content for the categories of their choosing.
It’s relatively new and created for a niche audience, so its user base isn’t as big as the ones above. But for camera-shy creators or those who want to focus on speaking with their audience, Clubhouse is a must-try. Live seminars and coaching sessions can also be conducted on the platform.
For more streaming guides, check out How to run a test stream on Twitch without going live, 2021’s 7 Best Capture Cards for Streaming, and other similar posts on Pro Game Guides.
