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New technology and faster internet connections are allowing people to easily stream their lives, their thoughts, and even the video games they’re playing right from their computers and mobile devices.
But did you know that you can earn some side cash by simply broadcasting your daily life and your opinions?

In today’s blog post, you’ll learn how to make money live streaming: how live streaming works, where to live stream, and how to earn from it.
What is Live Streaming?
First, what exactly is live streaming?
Live streaming is the broadcasting of live video over the internet to an individual or to an audience.
In a nutshell, it’s just you, on camera, talking to the world. Think PBS on the go, with limited start-up costs!
Unlike pre-recorded videos that can be edited, from which scenes can be added or cut, or filters can be applied, live streaming is real-time, uncensored, and often unscripted.
You can stream from your phone, tablet, or laptop from a broadcasting platform. You can be as raw or as polished as you want.
What Can You Live Stream?
You can stream your everyday life, your random thoughts, and your virtual and actual interactions with people in your life.
You can show the world your singing, dancing, and even your jokes.
Show your audience the sports game you’re watching, along with your running commentary.
If you have opinions on politics, religion, or any other controversial subject, you can stream that too.
Love cooking? Stream it!
Love playing video games? There’s a huge audience who just love watching other people play!
Bottom line: Pretty much anything you want!
The possibilities are almost endless, and it leaves a lot of room for anyone to take advantage of the boom and make money from live streaming.
Live Stream Platforms
There are numerous sites and apps available that can help you to live stream instantly.
When choosing one, always keep in mind how simple it is for you to use, how easy it is for your audience to engage with you, and how straightforward it would be to monetize your live streams.
Here are some of the live stream platforms you can choose from
1. YouTube Live
The daddy of online video, YouTube now offers its own live streaming platform, YouTube Live, to secure its video dominance.
Being on YouTube Live allows you to broadcast your live streams, record these live streams, and allow audiences these recorded live streams as searchable, on-demand videos, all on the same platform.
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YouTube’s incredibly large audience is also a considerable advantage. Your viewers are already familiar with YouTube, and placing your videos in an already-popular platform increases the chances of attracting new fans of your live stream.
2. Facebook Live
If you already have a following on Facebook, simply going on Facebook Live is a good way to broadcast your live stream right on your followers’ News Feed.
Simply go to your Facebook app on your mobile, tap the Live button on your post composer, and you’re good to go.
3. Instagram Live
Another social media platform that provides users the ability to live stream is Instagram.
You can share a live video on Instagram and connect with your Instagram followers for an hour.
Once that hour is over, you can share a replay of your live video on your Instagram stories.
The usual people on Instagram Live are celebrities and high-profile influencers.
4. Twitter Live
Yet another social media platform that has moved into the live streaming space is Twitter.
Twitter Live is usually for breaking news, but if you have enough interested Twitter followers, live streaming on Twitter can be lucrative for you.
Another great thing about going live on Twitter is that it can be viewed on another platform called Periscope.
5. Periscope
Periscope is primarily used through a mobile app for both iOS and Android that’s perfect for more personal or spontaneous live streams.
It does have a web version that you can use for viewing live streams from Periscope users all over the world, but you can only broadcast from the app.
Periscope is owned by Twitter, and as I’ve mentioned, you can view live streams both from Twitter and other Periscope users in the same app.
6. YouNow
YouNow is also a mobile app for both iOS and Android that’s mostly used by a younger crowd.
A few years ago, YouNow was one of the most popular live streaming platforms, but recently, a part of its audience share has been taken by Twitch.
7. Twitch
Known particularly for streaming video games and e-sports being played by popular gamers, Twitch has a huge user base and is therefore one of the most popular platforms around.
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If you’re a gamer, it’s unlikely you’ll need any other live streaming platform.
Making Money from Live Streaming
Now that we know what live stream platforms are out there, the next thing is to learn how to monetize your live streams.
There are several ways to earn money from live streaming, but bear in mind that not all of these revenue streams will work with all platforms.
Also, to truly make decent money, you will need to make use of several revenue streams (ain’t that always the way!).
Here are some of the ways that you can make money from live streaming.
1. Ads
Joining the right live streaming platform with the right advertising network allows you to earn a commission for each view or click, depending on how the advertising network sets its metrics.
Like with any advertising network, the earnings per view/click are usually pennies, but with a large enough audience you can easily pull in $1,000 or more a month purely from ads.
YouTube Live and Facebook Live are capable of showing ads during live streams.
The problem is that ads can be annoying, and so viewers can install ad-blocking software, which reduces your commissions.
So if this is your sole source of revenue from live streaming, you’ll want to rethink your strategy and get another source.
2. Donations/Tips
That first tip you’ll ever receive from your fans is something special.
It’s validation for your live streaming endeavor that someone appreciated your material enough to send you something, even if it’s just a couple of bucks.
Most people think that donations and tips aren’t going to earn you much money, and they’re right.
However, having it as a side revenue stream can help you at least earn some change for coffee.
In addition, most major live streaming platforms allow you to receive donations and tips, either from their own integrated services or currencies, or by allowing you to advertise your accounts with third-party services, such as PayPal or Venmo.
For instance, YouTube’s main tip tool is Super Chat, which YouTube viewers can buy to highlight their messages to you during your live stream. Twitch, on the other hand, allows viewers to buy Bits and use them to Cheer for you. You get a cent for each Cheer you get from your viewers.
3. Subscription/Regular Tips
How can getting tips from your fans get better?
Why, getting regular tips and payments, of course.
This is closer to earning a recurring income, no matter how small, while being able to give your viewers more of what they want in return.
Most of the above live streaming platforms support subscription plans and allow viewers to subscribe to a live stream right on the platform.
For instance, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch have channel or page membership programs allowing viewers to have a weekly or monthly payment to creators on these platforms in exchange for exclusive content and perks for subscribers.
However, to be eligible to incorporate this feature on your live stream, your account needs to meet certain requirements.
If your account isn’t eligible for a subscription program, or the platform you’re using doesn’t have one, consider using third-party providers to allow viewers to make regular weekly or monthly payments to you in exchange for your content.
Patreon allows people to sponsor you on a weekly or monthly basis and in return for providing them with something: such as regular live streaming and exclusive access and perks.
4. Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships
When you’ve made a name for yourself, you can start reaching out to brands and propose partnerships with them. They can sponsor one or more of your live streams in exchange for featuring their products or services, either by displaying them as a banner or on your background, mentioning them to your viewers, or actually using and reviewing them on your live stream.
To build a successful partnership, you’ll need to be intimately familiar with your audience. You need to know their ages, genders, interests, and problems they need solutions to.
At the same time, you need to be a genuine fan of the brand you want to partner with and feel comfortable enough to promote their products and services to your audience. Remember, your viewers trust you, and if you break that trust, they won’t be back to watch any of your content.
5. Affiliate Programs
Memberships to affiliate programs enable you to share affiliate links, promo codes, or coupon codes to your viewers so that when they purchase something from your affiliate.
The way this usually works is that you post the affiliate link or code somewhere on the stream description.
An important thing to remember is that not all live stream platforms allow affiliate marketing on live stream videos that they host, so be very careful to read up on their terms and conditions.
Also, make sure to recommend products and services that are relevant to your content, and not create content solely to promote. The quality of your videos should always go before making money from live streaming.
6. Your Own Products or Services
Instead of, or in addition to promoting other companies’ products, why not try your hand at selling your own products?
Selling your “merch,” as it’s often called, is common enough that live stream platforms offer plenty of advice and tools to help live streamers boost their sales.
The most important aspects of selling your merch are still up to you: concept, design, production, and shipping for physical goods, or hosting and delivery for digital products.
Make sure that the products you’re selling are related to your live stream content, especially if you have a particular theme.
For instance, if you have been doing workout-themed live streams, and your viewers are really digging the different exercises you’re doing, you can sell merch like activewear and exercise equipment, or digital goods like an ebook on fitness or an entire workout program with instructional videos, cookbooks, and food and exercise charts.
7. Mentoring
Maybe doing an entire video course is too overwhelming for you, or you might think you’re not “academic” enough or knowledgeable enough to be an online instructor or lecturer.
But if you are able to give valuable advice, tips, and guidelines about a certain topic, you might want to be somebody’s mentor.
The idea is to offer your viewers one-on-one time with you (for a fee) so you can help them achieve specific goals.
Your success here is largely dependent on the quality of your mentorship and how dedicated you are to helping your viewers solve their problems.
Do You Need Your Own Website?
Using any one of these live streaming services is great, but it’s very likely that you’ll eventually need to have your own website to make the most out of your live streams.
Having your own website is like having your own home base where you can direct your audience to know more about you and what you’re all about.
You can host replays of your live streams here, as well as additional resources that are useful for your viewers, such as blog posts, images, videos, or any other media that complement your live stream content.
You can also promote your own products there, too, without fear of treading on any terms and conditions or having to sound like an annoying salesman in your streams.

Another thing you can implement on your own website is a membership system. Users pay to gain access to exclusive member-only content, one-on-one sessions, badges and trophies, a community discussion area, and so on.
Bottom line? I highly recommend building your own website.
Downsides of Live Streaming for Money
The main hurdle in making money from live streaming is building a fan base. Some services like Periscope, won’t even consider you for their partner system (ad revenue sharing) unless you have a decent number of regular views on Periscope, or a substantial YouTube user base.
Of course, if you’re a lady you will likely get a larger following sooner, but with the added disadvantage of having to handle more, ahem, “difficult” followers.
Aside from these, you’ll need to make sure you stream consistently, as people prefer knowing when to expect your live stream. Depending on your niche, you may stream for an hour a day, or end up streaming for 10 hours every day (very common with gamers who stream).
Another downside to consider is that nothing dies on the Internet. This may sound good; that is, until you make your first mistake.
Because live streams are spontaneous and “in the moment,” it’s only a matter of time before you make a blunder live. It can range from simply mispronouncing words to Freudian slips, from wardrobe mishaps to highly offensive remarks.
Worse, with very few exceptions, there’s nothing to stop viewers from taking screenshots or recording snippets or even entire sessions of your live stream, which can then become viral.
Mistakes are inevitable, but just remember to sincerely apologize and learn from them.
Final Thoughts on Live Streaming
There’s no quick and easy way to make money with live streaming, as you need to build up a user base. That being said, there’s a great potential for making thousands a month via live streaming, especially if you make sure you have various revenue options.
While the initial costs of this marketing angle are low (a smartphone and an internet connection), the time cost can mount up quite quickly.
Other ways to make money from videos
If making or watching videos is your jam, and you’re wondering if you can ever turn that into a paying gig, the following articles from our site may help:
Get Paid to Do ASMR Videos: How to Turn Sounds into Cash
13 Ways to Get Paid to Watch Movies in 2020
8 Ways You Can Get Paid to Watch TV in 2020
Have you ever broadcast live from any of the above platforms? Did you manage to make any money from live streaming? Let me know in the comments!
Just a couple months ago, it would have seemed impossible to imagine a world in which everything from local dive bar gigs to massive festivals would disappear. Yet here we are, smack in the middle of a pandemic that’s more or less canceled the rest of 2020.
Between social distancing requirements, stay-at-home orders, and no real idea of when live performances will become a viable source of income again, it’s never been more important to turn to online solutions for fan engagement and revenue.
Yes, these are scary and utterly unpredictable times we’re living in right now. But you’re a musician; you have creativity and resiliency in your blood, and you will come out okay on the other side of this.
As you’ve probably noticed, tons of artists have flocked to live streaming in the last few weeks, and for good reason. It’s one of the most effective and reliable ways to maintain a sense of community with your fans and give them the opportunity to support you.
So we’ve put together this guide to live streaming for musicians to walk you through it all, step by step.
What should musicians stream?
Live performances are the most obvious and are usually a safe bet for a stream, but this is a great time to get creative and experiment with different formats or topics. There are so many interesting and fun ways to engage with your fans and make them excited to tune in.
“We’re living in a day and age where people want to know artists for who they are, not just what they do,” says Kendall Creedon, music & live manager at Scale Management. “Live streaming is a great way for your audience to really interact with you as a person and start seeing parts of your personality that they may not have known about before. Once they start following you for you, they’ll become those diehard fans every artist dreams of having.”
Songwriting sessions, home studio tours, masterclasses, Q&As — if you’re comfortable sharing it, give it a shot! You never know what might resonate with someone watching. You can even mix and match — maybe play a couple songs, and then pause to have a casual chat with the audience for a few minutes as you read through the comments section to shout people out and answer questions.
Whatever you decide on, try to emphasize the live interaction aspect as much as you can. It’ll feel more intimate and personal, and less like a random YouTube video of a performance that they could watch anytime. Give people a reason to watch you live and feel like they’re a real part of the experience.
What kind of setup is best for live streaming?
Before you dive into any hardware or software decisions, think about the physical space you plan to stream from, and what your needs might be. If the acoustics in your room are good and you want to try a basic live stream where you’re just talking, all you’ll really need is your smartphone and a strong, stable internet connection.
Regardless of the actual content of your live stream, it’s always a good idea to put some effort into the background and lighting. This could be as simple as a floor lamp next to you and a non-distracting wall or curtain behind you.
If you’re streaming a performance and you want it to look and sound more professional, it’s worthwhile to invest in an audio interface, a decent microphone, and a high-definition external webcam.
Even if your laptop has a solid built-in camera, a separate webcam will give you more flexibility to try out different angles. And if an ethernet connection is a possibility for you, always go with that over relying on WiFi — you’ll get a faster and more stable stream that way.
Don’t worry if you need to rely on your phone or tablet — there are still ways to make your live stream sound great. An audio adapter that allows you to use an external mic with your device is one of the best accessories to have on hand, and will make a world of difference.
It’s easy to broadcast directly from apps like Facebook and Instagram, but if you want to mix multiple audio sources, overlay graphics, or generally have more control over your production, you can use free software like OBS. OBS is open source and compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux. These guides will help you get started.
Which platform should musicians use to live stream?
All live streaming platforms allow you to fundamentally do the same thing. But the one you choose can make all the difference in how successful the stream is.
The first question to ask yourself is: Where is my audience most likely to already be?
Do you get a lot of engagement on Facebook? Do they love Twitch? Whatever the case may be, make it as easy as possible for your fans to tune in by going live where they’re hanging out anyway.
Equally important in choosing the right platform is to really think about what your primary goal is for the live stream.
- Is it important to you that it’s a ticketed event?
- Are you hoping people will donate money during the stream?
- Are you trying to get to know your fans better and create a deeper sense of community?
- Are you planning to do something highly interactive like a Q&A or AMA, or do you want it to feel more like a concert?
Here’s a rundown of eight of the most popular live streaming platforms — both free and paid — to help you decide.
Facebook Live
Is it free? Yes.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? Artists with a strong Facebook presence who are looking for a quick and easy way to go live.
How do you go live? It’s super easy to start a live stream from your personal page, fan page, group, or with streaming software like OBS.
Can you do a test before going live? Yes. You can go live and set the video to display to ‘only me.’
Can you schedule live streams in advance? Yes, up to seven days in advance. You can create Facebook events for them as well.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Yes.
Will the video be saved afterwards? Yes, it’ll be saved to your Facebook page.
What’s the best way to monetize it? Add a virtual tip jar by dropping your PayPal.Me link, Venmo username, or a link to your website in the description of the video, as well as in the first comment which you can pin to the top.
Let fans know that they have the option to support you if they’d like, but don’t go overboard with begging people to donate. A better way to keep it top of mind for viewers is to set up push notifications so that when someone tips you, you can thank them in real time and be genuine about how much you appreciate it.
Instagram Live
Is it free? Yes.
Desktop or mobile? Mobile only.
Who is it best for? Artists with a strong Instagram presence who are looking to do a simple, low-key broadcast for under an hour.
How do you go live? Swipe right from your feed, then scroll to “live” and tap it when you’re ready. (More details here.)
Can you do a test before going live? Not really. But you can record a short video and watch it back to test the sound and visuals.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? No.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Yes.
Will the video be saved afterwards? No, it’ll disappear after 24 hours (unless you save it to your camera roll immediately after ending the live stream).
What’s the best way to monetize it? Same idea as with Facebook Live, but you’ll want to drop the donation or website link in your bio for easiest access.
YouTube Live
Is it free? Yes.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? Artists who want a high-resolution live stream (4K supported) and built-in revenue share options.
How do you go live? There are quite a few options — here’s everything you need to know.
Can you do a test before going live? Yes. You can play a private stream, watch it back, and then go live with a public stream.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? Yes, you can schedule them for any date and time.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Yes, as long as subscribers have notifications turned on for your channel.
Will the video be saved afterwards? Yes, it’ll be saved to your YouTube channel.
What’s the best way to monetize it? You can enable ads, use Super Chat, or set up a monthly membership for your YouTube channel (if you meet the eligibility requirements).
Stageit
Is it free? Yes, but they keep a percentage of revenue. Usually it’s based on how much you earn, but for the time being they’ve upped all artist payouts to 80%.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? Artists who want to replicate the feeling (and income) of an intimate in-person performance as closely as possible — a 30-minute show with monetization front and center.
How do you go live? Sign up for an account, click “become a performer” in the navigation bar, then click “performer tools,” and finally “create a show.”
Can you do a test before going live? Yes. You can create a “Soundcheck” before doing the live stream.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? Yes.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Not automatically, but you can send ticket holders a reminder email through the platform between one day and one hour before your show.
Will the video be saved afterwards? No.
What’s the best way to monetize it? You can sell fixed-price tickets or “pay what you can” tickets. Fans can also tip you at any point during the live stream.
Twitch
Is it free? Yes.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? DJs especially, but any artist looking to do longer broadcasts with top-notch audio/video quality and built-in revenue options.
How do you go live?Sign up for an account, then follow these instructions to go live from your preferred device.
Can you do a test before going live? Yes, you can create a channel just for yourself for testing. Or you can try their Inspector tool > run a stream test.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? No, but we highly recommend setting a consistent streaming schedule for success on Twitch. Post the dates and times of your upcoming streams on your Twitch channel page and all of your other social media pages.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Yes, and you can even personalize them!
Will the video be saved afterwards? Not automatically, but you can enable video-on-demand storage (14 days of storage for regular broadcasters), or create highlights to save certain content on your channel indefinitely. Learn more here.
What’s the best way to monetize it? Work towards becoming an affiliate or partner to earn revenue from subscribers, ads, and Bits. Bandsintown has also partnered with Twitch to fast track becoming an affiliate.
Check out: Twitch for musicians: All your live streaming questions answered
*Special offer for Bandzoogle members: Get 40% off the Twitch for Musicians Online Course or eBook with the coupon code BZ40.*
Vimeo
Is it free? No — you’ll need the premium plan to live stream, which costs $75/month.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? Artists with a budget who are looking for lots of built-in features, simulcasting to other platforms, a robust analytics dashboard, and high-quality streaming.
How do you go live?Follow these instructions.
Can you do a test before going live? Yes. They offer the option to ‘enable stream preview’ at low-latency, allowing you to check the levels right before you go live.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? Yes.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Yes, you can choose to send out a push notification or an email to anyone following your channel.
Will the video be saved afterwards? Yes.
What’s the best way to monetize it? You can sell tickets commission-free to your live stream directly through your Bandzoogle website. Simply set up an event in your Calendar feature, then add the live streaming link into the Live stream link field. When a fan buys a ticket, the live stream information is included on their e-ticket.
Note: You can set up a password-protected page on your website, then embed the Vimeo live stream in a Video feature. Add the full page url (mymusic.com/livestream) as the live stream link, and include the password in the live stream information field in the event details. This will drive viewers to your website directly, so they can also shop for music and merch while watching your show.
Crowdcast
Is it free? No — plans range from $20/month to $139/month.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? Artists looking for a painless one-stop shop, from automatic registration pages to engagement tools, to advanced analytics.
How do you go live?This quick video covers all the essentials.
Can you do a test before going live? Sort of. They have a setup checklist to run through (check the mic, the ability to screen share), but no video preview to watch back and listen to.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? Yes.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? Everyone who registers will automatically receive a confirmation email and a 10-minute reminder. Also, anyone following your profile will get notified when you go live.
Will the video be saved afterwards? Yes, attendees will have access to a replay, and you can also download an HD video of your live stream.
What’s the best way to monetize it? On the higher-priced plans, you can sell tickets, but be sure to factor in the fees. Or, you can of course sell tickets commission-free for the live stream directly through your Bandzoogle website.
Note: You can also drive fans to your website to watch your Crowdcast live stream. Set up a password-protected page. Then, add the full page url (mymusic.com/livestream) as your live stream link, and include the password in the live stream information field for your event. You can then add the Crowdcast live stream video on your page with a Video feature. This will get people visiting your website to watch your stream, and sticking around to shop for music and merch.
Zoom
Is it free? There is a free plan, but if you’re expecting more than 100 participants or hoping to stream for more than 40 minutes, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan starting at $14.99/month. Tip: Be sure to adjust the pre-meeting settings to ensure a secure broadcast.
Desktop or mobile? Both.
Who is it best for? Artists who want to host a more intimate event with a lot of fan interaction.
How do you go live? Check out the quick start guide here, and learn how to properly set up for a broadcast here. You can also stream your Zoom meeting on Facebook Live or YouTube Live with any paid plan.
Can you do a test before going live? Sort of. You can hop on a meeting and play to check your mic, but there’s no video preview to watch back.
Can you schedule live streams in advance? Yes, you can see all of the options here.
Will notifications be pushed out to your audience? No, but anyone who’s been invited to a Zoom meeting can choose to enable reminders.
Will the video be saved afterwards?Local recording is available to free and paid Zoom subscribers; cloud recording is automatically enabled for paid subscribers only.
What’s the best way to monetize it? You can sell tickets directly through your Bandzoogle website. Simply add the Zoom link and meeting password into the Live stream link and Live stream information fields in the Calendar feature. When a fan buys a ticket to your live stream event, that information is included on their e-ticket.
Set up a website to easily sell tickets commission-free to your live stream events. Build your website and start selling tickets today.
What are the most important best practices for live streaming?
Be as consistent as possible
Pick a daily or weekly streaming schedule that works for you, and stick to it as best you can. Let your fans know when to expect your next stream, give them something to look forward to, and always start on time (regardless of how many viewers there are). Consistency is the number one way to build an engaged live streaming audience.
Do a test run first
The more elaborate your setup is, the more important this is. Some technical difficulties may arise that are out of your control, but do your best to minimize the chance of something going awry that’s in your control.
At the very least, this means testing your internet speed, closing out of any programs that you don’t need, double-checking your audio and video settings (especially if you’re using an interface with external gear), and asking a friend to make sure everything looks and sounds exactly the way you want it to.
Once you’re live, periodically glance at the comments in case people are posting that they can’t hear or see you so that you can resolve it quickly.
The longer, the better
Definitely experiment with the length and content of your live streams, but try to work at least a few longform streams into the mix. Why? “The more time you stream, the more people will be able to tune in,” says musician Javier Morales (aka James R. Basterd on Twitch), who’s been streaming for the last few months as his main source of income.
He recommends going live for at least an hour at a time, mixing performances with Q&As, studio tours, and personal updatesto fill the time in an engaging way. Have some fun with it, and it’ll fly by!
Make your fans feel seen
Take the time to acknowledge people who comment, and address them by name. Answer their questions. Take requests. Thank them for showing up. Make them feel like they’re an indispensable part of the experience in any way you can.
Check your analytics
Some platforms offer more detailed analytics than others, but it’s always smart to look at whatever data you have access to. See if you can pick up on any trends, such as when your audience was most engaged or where views started to dip. You can use that information to your advantage the next time you go live.
What are the best ways to promote your live stream?
Unless you have an enormous following, we wouldn’t recommend spontaneously going live and expecting people to show up. Whether you’re just trying out a one-off live stream or you want to dive right in with daily broadcasts, planning and promoting in advance is the best way to go.
Sending an announcement (plus a couple of reminders as it gets closer) to your email list is a great place to start. Shout it from the rooftops on all of your social media channels — and if your live stream will be taking place on one of those channels, give it some extra attention in your promos.
Don’t just keep copy and pasting the same announcement over and over, though — that’ll get old really fast. Mix it up with some teaser videos, fun graphics, countdown reminders, and little hints at what you’ll be playing or discussing.
If you’re planning to invite any special guests to join you on your live stream, even better! Team up on some cross-promotion for a bigger impact, and continue supporting each other even when you’re not doing an event together.
Also, take note of whether your chosen streaming platform will save the video, and use that to your advantage either way. If a recording won’t be publicly available afterwards, emphasize the importance of actually showing up while you’re live so that your fans make it a bigger priority.
On the other hand, if the video will be automatically saved to your channel after you end the broadcast, you can extend the life of your live stream by promoting little highlight clips from it and linking to the full video.
How can you help make it a better experience for viewers?
A poor internet connection on either side is enough to ruin an otherwise great live stream. So in addition to making sure your own connection is up to snuff, remind fans to check their speeds as well to make it a seamless experience from start to finish. Again, an ethernet connection is always best, if available.
If your live stream will consist of mostly talking and sound quality isn’t all that important, your fans should be perfectly fine tuning in on their phones or laptops. But if you’re trying to emulate a live concert experience, you may want to suggest that they listen with headphones or external speakers, if they have them.
To make it even more fun, your fans could use Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay to stream straight from a device to a TV. Just keep in mind that if you’re trying to maximize interaction, you’ll ideally want your viewers tuning in from a device where they can easily comment.
Final thoughts
Live streaming is a chance to broaden your reach, engage with your fans, and hopefully make some money from your music in the process. Try experimenting with different platforms and formats to see what works best for you. There are many options to choose from, and with each one comes the opportunity to challenge yourself as an artist.
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