Which Live Video Platform Should You Use?

When it comes to using video streaming platforms, it can be somewhat overwhelming  when trying to decide which platforms to post on and when to do so. Different platforms are better suited for different goals, so we’re here to make it easy to decipher which one is right for you.

Here are some tips for three of the best live video platforms and when you should use each!

Facebook Live

Using Facebook Live can be an advantage due to the fact that it is the most common and widely spread social media platform around the world. While many fads come and go, Facebook has proved its worth and continues to stay ahead of the game in technological and online social advances.

Being the powerhouse of the social media industry makes it your best shot at reaching the largest audience possible and is quite possibly already where you have the largest fan base.

Facebook also provides a more permanent solution for your longer videos. Now, you can broadcast for up to four hours. This is great for those of you who want to stream a live set that may last 45-90 minutes. Your live videos are saved to your page for viewing at a later time, and you can set your broadcasts to public so you can attract friends of friends and random followers.

This being said, Facebook Live can even help you to generate more revenue!

YouTube Live

YouTube provides you with your own music channel that fans are able to follow in order to stay up to date with your latest music video releases, vlogs, or other web interviews. This platform is great for saving media long term. Formatted specifically for videos, this is useful for those wanting to save this type of digital content separately from the rest of their regular social media postings, updates, photos and more.

Since video quality is obviously one of YouTube’s strengths, you shouldn’t be surprised that the quality of this platform is the best of the various platforms in this post.

The only downside to this platform is that there isn’t a large possibility for organic reach. Only your subscribers will see your videos, unless you have a couple thousand subscribers. If you’ve got subscribers that register in this range, your live video might be featured on YouTube’s live video feed on their homepage. However, if you don’t have a lot of subscribers, the odds of anyone randomly passing by your video are slim to none.

Instagram Live

Instagram Live is a great way to showcase new music, give your fans a behind-the-scenes look into your life, or just have a Q&A session.

Live videos show up at the top of the feed, just like Instagram Stories. Any fans who open the app will see you’re live right at the top of their screen. Your most active followers will be notified first and more will be notified the longer you’re live. Live videos on this platform will disappear once you finish, so this creates a sense of exclusivity to your fans. They’ll want to tune in every time they see you’re live to be sure not to miss any juicy content.

Share sneak peaks, offer secret discount codes or get feedback from your fans on something you’re working on. Instagram is a great mobile app for artists to have fun with and really take advantage of that personal fan connection that isn’t always seen in communities of larger platforms. Your fans will love mini Q&A sessions, new music teasers, and anything else you want to share with your audience.

Be creative, and your fans will appreciate being involved in something so exclusive and interactive.