How to live stream on YouTube in 2025

Most digital marketers, brands, and agencies that actively run social media try to squeeze every opportunity they can. That’s why they wonder how to live stream on YouTube and other social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X(Twitter).

The global livestream market is expected to reach $20 billion by 2029. It’s no surprise that all major social media platforms are incorporating the live stream feature into their offerings.

Going live on social media is only the first step; the real success lies in providing meaningful value—be it entertainment, education, or valuable insights.

Let’s explore YouTube live streaming!

The evolution of YouTube live streaming

While the live stream feature is available on almost every mainstream social media platform, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. Well, nearly two decades ago, it was a pretty big deal.

The YouTube live stream feature we know today isn’t the same as when it was launched. It has evolved over the past two decades.

The first-ever YouTube live stream happened in 2008 at a YouTube live event. Then, the live stream feature entered the experimental phase, and the gradual release happened between 2008 and 2011.

Between 2012 and 2019, live streaming became more accessible to a select number of creators in the news, sports, and tech industries. By 2020, it was completely rolled out for everyone on the platform. Ever since the feature has been getting better and better.

Now, YouTube live stream is available on both mobile and desktop versions. It directly competes with Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, LinkedIn, and TikTok. All of these social media platforms want to grasp a big chunk of the global livestream pie.

This fierce competition will only get bigger and better as live streaming is rapidly becoming a way of communication among social media creators and their followers.

Social media influencers, brands, and marketers use live streams to attract, engage, and convince their followers to take action or to deliver valuable information. Thus, live streaming is quickly becoming an essential part of the content strategy.

Benefits of live streaming on YouTube

Here are some of the many benefits of live streaming on YouTube:

• Building stronger connections with your audience through real-time interaction

A huge benefit of live streaming on YouTube is that it allows creators to engage directly with viewers through chats, Q&A sessions, and real-time responses, fostering a sense of community among each other. Moreover, live viewers can interact with YouTube and other subscribers during the live session, increasing audience retention.

• Increasing watch time and channel growth through extended viewing sessions

Besides a live interaction between the creator and subscribers, the live stream also has other perks. One of the benefits of live streaming is that it contributes to the watch time of the channel from the session replays, meaning the replay of the live streams counts in the channel’s watch time for monetization eligibility criteria.

• Monetization opportunities unique to live streaming

YouTube offers multiple revenue streams, some specific to live streaming, such as Super Chats and Super Stickers. Ad rolls could also contribute to YouTube live-stream monetization. Furthermore, the Shopping tab can also bring in some revenue if your audience seems interested in your merchandise.

• Algorithm advantages for channels that utilize live content

YouTube algorithm understands user behavior. Thus, it analyzes the audience that consumes live content more than others. As a result, it prioritizes live content in recommendations and notifications to that audience, giving live streamers an advantage in visibility and audience reach.

• Content repurposing potential from live broadcasts

Content repurposing is a content marketing strategy that allows creators to transform existing content into a different format. Live streams can be repackaged into highlight clips, full-length replays, short-form content, reaction-based remix videos, or video-to-article, maximizing their value beyond the initial broadcast.

• Immediate audience feedback for content improvement

Live streaming is a quick and straightforward way of getting audience feedback. Since it’s a chance to interact with your favorite creators during live sessions, viewers can send instant reactions and burning questions to their favorite YouTubers. Moreover, such quick feedback or questions can help creators refine content strategies and better understand their audience’s preferences.

• Higher engagement through exclusivity and urgency

Die-hard fans and loyal subscribers want to make the most of the chances they get to connect or interact with their favorite YouTubers. Undoubtedly, live streams create a sense of exclusivity and FOMO, encouraging more active participation and real-time interaction.

• Enhanced brand authority and credibility

One of the huge benefits of live streaming on YouTube is that it empowers your brand and improves credibility due to more visibility and interaction with audiences. Hosting live Q&As, interviews, or educational sessions positions creators as experts in their niche, strengthening their reputation and influence.

Steps to live stream on YouTube

Live streaming on YouTube is not rocket science. However, many people find it overwhelming to get started. While some people fear the camera, others might not be used to live sessions.

Anyway, let’s go through the step-by-step process of live streaming on YouTube:

1. Check your eligibility requirements

While live streaming is available to every YouTube channel on the platform, there is still eligibility criteria to meet to be able to go live on YouTube.

YouTube requires a channel to verify the phone number to unlock some basic features, such as uploading custom thumbnails, uploading videos longer than 15 minutes, and live streaming.

This verification is part of the authentication process that helps the platform combat spam and abuse. Therefore, a user needs to verify the phone number and unlock several features on the channel. 

To check the channel eligibility, go to Settings, then click on the Channel, and then Feature eligibility.

Also read: How to verify your YouTube channel?

2. Prepare your equipment

The most crucial step before you hit the “Go Live” button on YouTube is equipment preparation. Whether you’re going live on a mobile device or a computer, you have to set up your DSLR camera or phone, microphone, and lighting.

Moreover, if you’re going live on YouTube via computer and using the DSLR camera, ensure the camera battery is charged and the microphone is attached correctly.

Conversely, if you’re doing the live stream on a mobile device, check your internet or data connection before the live stream.

3. Choose your streaming software

YouTube allows users to go live on their YouTube channels without any third-party integration. However, if you want to take your live stream to the next level, you can use third-party streaming software for a better outcome.

Several live stream softwares are available on the market, but the most popular ones are Streamyard, Restream, and Ecamm Live.

Pick the best one that suits you and go ahead with your YouTube live stream planning.

4. Set up your stream in YouTube Studio

Log in to your YouTube Studio to set up your live stream. Open YouTube, click on the channel’s icon at the top right corner, and click on YouTube Studio.

Once in the YouTube Studio, head to the top right again and click on the Go Live option to enter the YouTube Live Control Room.

This is where you can decide to go live immediately or at a later date. The process initiates after you choose the appropriate option.

5. Configure stream settings

There are three ways to live stream on YouTube: you can use a webcam, go live using a mobile device, or set up an encoder. So, the configuration settings depend on the method you choose to go live on YouTube.

To go live on YouTube via webcam, you need only make sure that your channel is unrestricted, meaning it’s all set to go live. Then, click Create and press the Go Live button to start the process.

Choose the webcam option from the left sidebar and choose the appropriate settings, such as title, description, and a privacy option.

Similarly, the process for going live on YouTube using your mobile device is pretty much the same: Open your YouTube app, go to Create, and select Live.

However, if you want to do a YouTube Live session that looks more professional, you may want to opt for the encoder option. YouTube Live using an encoder is a technique that creates a live stream using live stream software and hardware (such as a mic, camera, and headphones).

6. Connect your streaming software

Once everything is in place, the piece of the puzzle is connecting the streaming software to YouTube. This requires a YouTube Stream Key, which connects the encoder with YouTube.

When you initiate the YouTube Live stream process, it asks you to choose the type of stream to begin: you can either choose a built-in stream or streaming software.

Once you choose the streaming software option, the YouTube Live control panel opens, displaying loads of details about the stream. This is where YouTube showcases your live stream key. All you have to do is copy the key and paste it in your streaming software.

7. Go live on YouTube

Once everything is in order, press the button to go live. It’s better to take a few seconds to start the conversation. In fact, don’t jump to the main content right away because it takes a couple of minutes for some viewers to notice your stream and hop on.

After a minute or two, start your live stream topic when you see some viewers have joined the stream.

8. Engage with your audience

Engagement is crucial to the success of every type of social media content—a live stream is no different. Many creators make the mistake of ignoring comments, questions, and suggestions during the live stream. Thus, the audience decides to skip your live stream and move on to the next piece of content.

Therefore, it’s essential to keep your target audience engaged throughout the stream, no matter what. You can use the following tactics to engage the viewers:

• Greet active viewers by name
• Reply to the comments during live stream
• Ask questions to the live audience
• Invite loyal fans to the stream
• Talk about the next video/event/giveaway

There are so many ways to engage the audience during the live stream; choose whatever is easiest for you.

9. End your stream properly

Ending the stream is as important as starting the live session. Don’t just abruptly end the stream while talking to the audience.

Instead, try to conclude the talk and announce it 5 minutes before ending the stream and then end it afterward.

10. Complete post-stream actions

Post-stream actions are not necessarily required, but many marketers and brands try to repurpose their live stream recordings by publishing on other platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Moreover, you can edit the title and thumbnail of the live-stream video. The audience can also come back later and watch the recording of the live stream. The playback watch time (of the live stream) will be counted in your channel’s watch time for monetization.

11. Troubleshooting issues (if they occur)

Identify and resolve any issues that occur during the live stream. However, this step isn’t required in most cases.

YouTube live streaming best practices for 2025

It’s worth paying attention to some of the best practices for YouTube live streaming in 2025 because you would be investing your time and energy into it. Take a look at the YouTube live stream best practices:

Promote your live stream across all social media platforms

There are two types of YouTube live stream promotions: you can promote your live stream before it goes live and after the live session ends. Once you have scheduled your live stream via YouTube Studio, you can head to your social media scheduling tool (like ContentStudio) to announce your live stream post across all social channels.

Similarly, you can promote your live stream recording after it ends. Feel free to create social media posts around your recent live stream by linking to the live stream video. This way, you’ll promote the live stream for extended periods.

Implement cross-posting techniques

Cross-posting is a social media strategy that allows you to distribute the same content across multiple social media platforms without publishing on each platform.

Restream is a tremendous live stream tool for cross-publishing your live stream across several social media channels. Don’t overlook the power of cross-publishing your social media content.

Read more on how to schedule repeat posts on YouTube.

Collaborate with like-minded YouTubers and creators

Collaboration is one of the most underrated YouTube growth hacks. However, it doesn’t happen on a whim, meaning you can’t create a channel today and expect a collaboration with someone next week. Instead, you have to put in the work to make it happen.

The best way to earn YouTube collaborations with other creators is to find similar YouTube channels, consume their content, exchange ideas with them, share their content, and build a connection with them.

Try ContentStudio’s influencer search and discovery tool to find creators in your niche across social media.

Once you have promoted yourself from a random viewer of their channel to a regular viewer and admirer, you have a shot at establishing a connection with them.

Once you feel that you have this connection, trust, and authority in the space, go and ask for potential collaboration with those channels in question.

Let’s explore how to get more views on Youtube.

Utilize the latest features for channel growth

YouTube continues to improve its platform by adding new features, making it easier for creators to create content, engage with the audience, and grow their channels.

For instance, live chat moderation allows YouTube creators to assign channel moderators who monitor the live chat during the live streams. Moreover, YouTube live streams can be monetized through Ads, Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Channel Memberships.

Apply audience retention tactics

One of the best practices for live streaming on YouTube is to apply audience retention tactics before, during, and after the session.

Creators need to create a buzz around their live streams by announcing them on social media channels. Similarly, they can offer giveaways during the live stream to spice things up.

Alex Cooper (from WP Eagle) used this live stream giveaway strategy for years.

Such strategies help improve audience retention on the YouTube channel.

Analyze content ideas that perform well in a live format

Since YouTube live streams are available to the audience just like any premiere or regular upload, the ideas in the live streams can be analyzed for the future.

Users can access the video analytics data from YouTube Studio to examine the YouTube channel analytics and discover what type of live streams performed well on the channel.

Analyze different content ideas and double down on the ones that outperform others.

Future of live streaming on YouTube

Top-tier YouTube channels (whether they’re creators or brands) understand the importance of live streaming on YouTube, partially because they try to squeeze every bit of juice in it.

In other words, top channels utilize every content option, such as long-form videos, short-form content, live streams, community posts, and podcasts. The future of live streaming on YouTube is far brighter than most people think it is.

Social media influencers and creators want to grab more online real estate. Therefore, if their social media competitors are live streaming on YouTube or other platforms, they won’t sit back and relax. Instead, they’ll devise a live streaming strategy to combat their competitors.

However, keep in mind that the audience’s attention span is rapidly shrinking, so it becomes surprisingly difficult to cope with the audience engagement challenges while streaming on social media.

Read up: How to become a Youtuber & make money in 2025?

FAQs about YouTube live-streaming

How can you live stream on YouTube without 1,000 subscribers?

A YouTube channel must be verified (via phone number) to be able to turn on several features, including live streaming. However, you must have at least 50 subscribers to live stream from your mobile device.

How to record a YouTube livestream?

YouTube live streams are automatically recorded and available on the channel once they are over. However, depending on the video quality and other factors, the processing may take some time. Once the live stream is available to watch as a replay, users can delete or repurpose it.

How to stream on YouTube 2025?

Check your channel’s eligibility before going live on the platform. Once everything is in place, go to the Create option and choose the Go Live option to stream on YouTube. You can also try third-party tools like Streamyard or Restream.