Guide to getting started live streams in 2021

Juliet D'cruz

Updated on:

The phenomena of the new era come from Twitch and YouTube, not Twitter or Instagram. In this article, we have gathered what is required to broadcast live with the possibilities at hand.

Content matters

This is the part that will most need your imagination. It is possible to broadcast live from anywhere with the internet, even over the phone. You can broadcast while traveling abroad or chat with your followers around certain topics from the comfort of your home. The concepts you create are important. Especially on Twitch, we see that the number of different formats is increasing, even if the game streams stand out. Of course, when deciding on your content, it is necessary to consider the audience and their tastes on the platform that you will appeal. Cooking, drawing, or making up live are just some of the content the platform is used to. You can also decide on your content based on your skills, knowledge and experience.

Popular platforms

Although new and different structures come and go, there are two giants that stand out as live broadcast platforms. Twitch, owned by Amazon, is a platform mainly for game broadcasts and sports competitions. I said predominantly, but the different types of broadcasts with increasing number and followers caused the platform to grow in a certain direction. There are different titles such as art, science, talk show and podcast for all types of non-game broadcasts that were previously collected under a single title. Thanks to affiliate and partnership programs, you can also earn income through the platform. On the other hand, there is the world giant YouTube. Although the number of people who watch live broadcasts is less than those who watch recorded videos, habits here are also changing. By live streaming an event within Fortnight, now from a single person streaming home. We can see that it can reach more than 400 thousand viewers instantly. Game streams are also popular here, but you can also come across a live broadcast of someone trying to survive in nature under primitive conditions. So many kinds.

Seats for Everyone also arranges FUBO channels for live streaming that provide great content. One must also get benefit from it.

Technology is a must

If you want to go beyond your phone while broadcasting regardless of the platform, you need some hardware and software. But don’t worry, maybe you can start broadcasting with little additions to what you have at home. A headset with a camera, computer and microphone is a good starter kit. Webcams are widely used for broadcast. However, you can also use a better quality camera with HDMI output for broadcast. You can make your previously owned camera directly transfer images to the computer with Legato’s Cam Link device.

Webcams are cheap options, but they don’t match the quality of a good camera and Cam Link combination. Don’t let game monsters come alive when you talk about computers. If you are going to do things outside of games, a medium power computer will do the trick. You can also adjust your streaming output quality according to your computer. It will be sufficient to have the upload speed of your internet connection at least around 3-4 Mbps.

These were the most necessary hardware you will ever need. You can take the business forward and add the broadcast consoles, video capture equipment and many more Legato produced for broadcasters to your system, making your broadcasts more fluid and enjoyable. Of course, if you are going into gaming, you can choose nice options such as Corsair K70 RGB on the keyboard and Ironclad RGB on the mouse. After all, the common feature of every keyboard is that it has keys like the most used WASD, but when it comes to comfort and experience, it is important to make a good choice.

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Software options

Publishers often use a combination of software and services. I will propose two alternatives for broadcasting your computer with small scale recording functionality. The first is OBS, which is completely free, and the other is Split. The second alternative is successful software, but it charges for extra features. For this reason, OBS, Open Broadcaster Software, is a good choice for beginners. I will not try to fit the tweaks and features of either software here. There are many guides on YouTube. It can even optimize settings according to your computer and internet speed with the OBS setup wizard. Apart from that, I can recommend Stream Elements or Stream Labs services to answer frequently asked questions with automatic messages or to integrate alerts such as incoming followers and subscribers into the broadcast. Also watch unlimited access to the movies at ocean of movies.

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Getting started tips

Invite friends to your broadcasts. It feels good to have people who can support you in the beginning. Otherwise, it may be difficult to spot among many broadcasters with 0 viewers. Aside from the interestingness of the publications, perhaps the most important issue is stability. Watching habits require a certain order and stability. Otherwise, you can quickly lose your audience in this world of alternatives. It is also important to produce different concepts and contents. During the broadcast, it would be good to keep the chat alive and reply to the messages written to you.