Video Monetization

The Best Live Streaming Platforms for 2024

By Nick Savrov
20 Min Read

Learn More about Live Streaming

A man live streams while baking cookies and cinnamon rolls.

Live streaming platforms have become popular for creators to connect with their audience in real-time.

Whether you’re a fitness instructor, musician, or gamer, a premium streaming experience can build trust and credibility with viewers. The best live streaming platform will help you deliver on that.

But the live streaming market is a $7.5 billion industry, and there are hundreds of professional live streaming platform options out there. How do you know which platform to go for?

Let’s dive into the best live streaming platforms based on features, audience, and price.

What is a live streaming platform? 

Live streaming platforms let you broadcast real-time video content to an audience over the internet. Instead of uploading pre-recorded videos, these platforms’ key features let you share live experiences, events, or information with an online audience.

You can broadcast all kinds of live streaming events on these video platforms; from gaming to music performances to educational lectures to sports events. They also have interactive audience engagement features that allow your viewers to engage with you such as comments, likes, and virtual gifts.

Best live streaming platforms compared

1. Uscreen

Best for: Experienced creators selling memberships

Key Features:

  • Fully branded, immersive viewing experience
  • Easy to sell subscriptions and memberships
  • Low latency, high-quality streaming across social channels

Uscreen goes beyond just providing a live streaming platform. It simplifies the video monetization process for creators. Whether creators want to offer access to exclusive content through paid memberships or sell individual live events, Uscreen has it all.

Uscreen empowers creators by putting them in control of their earnings. You can set your own prices, offer promotions, and package your content in ways that best suit your audience.

For example, Meegan Gregg transitioned her fitness business, BackBody Project, from in-person to online using Uscreen’s platform.

She focused on live streaming real-time classes and building a content library for on-demand videos. This move allowed her to maintain a high-quality, connected experience for members, resulting in over $20K average monthly revenue.

Image showing BackBody’s live classes archives in its membership.
BackBody’s live classes archives in its membership.

You can offer different types of live streams, such as Q&A sessions, tutorials, live podcasts, or behind-the-scenes looks at your creative process. Uscreen also offers a ton of tools to engage your audience, such as:

  • A pre-registration page to make registration simple for viewers. 
  • Live chat to interact with your audience during a stream. 
  • Live event donations to collect donations from viewers during a stream.  
Image showing Live Events tab in the Uscreen dashboard.

The best part? Uscreen has various community features to help you forge a strong bond with your audience and grow a community around your content. 

When it comes to taking payments, you don’t need to worry about third-party integrations or technical setups. Uscreen lets you accept payments natively, so you can instantly start earning money and spend more time working on your business. 

Let’s take a look at 3 more benefits of using Uscreen.

1. Uscreen makes live streaming simple

There are a lot of steps involved in managing and monetizing live content. Uscreen’s dashboard works right “out-of-the-box,” consolidating all essential information and tools into one place. 

With our new Live Studio, you can live stream right from your browser. Enter the studio from your admin dashboard, connect your mic and camera, and you’re ready to go! No more third-party encoding platforms like OBS or Ecamm. Just stream and chat with members in real-time.

Image showing a live streaming for community.

With Uscreen, you can also:

  • Monitor content performance. 
  • Track viewer engagement.
  • Categorize and schedule live streams. 
  • Send email and push notifications for events. 

Uscreen’s OTT capabilities adds another dimension to live streaming. With adaptive streaming, you can offer an immaculate viewing experience for members on iOS and Android smartphones, tablets, desktops, smart TVs, and through popular streaming services like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. 

An original screenshot of Uscreen's OTT platform solutions ranging from TV, Tablet, mobile apps and more.

If you ever get stuck, Uscreen has plenty of step-by-step tutorials on how to run a video membership site. Plus, offers responsive customer support via direct messaging or email.

2. Uscreen helps you stand out in the market

From colors and logos to domain names, Uscreen lets you customize your streaming platform to reflect your brand. The platform’s Video Content Management System (VCMS) gives you full control over your content, so you can organize, manage, and distribute recorded live streams as you please. 

With Uscreen, you can find all the tools you need to turn your membership site into a 24/7 salesperson, whether it’s marketing tools, live chat-bots, or affiliate integrations.

You’ll find tools to:

  • Run giveaways.
  • Set up referral programs.
  • Create email campaigns.
  • Design subscription upsells.
  • Make coupons and gift cards. 
A screenshot of Uscreen's marketing tools ranging from giveaway funnels, landing pages, email, subscription upsells, gift cards to coupons and push notifications.

Unlike other video platforms where you need to use third-party tools and multiple platforms for additional features, Uscreen provides everything for professional live streaming, monetization, and community engagement within the platform itself. 

It’s ideal for creators who are serious about their membership businesses and want a partner to help them deliver an immaculate live streaming experience while maximizing revenue potential. 

3. Simple and transparent pricing

Uscreen’s all-inclusive pricing is transparent and straightforward, so you can use the full suite of tools without worrying about additional fees. Every pricing plan includes hosting, video delivery, payment processing, video analytics, and support.

Marnie Alton’s M/BODY fitness program successfully transitioned to livestreaming with Uscreen, maintaining the vibrant energy of in-person classes while reaching a global audience. This shift not only enhanced customer engagement and satisfaction but also scaled the business financially, achieving over $40,000 in monthly revenue and reducing overhead costs. 

Other notable features:

  • HTML5 full HD online video player.
  • Customizable VOD templates with branding options. 
  • CRM capabilities. 
  • API access. 
  • Multi-guest streaming.
  • Robust analytics and reporting tools. 
  • Free lead generation and video marketing tools. 

Pros:

  • Privacy controls to limit subscriber access. 
  • Pay-per-view video sales.
  • Push notifications to keep users engaged.
  • Live streaming with chat functions.
  • Full ownership of your data.
  • Unlimited streaming on all Uscreen plans.
  • Community building tools.

Free trial: 14 days. 

Pricing: $$

It’s simple with Uscreen.

Build, launch and manage your membership, all in one place.

2. Restream

Best for: Budget-conscious streamers

Key Features:

  • Free ‘Basic’ tier.
  • Multichannel streaming.
  • Analytics.
Image showing Restream's live streaming features.

Restream is a powerful live streaming service that lets you broadcast live content to multiple platforms and channels at the same time. With one account, you can choose from over 30 platforms at once, including:

  • YouTube Live
  • Facebook Live
  • Instagram Live
  • Twitch
  • LinkedIn Live

You don’t need any special equipment to use Restream’s live streaming platform, just a standard webcam and microphone.

Features:

  • On-screen captions and comments.
  • Screen sharing.
  • Hi-res audio.
  • Copyright-free background music.
  • Insightful data.
  • Stream monitoring.
  • Multistreaming.

Pros:

  • Invite up to five guests from live streams.
  • No time limits on sessions.
  • Access to chat tools.
  • Real-time channel toggling.

Cons:

  • Reported incidents of drop frames.
  • Limited characters for title and description box.

Free trial: Free plan available. 

Price: $ 

3. Twitch

Best for: Gamers and eSport streamers

Key Features:

  • Discoverability. 
  • Custom emotes.
  • Affiliate and partner program. 
Image showing a live stream on Twitch.
Source: Twitch

Twitch is the leading live streaming platform for gamers, with over 31 million monthly users. It offers premium video streaming and a user-friendly interface. You can stream with hardware or software encoding tools or through your gaming console.

Twitch also has a range of features, including chat, polls, and audience analytics. Users primarily focus on streaming video game content, but also:

  • Creative arts
  • Talk shows
  • Music

Launched in 2011, the live streaming platform quickly gained popularity amongst gamers and was acquired by Amazon in 2014. Creators, viewers, and advertisers alike flock to Twitch for live entertainment. 

Features:

  • Follows.
  • Chat room. 
  • Subscriptions.
  • Emote slots.
  • Ad revenue.
  • Subscriber badges.
  • Verified badge.
  • VODs and Clips.

Pros:

  • Stream from PC, Mac, Xbox, Playstation, or mobile phone.
  • Massive global audience.
  • Monetization options.
  • Integrated with Amazon Prime Gaming.

Cons:

  • High competition.
  • Limited non-gaming content.
  • Moderation challenges.

Price: Revenue share.

4. Vimeo Livestream

Best for: Professional broadcasters

Key features:

  • High-quality, multichannel streaming.
  • User-friendly. 
  • Customizable player and branding. 
Image showing a Vimeo live streaming.
Source: Vimeo

Vimeo Livestream is an all-in-one live streaming platform offering various features for businesses and organizations. It allows for custom branding, analytics tracking, and password-protected streams. 

Vimeo Livestream also offers a variety of pricing plans to suit different needs and budgets. You can try Vimeo Livestream for free. 

Features:

  • Full HD 1080p Live streaming.
  • Brand control for your player and apps.
  • Ad-free streaming.
  • Steaming to social networks.
  • Unlimited live events.
  • Auto-archiving and video management.
  • Live polls, Q&A, audience chat, and graphical overlays.

Pros:

  • High-quality streaming.
  • Store and organize their live streams in a video library for on-demand viewing.
  • Interactive streaming tools to engage with the audience. 
  • Range of live stream customization options.

Cons: 

  • Limited audience reach.
  • Registration limitations. 

Free trial: 7 days. 

Price: $$

5. Brightcove

Best for: Large enterprises

Key Features:

  • Advanced video analytics.
  • Video cloud integration.
  • Robust security features.
A screenshot shows how the Brightcove OTT and live streaming platform looks like.
Source: Brightcove

Brightcove is a leading global provider of cloud-based video solutions, offering versatile and powerful live streaming software that caters to large enterprises and organizations. 

Through the live streaming platform, you can deliver high-quality live video content across various devices and platforms. Brightcove also offers server-side ad insertion, client-side ad insertion, and pay-per-view monetization.

Features:

  • Video hosting and CDN services
  • Ad integration support
  • Adaptive bitrate switching 
  • APIs and SDK
  • Integration with video subscription tools
  • Analytics, including geolocation and engagement

Pros:

  • Comprehensive feature set, including live streaming and VOD. 
  • Reliable and high-quality video delivery designed for large enterprises.
  • Extensive customization options. 
  • Enterprise-level security, including RTMP, encryption, and access control. 

Cons:

  • Pricing structure is tailored to bigger companies.
  • Platform’s extensive features may be overwhelming for newer streamers.
  • Steeper learning curve.
  • Limited self-service options. 

Free trial: No.

Price:  $$$

6. Dacast

Best for: Non-technical streamers

Key Features:

  • White label streaming.
  • Monetization options.
  • Low latency.
A screenshot of Dacast's platform for Michael Keenan's account, the author of this article..

Dacast is a live streaming platform that enables broadcasters to stream high-quality videos to audiences worldwide. With Dacast, users can create their own live and on-demand video streaming channels with the ability to monetize their content.

Dacast supports RTMP, RTSP, and HLS ingest protocols, allowing a variety of streaming software and hardware to be compatible with the platform. It also offers round-the-clock customer support for users, assisting with technical issues and platform-related questions.

Features:

  • Stream from webcam or digital camera and encoder
  • Premium Akamai CDN
  • Customizable HTML5 video player with paywall
  • Social streaming module
  • Detailed analytics 
  • Password protected streaming

Pros:

  • White label features such as adding a watermark logo.
  • Full API access to build custom workflows. 
  • Partners referral program 

Cons: 

  • Steep commission structure, 9% of earnings plus commission fees.
  • Can only accept USD and EUR transactions. 

Free trial: 14 days.

Price: $

7. IBM Video Streaming 

Best for: Media companies

Key Features:

  • AI-driven insights.
  • Enterprise-level security and scalability. 
  • Customizable video players and API integration. 
A screenshot of IBM Cloud's pricing.
Source: TrustRadius

IBM Video Streaming is a powerful, enterprise-grade live streaming solution made for big organizations, media companies, and live stream event organizers. 

With a suite of advanced features, IBM Video Streaming is the best choice for those who need a robust and scalable live video streaming service now. The live streaming platform also leverages IBM Watson’s AI capabilities to generate automated video highlights, transcriptions, and translations, helping you better understand and cater to your audience.

IBM Video Streaming has a lower-priced package starting at $99 per month. But you’re limited to 5 channels, 100 viewer hours, and 1 TB of video storage, which may not work well for active streamers. 

Features:

  • AI-driven automated captioning
  • Multi-CDN distribution
  • End-to-end encryption 
  • Engagement tools like live polls
  • Compatibility with various third-party platforms 

Pros:

  • No restrictions on resolution or bitrate
  • Compatible with various devices like smartphones and smart TVs
  • Customizable channel page
  • Seamless video looping
  • Live chat and Q&A section for viewers

Cons:

  • Advanced features may not be user-friendly.

Free trial: 30 days.

Price: $$

8. Be.Live

Best for: Beginners

Key Features:

  • Simple and intuitive interface.
  • Affordable. 
  • Audience engagement features. 
Image showing a live streaming on the Be.Live streaming platform.

Be.Live is a live streaming platform that enables beginner streamers to create professional and interactive broadcasts for various social media channels like Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. 

It has a strong focus on audience engagement, letting you display viewer comments and reactions directly on the live stream. You can also invite up to 10 guests into the live stream to create an interactive experience for views. 

Be.Live also provides ways to promote upcoming events, such as a countdown timer and scheduler. Overall, it’s a good platform for new streamers. However, it lacks built-in monetization options and doesn’t offer as many customization options as the other live streaming platforms available. 

Features: 

  • Social media integration.
  • Screen sharing.
  • Audience engagement tools.
  • Customizable overlays.
  • Scheduler and countdown timer. 

Pros:

  • Easy to use and beginner-friendly interface.
  • Seamless integration with social media platforms. 
  • Affordable pricing for different levels of users.
  • Multi-guest live streaming for collaboration and discussions.

Cons: 

  • Limited to social media platforms. 
  • Lacks monetization features. 
  • No VOD or content management system. 
  • Starter package is limited to 720p resolution. 

Free trial: 14 days.

Pricing: $

9. Zoom

Best for: Business professionals. 

Key Features:

  • Integrates with various platforms.
  • Breakout Rooms.
  • Advanced security features.
Image showing a live streaming on Zoom.
Source: Zoom

Zoom is a video conferencing platform designed for online meetings, webinars, and virtual events. Its live streaming feature is an add-on that allows you to broadcast live content to a larger audience on platforms like YouTube or Facebook. 

Since it’s a simple broadcasting tool, Zoom doesn’t have monetization options for live streaming. You also cannot customize the branding. However, it does have some useful tools like breakout rooms and virtual backgrounds to engage your audience. 

Features:

  • HD video and audio quality.
  • Polling and Q&A.
  • Advanced security features.
  • Recording and transcription. 
  • Virtual backgrounds.
  • Screen sharing. 

Pros: 

  • Easy to use for streamers with little technical expertise.
  • Smaller learning curve.
  • Accommodates a large audience. 
  • Cross-platform compatibility, including Windows, iOS, and Android. 
  • Third-party integrations with custom live streaming services. 
  • Run live meetings with up to 1,000 viewers at one time.
  • Host live webinars with up to 50,000 participants. 

Cons:

  • No monetization options. 
  • Limited customization and branding. 
  • Complex pricing.

Free trial: Free plan available.

Pricing: $$

10. Kaltura

Best for: Education institutions 

Key Features:

  • Robust integrations with LMS and CMS platforms.
  • Interactive video quizzes. 
  • Digital rights management and encryption. 
Image showing a live stream setup on Kaltura.

Kaltura is built for educational institutions and media organizations. It offers a video platform suite that includes live streaming, VOD, and video management tailored to these sectors. 

Monetization features are available, but are not as comprehensive or user-friendly as those offered by Uscreen. Kaltura is, however, known for its extensive API and integration capabilities, which allows you to customize the platform to your specific needs. 

Features:

  • HD live streaming and archiving. 
  • Lecture capture.
  • Adaptive bitrate streaming. 
  • Video analytics.
  • Multi-camera streaming. 
  • Digital Rights Management (DRM). 
  • Interactive video quizzes. 

Pros:

  • Highly customizable and scalable.
  • Offers advanced features for education and media brands. 
  • Robust security measures.
  • Extensive API and integration. 
  • Performance tracking tools.

Cons:

  • Steep learning curve.
  • Complex setup.
  • Limited monetization options. 
  • Limited built-in templates. 

Free trial: 30 days. 

Pricing: $

Top social media video streaming platforms

11. TikTok Live

Best for: Influencers with Gen Z audience.

Key Features:

  • Tap directly into your TikTok audience.
  • Free.
  • Good discoverability.
Image showing a TikTok live stream.

TikTok Live is one of the free platforms on this list. That’s because it’s not a platform dedicated to live streaming, but rather a live streaming feature offered by the popular social media app, TikTok. 

It allows users to broadcast live videos to their followers and interact with them in real-time. Launched in 2018, TikTok Live has quickly gained popularity among content creators and fans alike.

The social media platform allows streamers to earn money through virtual gifts received through live streams. However, like many of the major social media platforms, TikTok takes 50% of your earnings. 

You can access built-in filters, effects, and AR features during your live stream to further entertain your audience. The one drawback, similar to YouTube Live, is limited customization options. The streaming experience is the same across all creators, with no personalization. 

Features:

  • Real-time comments, reactions, and virtual gifts. 
  • Discoverability through TikTok’s algorithm.
  • Vast library of music to enhance live stream.
  • Guest feature.
  • Replay options.

Pros:

  • Easier to gain exposure amongst TikTok’s user base.
  • User-friendly interface to navigate and create live streams.
  • Virality potential. 

Cons:

  • Limited monetization options. 
  • Hard to create a unique identity.
  • High competition. 
  • Demographic limitations. 

Price: Free. 

12. YouTube Live

Best for: Social media influencers

Key Features:

  • Wide audience reach.
  • Super Chat and Super Stickers.
  • Integration with Google Ecosystem.
Image showing a YouTube live stream.
Source: Hootsuite

YouTube Live is YouTube’s live streaming feature that enables creators to engage their audience with video and chat. People can easily watch trending live streams in their country from YouTube desktop or mobile app, making it a great platform for discovery.

Creators can also choose to save their YouTube Lives as regular YouTube videos, available for on-demand replay once the live streams have ended.

YouTube Live offers many ways to monetize your streams, such as Super Chat and ad revenue, but the company takes a significant portion of revenue (45%). You also need to meet certain eligibility requirements to access those features. 

YouTube Live also provides limited customization options for creators. The platform focuses on its own branding and gives you little ways to personalize a stream. 

Features: 

  • Integrates with Google services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics. 
  • DVR functionality.
  • Automatic recording.
  • Stream scheduling.
  • Copyright infringement protection.

Pros:

  • Wide audience reach with over 2.6 billion monthly active users.
  • Free to use.
  • Easy for creators familiar with the YouTube platform.
  • Comprehensive live stream analytics.

Cons: 

  • Limited monetization options.
  • Content restrictions. 
  • High competition. 
  • Limited customization and branding. 

Pricing: Free. 

13. Facebook Live

Best for: Immersive live experiences

Reasons to use:

  • Interactive features. 
  • Cross-posting ability.
  • In-depth analytics and insights.
Image of a creator doing a Facebook live stream.

Facebook was one of the first big platforms to launch live streaming in 2015. It’s a smart platform for creators to broadcast from because of its extensive reach. To date, Facebook has more than 2.93 billion monthly active users, which is 36.7% of the world’s population. 

Facebook is great for reaching most demographics over 25 years old, anywhere in the world. It’s a popular tool for building a community and leading them to a paid offering, like a membership program. Creators use Facebook Live for many reasons, such as giving tutorials, hosting events, or delivering announcements. You can even share your screen and offer an immersive, 360-degree video experience for viewers, and even chat with them in real-time.

Getting started on Facebook Live is also simple. You can schedule broadcasts in advance or go live spontaneously. If you want to monetize your stream, you can partner with other brands or promote sponsored content. 

Features:

  • Real-time interactions.
  • Audience insights. 
  • Live reactions and comments.
  • Screen sharing.
  • Guest broadcasting.
  • Fundraiser and donation features.
  • Save and share options. 
  • Filters and effects. 

Pros:

  • Free tool that requires no special equipment. 
  • Instant notifications for followers. 
  • High discoverability in the Facebook app.
  • Cost-effective.

Cons: 

  • Limited monetization options. 
  • Algorithm dependance. 
  • High competition on platform. 

Price: Free.

14. Instagram Live

Best for: Influencers with millennial and Gen Z audience

Reasons to use:

  • Co-hosting live streams. 
  • AR filters. 
  • Story sharing feature.
Image of a creator doing a Instagram live stream.

Instagram has become more than just your favorite photo app. It’s now a powerful live video platform for creators and brands that want to grow. According to Zipdo, Instagram Live accounts for 24% of brand live streaming on social media. 

When it comes to demographics, Instagram Live sessions are watched by 82% of users aged 18-24, according to Zipdo. Instagram skews younger than Facebook, with a large presence of millennials and Gen Z, who are highly engaged with visual and short-form content.

Instagram Live is popular for influencers, as well as fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. It’s effective for visually appealing content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and influencer collaborations. 

Just open the app and jump on a live stream to connect with your people. During your streams, you can earn money with badges. Viewers can buy badges during your live at $0.99, $1.99, and $4.99 increments. Don’t forget to give them a special shoutout to show your appreciation! 

Features:

  • Live comments, likes, and question stickers.
  • Guests in Live videos.
  • Analytics.
  • Filters and AR effects. 
  • Shopping features.
  • Live rooms for multiple hosts.
  • Audience controls.
  • Saving and sharing.

Pros:

  • Large user base.
  • Event promoted in follower’s Story Feed.
  • Detailed analytics. 
  • East for viewers to access.

Cons:

  • Limited discoverability for new accounts.
  • No pre-scheduling. 
  • Limited to 4 hours runtime. 

Price: Free

15. LinkedIn Live Events

Best for: Creators with professional audience

Reasons to use:

  • Professional audience targeting. 
  • High-quality content standards.
  • In-depth engagement metrics. 
Image of a creator doing a LinkedIn live stream.

LinkedIn Live Events is another option geared more towards business professionals. It’s a little different than the previously mentioned platforms because there are some requirements to meet. You can’t just go live with the click of a button, it’s more an event that followers can opt-in to join.

The requirements include:

  • Your business page must have more than 150 followers and/or connections.
  • You must have a history of abiding by LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies.
  • Your page must have been created at least 30 days ago.
  • Your page must not be based in mainland China. 

Once you meet the criteria, you can create an event on LinkedIn and choose the LinkedIn Live option. Note that you can’t stream directly from LinkedIn. You must use a third-party streaming tool like Uscreen or a custom RTMP streaming setup to make it happen. 

Features:

  • Audio-only events. 
  • Event metrics. 
  • Engagement tools for a professional audience.
  • Exclusive events. 
  • Automatic notifications. 

Pros:

  • Targets a specific audience.
  • Improves visibility on the platform. 
  • Boosts engagement. 

Cons: 

  • Requires third-party tools.
  • Must be eligibility criteria. 
  • No monetization options. 

Price: Free.

16. X Live (Twitter Live)

Best for: News and trending topics

Reasons to use:

  • Immediate discoverability. 
  • Threaded conversations.
  • Global reach and virality. 
Image of Elon Musk announcing the launch of the live stream on X (ex Twitter.

X (formerly ‘Twitter’) isn’t one of the largest social platforms on our list, but it comes with over 353.9 million monthly active users. In the US, users spend an average of 34.1 minutes per day on X/Twitter, compared to Instagram, which is only 33.1 minutes per day. 

X has a broad demographic, notable for professionals, media personnel, and younger adults. The platform is all about timely content — excellent for sharing news and opinions, and engaging with trends. X’s viral nature makes it easier to reach a wider audience with your message.

You can broadcast from anywhere and on mobile or desktop (using encoders), and also share a link to your live stream to spread the word and grow your audience fast. X is also working on game streaming and live shopping features to encourage more creators to join the platform. 

Features:

  • Location tagging.
  • Custom timestamps on streams.
  • LiveCut to create instant highlights.
  • Monetization with Media Producer.
  • Scheduling and promoting live streams.
  • Save and share options. 

Pros:

  • Constantly releases new features.
  • Direct streaming from app or browser.
  • Monetization opportunities. 
  • Promotional tools.

Cons:

  • Platform attracts trolls and negative comments.
  • Users report frequent interruptions. 
  • Limited editing options.

Price: Free.

How to choose the right live streaming platform

You can stream live content on a lot of platforms. Most help you go live smoothly and offer basic embedding tools and analytics. As you compare options for your live streaming strategy, keep the following considerations in mind:

1. Think about your audience

Knowing your audience is crucial for creating engaging content, and this goes beyond basic demographics. Delve into their challenges, issues, and associated emotions to create content that resonates, and to choose a live streaming platform that will deliver the right experience. 

Find out what they’ve tried and how it’s failed to meet their needs. Providing content that meets their expectations will help you understand why they watch live streams, whether it’s fun or information. You can make your live streams more intimate and valuable by asking the right questions.

2. Define your goals

After identifying your audience, set goals to align with their expectations from a live stream experience, and you’ll have a structure for your engagement efforts. Create live streams that address your audience’s main concerns by segmenting topics to address unique challenges. 

Know where your audience is in the sales funnel so you can tailor your content strategy; from problem-unaware to ready-to-buy. Your goals will differ depending on the funnel stage, with top-of-funnel (TOFU) content being crucial for attracting new viewers who are just starting to become aware of their problems.

3. Research your competitors

Gather competitive intelligence on how your top 5 competitors use live streaming to their advantage with these steps:

  1. Determine where competitors host their live streams. Understand which platforms they favor and why their choice of live streaming solution might be effective in engaging their audience.
  2. Investigate the types of live streams your competitors produce. This will give insight into engaging topics and can also hint at how they are using their sales funnel.
  3. Look into how your competitors make money from live streaming. Take note of strategies such as offering special discounts, affiliate links, or sponsored content during their broadcasts.
  4. Assess how your competitors promote their live videos. Examine how they use social media, websites, newsletters, and any other marketing channels to attract viewers to their live events.

By following these steps, you will gain a high-level understanding of your competitors’ live streaming strategies, which can inform your own approach to using live streams for business growth.

4. Align goals with features

Competitive insights in-hand, it’s time to find the features that will help you meet your goals.

As live streaming platforms come with varying functionality, you’ll need to create a shortlist of features you’ll need. Here’s a comprehensive list you can use as a guide:

  • Content management for video categorization and access
  • Monetization features for revenue generation
  • Global payment processing for easy transactions
  • Go-live notifications to boost event attendance
  • Customizable live streaming websites
  • Pre-registration pages and countdowns for event hype
  • Engagement tools like live chat
  • OTT live streaming to web and apps
  • Advanced analytics for audience tracking

5. Match your platform with your audience

Most live streamers broadcast on too many platforms, and they spread their efforts too thin. If you focus on a single platform, you can maximize your live stream’s effectiveness and cultivate a more engaged and accustomed audience. Interacting with viewers becomes easier and allows for better engagement.

It’s crucial to choose a platform that suits your target audience’s demographics, which can be informed by recent live streaming statistics and competitive intelligence. Test one live streaming platform at a time to gauge engagement before considering others, instead of following your competitors.

It’s simple with Uscreen.

Build, launch and manage your membership, all in one place.

Finding the best live streaming platform for you

As you know by now, there are plenty of live streaming platforms to pick from, depending on what you need. 

Looking to build a wide audience for your events? You probably want YouTube Live. On the hunt for a place to show the world your gaming skills? Twitch is the place to be. 

Aiming to make money live streaming and give your audience a complete branded experience? We’re going to say Uscreen is the answer. 

If Uscreen seems like the live streaming solution you’ve been looking for to give your audience a great streaming experience that they’re happy to pay for, let’s chat. 

Live streaming platforms FAQ

Which platform is the best for live streaming?

The best platform for live video streaming depends on your preferences and goals. Popular live streaming platforms include Uscreen, Twitch, and YouTube Live.

Where can I stream live for free?

You can stream live videos for free on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok, which offer built-in live streaming features at no cost.

What is the cheapest way to livestream?

The cheapest way to live stream is by using a free platform, and broadcasting using your phone or existing webcam. 

Where can I stream privately?

To stream privately, you can use a platform like Uscreen and password protect your streams, letting only approved viewers into the event.