{"id":10319,"date":"2020-04-09T11:00:25","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T16:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.golightstream.com\/?p=10319"},"modified":"2020-04-09T11:00:25","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T16:00:25","slug":"live-streaming-platform-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/dev.prlxweb.com\/golightstream\/live-streaming-platform-use\/","title":{"rendered":"What live streaming destinations should I use (for non gamers)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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One of the early decisions you\u2019ll need to make as a streamer is choosing the best live streaming destination for your content. There\u2019s a long list of streaming platforms, each offering different strengths \u2014 from audience size to customizability to special features \u2014 so it\u2019s important to consider your goals and what best help you achieve them.While deciding where to stream, remember: it\u2019s not necessarily what platform is the best, but what platform is the best for you.<\/p>\n

Lightstream<\/a> works with any of these platforms, so we\u2019ve got you covered no matter which one(s) you choose.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Facebook<\/h2>\nOne of the reasons Facebook is a great place to start streaming is the sheer size of its user base. With nearly 2.5 billion monthly users across the globe, Facebook boasts a massive audience ready to see your stream on their news feed. But where you can really benefit isn\u2019t the network as a whole but the personal network you\u2019ve already built.<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf you\u2019ve been using Facebook over the years to build a following, you can use those Likes you already have to tap into that audience from the get-go. You don\u2019t need to worry about building an audience because it\u2019s already there, so when you\u2019re ready to go live, you can reap the reward and give your stream instant exposure.<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With the re-emergence of Facebook Groups as a gathering place for smaller, like-minded audiences, streaming directly to groups is a great way to reach a specific and interested audience. Either start your own Facebook Group, or stream to a group where you\u2019re currently a member.
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YouTube<\/h2>

Have you already created videos for YouTube<\/a>? Then you\u2019re in great shape.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNot only can you tap into your subscriber base for an early audience, but you can also use the existing videos on your profile to complement your streams. Another perk is that each live stream is automatically recorded, which helps build up a library of content. With a YouTube profile that features streams and pre-recorded video clips, you can offer a variety of video content, giving your viewers plenty to watch while you\u2019re not on stream and giving you another avenue to bringing in subscribers.\n<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf you haven\u2019t created Youtube videos before\u2014don\u2019t panic. There\u2019s no time like now to start, as Youtube has 2 billion monthly users, ready to watch tons of videos. A word of advice: It\u2019s difficult to build a subscriber base on Youtube. Unlike Facebook, where you have a built in audience (i.e., your Facebook friends) who may see your live stream while scrolling their feeds, no one will get notified about your Youtube stream, so you\u2019ll have to promote it aggressively. \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Twitch<\/h2>

Twitch<\/a> is a dedicated live-streaming platform that earned its stripes in game streaming. Over the years, it\u2019s transitioned to include other creative streaming pursuits such as art, music, and talk shows, and currently features nearly 40 categories of live content.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Perhaps the biggest reason Twitch is so successful as a streaming platform is its active and vibrant community constantly on the lookout for entertaining live video content. In February 2020, viewers watched more than 981 million hours of live content. With features like friend lists and Whispers (private conversations), Twitch mimics sitting on a couch and playing games with friends.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis personal touch is where Twitch shines. By creating a true community around your stream, you can amplify the performance of the many alerts, donations, and chat moderation tools that are out there, and Twitch boasts compatibility with more of them than any other platform. There are also other ways to monetize your stream that are unique to Twitch, such as subscriptions and Bits (emoticons that can be purchased to use in chat).\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Custom Destinations & Pro Setups<\/h2>\n

Looking to customize the viewing experience rather than rely on a platform\u2019s UI? There are also options out there that allow you to own the entire pipeline to have more control over the experience of your stream. <\/p>\n

The benefits of using one of these services is that you can choose how your stream is delivered and fine-tune what your audience is seeing. While you have separate options for going this route, these are some notable services worth checking out:<\/p>\n