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Get Camera Ready: Start Livestreaming on Social Media
Use livestreaming on social networks to connect with customers, conduct demonstrations and extend your reach.
Table of Contents
Many social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, offer livestream functionality. Livestreaming isn’t just for celebrities and influencers — businesses of all sizes now commonly use it as part of their marketing toolkit.
Businesses can use livestreaming as a form of social media marketing to connect with customers, generate followers, showcase products and services, and educate or entertain viewers while guiding them closer to a sale. Below, you’ll learn what livestreaming is, the benefits for brands, practical strategies, and how to start leveraging it as part of a modern business strategy.
What is livestreaming?
Livestreaming is the act of broadcasting video content in real time on a digital platform. Unlike pre-recorded videos, livestreams let presenters interact with viewers instantly by answering questions and responding to comments. They can also be recorded and shared later to extend a brand’s reach.
Livestreaming was once mainly the domain of video conferencing services, but today it’s a standard feature across major social media channels. These platforms offer vast built-in audiences, and since most users access social networks through mobile apps, joining a livestream requires no extra software.
How can livestreaming benefit your business?
Recent research highlights just how valuable livestreaming has become for brands. HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing Report found that short-form video is the top content format for both B2B and B2C outreach. Within that category, livestreaming is gaining momentum: 22 percent of B2C marketers and 17 percent of B2B marketers now consider it an essential part of their content strategy, and many plan to increase their investment in live video.
Wyzowl’s 2025 Video Marketing Survey echoes that trend, reporting that 89 percent of businesses use video as a marketing tool and 95 percent consider it important to their overall digital marketing strategy.
So why are companies increasingly using livestreaming? Here are the benefits they’re seeing:
- Greater engagement: Live video invites real-time interaction. Viewers can ask questions, join the conversation and see your products or services in action.
- Cost effectiveness: All you really need is a smartphone or webcam, decent lighting and a social account — no pricey production gear required.
- Wider reach: Because anyone can tune in from anywhere, livestreams help you connect with customers beyond your local market.
- Building trust and authority: Unedited, live presentations help you demonstrate business transparency. You can answer questions on the spot, boosting confidence in your expertise.
- Humanizing your brand: Putting real people on camera helps customers feel a stronger personal connection to your business and helps you build brand community.
- Fostering advocacy: Loyal viewers often become brand advocates, sharing your streams and recommending your products.
- Algorithm boosts: Many social platforms give live video a visibility bump, increasing the odds your content gets seen.
When should businesses use livestreaming?
Livestreaming isn’t the right fit for every company, but it can be a powerful strategy if it aligns with your audience and goals. Your business may benefit from going live if you:
- Have an active, engaged online community that’s eager to connect with you in real time.
- Feel comfortable on camera and are prepared to interact authentically with viewers.
- Sell products or services that shine in a live demo, where customers can see them in action.
- Frequently get questions about your processes, culture or values, and want a more personal way to answer.
- Offer higher-priced items that require extra education and trust before purchase.
- Are launching something new — a product, service or feature — and want to build buzz.
- Need to explain something unique or innovative that’s easier to understand when shown live.
What are the top livestreaming platforms?
Almost every major social media platform now includes livestreaming tools designed with businesses in mind. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect:
Facebook Live
Facebook Live is one of the most widely used Facebook marketing strategies. Any business page can go live on Facebook with just a few clicks. You can choose your audience (public, friends or custom lists), add a description, and take advantage of interactive features like Q&A mode, live polls, guest invitations and real-time comments. Facebook also continues to expand monetization options and provides detailed analytics once your stream wraps. Refer to Facebook Live’s official help resources for full details.
Instagram Live
Livestreaming is a great way to use Instagram for business promotion. Instagram Live lets you schedule sessions, control who can join, block distracting comments and add interactive features like Q&A or polls. You can stream directly from your mobile device, promote upcoming sessions in advance, and manage past broadcasts through the Live Archive. See Instagram’s official Live guide for platform requirements and tips.
YouTube Live
YouTube Live is a strong choice for brands already comfortable with video, especially if they run a YouTube channel. You can schedule and manage live events, invite guests and stream from mobile (once you have at least 50 subscribers). Engagement tools like live chat, highlights and cross-channel promotions help keep viewers involved. For advanced users, the YouTube Live Streaming API and in-depth analytics provide powerful integration and performance tracking. Refer to YouTube’s official Live resources for full details.
TikTok LIVE
TikTok LIVE is especially popular with younger audiences. The platform offers live events with interactive features like virtual gifting and real-time reactions, but it has strict eligibility rules: users must be at least 18 years old and have 1,000-plus followers to go live. See TikTok’s official LIVE Events resource for full requirements and setup instructions.
X (formerly Twitter) Live
On X, users can broadcast live directly from the mobile app, control who can comment, and tap into visibility across timelines. X also integrates video features into Spaces, combining live audio and video for broader engagement. Refer to X’s developer documentation for technical guidance and best practices.
Livestreaming best practices
Livestreaming is a proven way to build stronger customer relationships and expand your reach. Keep these strategies in mind for successful broadcasts:
- Create a theme: Give each stream a clear focus that highlights your expertise, offers behind-the-scenes access or delivers unique value.
- Keep the audience front and center: Speak to your viewers’ needs and interests. Show how your product or service solves real problems, and share testimonials or case studies for credibility.
- Promote early and often: Announce your livestream in advance on email, social and your website. Tease what viewers will learn or see to boost attendance.
- Send reminders: Encourage preregistration and follow up with automated reminders to your email marketing list to improve turnout.
- Make it interactive: Greet viewers by name, acknowledge their locations and run Q&As through chat or video to spark engagement.
- Wrap with a call to action: End every session with a clear next step that moves viewers further down your sales funnel, whether it’s making a purchase, booking a call or registering for your next event.
- Repurpose the content: Save your streams and edit them into clips, highlight reels or even podcasts. Both YouTube and Facebook recommend this tactic to extend your reach.
Industry standards, compliance and risks
Going live is exciting, but it also comes with responsibilities. Businesses need to be mindful of compliance, quality and risk management every time they stream:
- Content moderation: Platforms use both human and AI moderators to catch harmful or inappropriate content in real time. As a business, you’re still responsible for following each platform’s community guidelines.
- Privacy and legal safeguards: Make sure everyone appearing on your stream has given permission, and avoid sharing sensitive or restricted information.
- Quality control: Live video doesn’t leave room for retakes. While small hiccups can make your brand feel authentic, repeated glitches or slip-ups can affect professionalism.
- Regulatory compliance: Livestreams are subject to advertising laws, data privacy rules, accessibility standards and — for global companies — regulations like the EU’s Digital Services Act.
- Platform rules: Each channel has its own set of policies. Check the official livestreaming guidelines for the social media platform you’re working with to ensure you do everything correctly.
Advanced livestreaming strategies
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can take livestreaming to the next level with these pro tips:
- Time it right: Look at your audience insights to find the days and times when followers are most active, and schedule streams to match.
- Mix up the formats: Keep content fresh with a variety of livestream types, including product demos, expert AMAs, educational workshops, customer spotlights or exclusive launches.
- Boost engagement: Encourage real-time interaction with polls, giveaways or limited-time offers that nudge viewers to act on the spot.
- Learn and improve: Review your analytics after each stream. Most platforms provide dashboards (and YouTube offers advanced analytics) that can help you spot what worked and what to tweak next time.
