LinkedIn live streaming allows businesses and professionals to broadcast video content to their connections and followers on the platform. Live video is an extremely powerful way to engage your audience, share your expertise, and strengthen your personal brand on LinkedIn. But with so many options for live streaming available, how do you know which platform is right for your needs?
In this article, we’ll compare the most popular LinkedIn live streaming tools and examine the key factors you need to consider when choosing the best platform. Whether you want to go live from your phone or use a full production studio set-up, we’ll help you select the right live streaming software for your goals, budget, and tech capabilities. Read on to learn which LinkedIn live platform reigns supreme.
Key Factors in Choosing a LinkedIn Live Platform
When evaluating the best LinkedIn live streaming tools, here are some of the most important criteria to consider:
– **Ease of use:** How intuitive is the platform? Does it offer simple streaming with minimal setup? Or will you need advanced technical skills?
– **Video quality:** Will the video output be HD and professional-looking? Poor video quality can negatively impact engagement.
– **Integration with LinkedIn:** Does the tool include built-in LinkedIn streaming integration? Or will you have to configure a custom setup?
– **Interactive features:** Can you add polls, Q&As, and live chat to your broadcast? Interactive content boosts engagement.
– **Analytics:** Does the software provide viewer stats and analytics to measure your stream performance? These insights are invaluable.
– **Pricing:** What does the platform charge? Make sure the costs align with your budget. There are both free and paid options.
– **Support:** Is onboarding, troubleshooting assistance, and customer service available? Support can make a big difference.
We’ll explore how the top LinkedIn live streaming options stack up in each of these areas next.
LinkedIn Live
LinkedIn Live is the company’s built-in broadcasting solution that’s now available to all members on desktop and mobile. Here are its key features:
– **Ease of use:** LinkedIn Live is incredibly easy to use. Just go live from your LinkedIn posts or events. Minimal setup required.
– **Video quality:** Streams in HD 1080p if your device and connection support it. Quality is decent but not as polished as some third-party tools.
– **LinkedIn integration:** As the native broadcasting feature, it includes seamless LinkedIn integration. live videos appear prominently on your profile and feed.
– **Interactive features:** Viewers can react and comment on your video in real-time. But no advanced interactivity like polls or Q&As.
– **Analytics:** Provides views, comments, reactions, and other engagement stats after you finish streaming. Helpful albeit limited data.
– **Pricing:** LinkedIn Live is 100% free for all members to use with unlimited streaming. No premium paid tiers.
– **Support:** General troubleshooting tips available. But no specialized customer support for live streaming issues.
**The bottom line:** LinkedIn Live is the obvious choice if you want the simplest, most integrated streaming experience. But it lacks some of the production polish and interactive tools of external platforms.
Streamyard
Streamyard is a popular external live streaming studio you can use to broadcast professional-quality video to LinkedIn. Let’s examine its capabilities:
– **Ease of use:** Streamyard has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes streaming simple for novices. Requires very little technical know-how.
– **Video quality:** Streams look sharp and polished. Provides graphics, branding, multi-guest capabilities, and more production tools.
– **LinkedIn integration:** Allows you to stream directly to LinkedIn Live. Just connect accounts and go live.
– **Interactive features:** Viewers can interact via live chat and Q&As. Can also add on-screen viewer comments.
– **Analytics:** Offers detailed real-time and post-stream analytics on views, engagements, devices, and more.
– **Pricing:** Free version with Streamyard branding. Paid plans start at $29/month for HD streaming and more features.
– **Support:** Provides onboarding resources and 24/7 customer support via live chat or email.
**The bottom line:** Streamyard is ideal if you want a professional, interactive broadcast optimized for audience engagement. It does require a paid subscription.
Socialive
Socialive is a live streaming tool built specifically for LinkedIn and other social media networks. Here’s an overview:
– **Ease of use:** Socialive has a user-friendly interface and pre-stream production capabilities for easy streaming.
– **Video quality:** Offers customizable branding, graphics, multi-guests, and HD quality video. Polished and professional results.
– **LinkedIn integration:** Seamlessly connects with LinkedIn to stream video that appears natively in your feed and profile.
– **Interactive features:** Supports live chat, Q&A, and viewer comments to boost engagement. Can also add polls and CTAs.
– **Analytics:** Provides detailed analytics on views, engagements, demographics, follower growth, and more to quantify your stream impact.
– **Pricing:** Free account option with limited features. Paid plans start at $49/month for multi-guest capability.
– **Support:** Offers email and in-platform messaging support as well as online knowledge base resources.
**The bottom line:** Socialive can elevate your LinkedIn Live streams with powerful branding and interactivity. But the paid plans are more costly than competitors.
Restream
Restream enables simultaneously streaming to multiple platforms including LinkedIn Live. Here are the key details:
– **Ease of use:** Restream has a clean interface but does require more technical setup like installing apps/software. More complex than other options.
– **Video quality:** Provides high-quality HD streaming. Can add overlays and graphics. Overall professional appearance.
– **LinkedIn integration:** Allows you to stream to LinkedIn Live along with other platforms like Facebook or YouTube simultaneously.
– **Interactive features:** Supports real-time chat. For other interactivity like polls, you need to install third-party tools.
– **Analytics:** Offers robust analytics on views, engagements, refers, and more. Can compare analytics across platforms.
– **Pricing:** Free version available but limited. Paid plans start at $19/month for more features and destinations.
– **Support:** Provides onboarding resources and responsive customer support via email and online ticketing.
**The bottom line:** Restream enables expanded reach by streaming to multiple platforms. But the setup process is more complex than other tools.
Other Options
Beyond the platforms above, there are a few other tools that allow streaming to LinkedIn Live:
– **OBS Studio:** Free and open source software for live streaming. Requires very technical setup and optimization.
– **Wirecast:** Produces professional, high-quality results but is expensive starting at $780/year.
– **Be.Live:** Offers strong production features and multi-platform streaming for $39/month.
– **Switcher Studio:** Made for iOS mobile streaming with pricing from $20-$50/month.
These options may suit your needs if you want open source freedom, are willing to invest seriously, or desire a mobile focus. But for most use cases, the main platforms we’ve covered will be better choices.
Key Considerations by User
The best LinkedIn live streaming platform ultimately depends on your specific needs and use case. Here are key factors to consider for different types of users:
**For individuals/solopreneurs:**
– Ease of use and simplicity should be top priorities. Avoid tools with complex setup.
– Budget-friendly options under $30/month are ideal. Free is even better.
– Focus on platforms with strong LinkedIn integration.
**For small businesses:**
– Seek out platforms that balance ease of use with higher production quality.
– Opt for tools with interactive features to boost engagement.
– Prioritize robust analytics to measure streaming ROI and impact.
– Budget for paid plans around $50+/month to unlock more capabilities.
**For large enterprises:**
– Production quality, branding, stability and interactivity are critical.
– Platforms like Wirecast may be worth the significant investment for their premium features.
– Dedicated support and onboarding assistance is highly desirable.
– Buying enterprise streaming packages makes sense at scale.
**For agencies:**
– Ability to manage multiple client accounts from a central dashboard is key.
– Flexibility to stream to various platforms beyond just LinkedIn is important.
– Focus on advanced interactive features and analytics.
– Expect to budget $100+/month for multi-seat pro packages.
Keep these user-specific factors in mind as you evaluate options to select the best platform for your needs.
Conclusion
When choosing the right LinkedIn live streaming software, start by outlining your budget, use case, desired features, and production quality needs.
For simplicity and seamless integration, LinkedIn Live is the obvious default. But third-party tools like Streamyard, Socialive and Restream offer more polish, customization and cross-platform support.
Weigh the pros and cons carefully based on your live streaming goals. With the rise of video across social media, having a strong LinkedIn live broadcasting strategy is key for brands aiming to engage their professional audience. Selecting the right platform lays the foundation for impactful, interactive live content.
Key Takeaways
– LinkedIn Live provides built-in streaming that’s easy to use but lacks advanced features.
– Streamyard enables professional, interactive broadcasts optimized for engagement.
– Socialive focuses specifically on streaming to LinkedIn and other social platforms.
– Restream allows simultaneously streaming to LinkedIn and other sites.
– Consider ease of use, video quality, interactive tools, pricing and other factors.
– Match your specific use case and budget to choose the best platform.