LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 722 million members worldwide. Many people use LinkedIn to network, build their professional brand, find jobs, share content, and more. One feature that LinkedIn offers is the ability to broadcast live video. Live video broadcasting allows you to stream video in real-time to your LinkedIn connections. This can be a powerful way to engage with your professional community.
In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about broadcasting live video on LinkedIn. We’ll cover:
– The requirements for going live on LinkedIn
– Who can broadcast video on LinkedIn
– How to set up and start a LinkedIn Live broadcast
– Tips for creating compelling live video content
– Best practices for promoting your LinkedIn Live videos
– Pros and cons of broadcasting live on LinkedIn
Equipped with this information, you’ll understand if live streaming is right for your LinkedIn presence and how to get started with LinkedIn Live broadcasts. Let’s dive in!
Requirements for Broadcasting Live on LinkedIn
To go live and broadcast video on LinkedIn, there are a few requirements:
– You must have a LinkedIn profile in good standing. This means your profile is public and complete.
– Verified accounts on LinkedIn receive priority access to LinkedIn Live. Getting verified entails confirming your identity by providing documentation to LinkedIn.
– Only LinkedIn members can broadcast live video on the platform. You must have a LinkedIn account to stream live content.
– To start broadcasting, you need to have at least 150 connections on LinkedIn. This threshold ensures you have a sizable audience for your live videos.
– Your LinkedIn profile must be public. Private profiles cannot broadcast live content.
– You’ll need to download the LinkedIn mobile app as LinkedIn Live video is only available on mobile currently. Broadcasting live video is not possible from LinkedIn’s desktop site.
– Live videos can only be streamed using your mobile device’s camera and microphone. You cannot stream desktop or pre-recorded videos. The content must be live.
Overall, LinkedIn wants to enable trusted professionals to share live video with their networks. Meeting the requirements of a complete, public profile, having enough connections, and downloading the mobile app will get you ready to broadcast on LinkedIn.
Who Can Go Live on LinkedIn?
Assuming the requirements are met, these are the types of LinkedIn members who can create live videos:
– Individual users – Any LinkedIn user with at least 150 connections can broadcast live once their profile is deemed eligible by LinkedIn. This is the easiest way to get started with LinkedIn Live.
– Company pages – Verified company pages can also broadcast real-time video on LinkedIn through an authorized employee. Live video is a great way for brands to engage their followers.
– Schools – University and school pages that are verified can also live stream educational or event content. Faculty members may broadcast on behalf of their institution.
– Nonprofits – Verified nonprofit organization pages on LinkedIn have access to LinkedIn Live. Streaming offers a way to promote causes and events.
– Groups – LinkedIn groups with over 1,000 members can go live as long as the group admin sets this up. The group admin or assigned roles can broadcast real-time video.
– Paid subscribers – LinkedIn members who pay for premium subscriptions like Job Seeker or Sales Navigator receive priority access to post live videos.
The common thread is that the account or page must be verified by LinkedIn to unlock broadcasting abilities. LinkedIn review profiles and pages to control quality and prevent abuse. Overall, individual users likely have the easiest path to share live videos.
How to Set Up and Start a Live Broadcast on LinkedIn
Ready to go live? Here are step-by-step instructions to configure your profile and start broadcasting:
1. Download and open the LinkedIn mobile app on your iOS or Android device. Broadcasting live video is only available on mobile currently.
2. Navigate to your LinkedIn profile in the app. Go to your profile by tapping “My Network” and then “View Profile.”
3. Tap the more icon (three dots) in the top right and choose “Settings & Privacy” from the menu.
4. In Settings, scroll down and turn on the “Live video broadcasts” toggle. This enables live video on your profile.
5. Tap “Allow” to permit LinkedIn to access your camera and microphone. These permissions are required to broadcast live video.
6. Also enable the “Notify your network when you go live” toggle if you want connections alerted when you start streaming.
7. Return to your profile page in the LinkedIn app. You should now see the option to “Go Live” above your profile photo and cover image.
8. Tap “Go Live” and LinkedIn will launch the camera. You’ll see viewer count and can add a title or description for your broadcast.
9. Tap the red “Start Broadcast” button to begin your live video! Interact with viewers and maintain an engaging presence.
10. When finished, tap “End Broadcast.” The video will be posted on your profile and in the LinkedIn video library.
And that’s all it takes to get set up and start broadcasting live on LinkedIn. With these steps completed, you can start streaming real-time video to engage your professional connections.
Tips for Creating Compelling LinkedIn Live Content
Now that you know how to go live, here are some tips for making engaging LinkedIn Live videos that captivate viewers:
– **Choose relevant topics** – Select subjects that interest your target audience and align with your brand or expertise. Live video works best for timely themes.
– **Promote the broadcast** – Hype your live video in posts and messages. Let your audience know when to tune in and what you’ll cover.
– **Interact with commenters** – Engage with people commenting and respond to questions or feedback. This makes the experience more interactive.
– **Keep it short and focused** – Limit your first few broadcasts to 10-15 minutes. Quicker live videos are consumable and retain attention.
– **Enhance production value** – Improve lighting, camera angle, backdrop, and audio for a more professional broadcast.
– **Bring energy and personality** – Viewers connect with enthusiasm. Bring charisma and use natural body language while broadcasting.
– **Repurpose video content** – Save the LinkedIn Live videos to repurpose snippets across your other social channels. Extend the reach.
With preparation and practice, your live streaming skills will improve over time. Track viewer count and comments to see which topics and approaches resonate best.
Promoting Your LinkedIn Live Broadcasts
To maximize viewership, be sure to let your LinkedIn connections know about your live videos. Here are some top ways to promote your LinkedIn Live broadcasts:
– **Share in LinkedIn groups** – Post in relevant LinkedIn groups when you’ll be streaming live video and on what topic. Engaged group members often tune in.
– **Promote on other social channels** – Cross-promote your LinkedIn Live broadcasts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or elsewhere. Drive viewers to tune in.
– **Invite connections** – Proactively message those in your network who would be interested in your live video topic and invite them to view the stream.
– **Schedule broadcasts** – Use the LinkedIn Live scheduling feature to create upcoming live videos friends can sign up for reminders about.
– **Embed videos** – Add your completed LinkedIn Live videos to blog posts, websites, and emails by embedding them. Expand reach.
– **Share on your profile** – Post the live video to your LinkedIn profile afterwards so it appears in your activity feed and on your media tab.
With a broadcast plan and promotion, you can let both existing connections and new viewers know about your live streams on LinkedIn. This generates more live views and grows your audience over time.
Pros of Broadcasting Live Video on LinkedIn
Here are some of the major upsides to going live on LinkedIn:
– **Humanizes your brand** – Live video shows there are real people behind your profile or page, making your brand more relatable.
– **High engagement** – Live broadcasts garner 8x more comments than regular video on LinkedIn. Viewers interact actively with live videos.
– **Conveys thought leadership** – Demonstrating your expertise live helps position you as an influencer in your industry.
– **Reaches new audiences** – Your live video can be recommended to others beyond your current network, helping you gain exposure.
– **Builds authenticity** – Live video comes across as more genuine than polished, edited video. It feels more transparent.
– **Allows Q&A** – Live broadcasts enable you to answer viewer questions on the fly, boosting trust and credibility.
Overall, leveraging live streaming can provide benefits both for individuals trying to advance their career and brands aiming to connect with customers or partners.
Potential Cons of LinkedIn Live Video
While live streaming offers advantages, there are a few downsides to consider as well:
– **Technical issues** – With live broadcasts, technical problems like camera failures or audio glitches can disrupt the stream.
– **Can’t edit footage** – Unlike pre-recorded video, you don’t have the ability to edit or polish the live footage. Bloopers stay in!
– **Transient content** – Live videos aren’t saved permanently unless you choose to keep or repurpose them. Viewer access is temporary.
– **Time commitment** – It takes effort to consistently show up for live broadcasts and create a streaming schedule for viewers.
– **Smaller reach** – Only your current connections can view the live video, unlike pre-recorded video shared more widely.
– **Negative comments** – As with any public content, you risk receiving negative comments from viewers during live videos.
With preparation and practice, you can minimize the downsides. But it’s worth keeping these potential cons in mind when deciding if live streaming fits your current needs.
Conclusion
Broadcasting live on LinkedIn offers a new way to engage your professional network by streaming real-time video.
To go live on LinkedIn, you need an account in good standing with 150+ connections, a public profile, and the LinkedIn mobile app installed. Both individual users and company pages can live stream once LinkedIn approves their account for broadcasting.
With relevant topics, thoughtful presentation, and active promotion, you can host compelling live videos that get viewed and create interaction. While there are downsides to balance, overall LinkedIn Live provides a powerful platform for thought leadership and humanizing your brand.
Hopefully this guide provided a helpful overview of how to get started streaming live on LinkedIn today. Experiment with broadcasting on mobile when you’re ready to connect with your network in an authentic, engaging video format.