Which Platform Should I Livestream To?

Which platform is best to stream to? Typically, our clients are selecting from among three options, or rather four: Facebook, YouTube and Zoom (which is divided into Zoom Meetings and Zoom Webinar). All platforms have strengths and weaknesses because each was designed with different goals and audiences in mind. You should search for the one that most closely matches yours.

#ProTip: Your platform should always reflect your goals.

Facebook is a die-hard social site, so it boasts of the best interactive tools including a robust chat, fun reactions (think, bubbles floating across the screen), and live polls. But the maximum picture quality is lower than the other platforms, and especially if most of your audience doesn't have a Facebook account, you should probably choose another place to stream. Non-Facebook users can watch a Facebook Live, however, the platform will relentlessly try to recruit them which is both confusing and annoying (there is a way around this, but it involves some technical know-how and on-the-fly work). As the elder in the online video world, YouTube is a solid no-nonsense choice: the quality is great, platform is reliable, the stream is easy to schedule and share, and it has some great unique features like offering a prerecorded hype video. But, interactivity is low. Only people with a YouTube account can participate in the chat and the other ways of interacting are... nonexistent. Zoom is the easiest platform to access and has the lowest barriers for your audience: they get the link, they click the link, they're in. It also offers the in-app ability to stream your Zoom event simultaneously to one of the other platforms (but it will lower the quality and slap on a Zoom watermark first) and a host of other tools - the chat box, the ability to virtually raise your hand, robust security if you want the event to be private, and the ability to make other people admins to facilitate the event. In Zoom Meetings, your audience can interact on camera in real time. However, you're likely familiar with one huge drawback of Zoom Meetings - anyone can interrupt if their microphone is unmuted, and often unintentionally do so. Zoom Webinar eliminates this possibility by removing participants' ability to unmute their microphone or turn on their camera. However, there is a cost associated with Zoom Meetings, and an even larger cost for Zoom Webinar. So weigh your options carefully, step back and take a look at your goals. And wherever you want to stream, we'll be there.

Katie Rutter is the executive producer of Thing in a Pot Productions. She has received multiple awards for her work, including a nomination for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy in 2021 and being declared Video Producer of the Year in 2018 by the Catholic Press Association. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our video ProTips in your inbox every month!

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