There was a time when live broadcasting from a remote location required huge satellite trucks, generators, cameras, cables, microphones and a team of people to manage it all. While there is still room for such high-end live streaming (and we can help you), there’s no doubt that live streaming has become more accessible in recent years.
The good news is that if you’ve upgraded your smartphone in the last five years, you should have all the tools you need to stream live from your phone. Now everyone can broadcast anytime, anywhere. Here’s an example of how to live stream on mobile devices like a pro.
How to livestream on Liveme
Chances are you already have a live streaming platform on your phone. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram offer live streaming features directly on their mobile apps. Others, like the Liveme mobile app, may be new to you but offer more customization options to give your live stream a boost.
The Liveme live streaming app for iOS and Android allows you to start streaming live with just a few taps.
Create a professional look, right from your phone
Live streaming on your phone is a pretty simple practice, but that doesn’t mean your streaming setup should be like this. There are a few extra steps you can take to up the quality and feel a little more special.
Find the best lighting
The sun is your best lighting choice. And, you know… it’s free. Ideally, position your phone so that the window is facing you and the sun is shining over your face. Whatever you do, do not sit with your back to the window, otherwise you will find yourself in silhouette and look like an angel.
Make your best broadcast
Now that you have natural light, here are some simple tweaks you can make to improve your phone’s setup:
Keep everything at eye level. No high or low angles, keep things elevated to look even.
Stay at arm’s length… with your camera, anyway. Adding some space between you and your phone will give you a better perspective. It is better to be further than to have a very, misguided, close and personal view.
Add some flair. Your background should add interest or show your personality. Posters, prints, blankets, plants, bookcases – any of these items can make your setting look even more inviting.
Experience amazing sound
Assuming you follow our guidelines and stay at arm’s length, you probably won’t need any external microphone for your live stream – the microphone on your device will do the job.
However, if you have AirPods or other wireless Bluetooth headphones at the ready, they can be a subtle way to amplify your voice. Headphones with built-in microphones are especially useful if you need to be more than arm’s length away from your phone while streaming (for example, if you’re streaming a fitness class).
Whatever you do, do your best to broadcast Liveme from a quiet place without much background noise, and stay as close to the device as possible so that your voice is as clear as possible.
Take care of your internet connection
The beauty of live streaming from a mobile device is that you have the freedom to be, well, mobile. If you’re going to be streaming over cellular, make sure you’re in a location that has full service bars, along with LTE.
If you want to go beyond the reliability of your stream, then connecting your phone to the Internet will help you. Wi-Fi might work, just make sure you’re on a network that doesn’t get much use from other people, like your roommates watching Netflix, or strangers hijacking public network bandwidth.
Keep your smartphone close to the router. Being in the same room as a Wi-Fi router will also ensure a reliable connection, as Wi-Fi can become unreliable over long distances or when blocked by walls.
Limit the number of devices using the same network while streaming. If other people in your home are using Wi-Fi for high-speed activities such as watching movies or playing video games, you will experience a slower and congested connection and slow down the live stream from your phone.
Increase your speed. You can always contact your local ISP to see if they have a higher bandwidth connection in your area.
If you’re live streaming from home and want to really get up to speed, you might want to consider hard-wiring your phone to the internet (yes, really). To do this, you will need an adapter that will connect your phone to an Ethernet cable and then connect the cable to your router.
First of all, test your smartphone
The most important thing you can do is test your flow! Before you go live with your audience, get familiar with all your gear and test it out for yourself to see how it looks and sounds.
“The first time you hit Go Live, it shouldn’t be with an audience.” “It won’t be a good experience for everyone.” Set up a test stream first to make sure you’re comfortable with all your hardware.”