How to Live Stream on Zoom with a Professional Video Platform
Who would have thought kids would be glad to return to school one day? That’s just one of the many unpredictable changes that came with the covid 19 pandemic and shutdowns. The new normal seems to be settling in now that we’re almost done with 2022, from adopting better hand hygiene practices to normalizing work-from-home.
One of the more significant changes has been online conferencing, meetings, and webinars. Since the beginning of 2020, when staying at home and social distancing became the safest option, much of the professional world has relied on peer-to-peer conferencing to carry out important meetings and events.
Zoom, a video conferencing tool few of us had heard of, let alone operated before the pandemic, was the first choice of many since it was already well-known in the business setting. However, not everyone has a great experience. The platform wasn’t built to handle the large volumes it saw in the span of a few. The millions of people flocking to the platform caused multiple issues.
Luckily, integrations with professional video hosting platforms, like Mslive, have allowed Zoom users to carry out high-quality web conferences and live streams on the video portals that their audience is familiar with.
In this post, we’ll talk about live streaming with Zoom on a live streaming platform and how this helps professionals circumvent some of the limitations of streaming with Zoom alone. We will also cover some of the most popular types of broadcasts that users use Zoom for before we dive into an in-depth tutorial on hosting a Zoom live stream.
We will wrap things up by covering a few tips for making your live-streaming event a success.
Zoom Live Streaming via an OVP: How it Works
Did you know that you can host a Zoom live stream on a professional OVP?
Over the past year, Zoom live, and other peer-to-peer conferencing tools have been essential for maintaining some sense of normalcy in business operations. Video conferencing has also made it easier for schools to open up for remote attendance.
Unfortunately, some limitations on Zoom have left professionals searching for the solution that makes the most sense for their web conferencing needs. Most video streaming platforms do not support peer-to-peer conferencing, essentially video chatting.
However, simulcasting tools and Zoom integrations on professional online video platforms (OVPs), like Mslive, have given these businesses and educators the best of both worlds.
Zoom is connected to the OVP as a source, just like a camera, mixer, or microphone would. That feed is then streamed anywhere you’ve embedded your Mslive video player.
Broadcasters can use this setup to stream to Facebook and other channels thanks to simulcasting, which means that one live stream is simultaneously broadcasting to different locations. That’s particularly valuable when your goal is to share a meeting or conversation with a public audience.
Types of Events to Live Stream on Zoom
People broadcast their Zoom live streams for a number of reasons.
Okay, so we convinced you to start Zoom live streaming. But before you go and plan one, are you wondering what types of events the platform can handle? And what is the platform’s scalability capacity?
Zoom live streaming is commonly used to broadcast events that have multiple speakers in different locations. It is also used in situations where there may be real-time interaction between the presenter and viewers.
Let’s look at a few of the most popular uses of Zoom live streaming for businesses and other professional organizations.
Webinars and Conferences
Webinars and conferences with multiple presenters or a panel of people leading natural conversations is easily streamed on Zoom. The panelists and presenters can get on a Zoom call from any location, and you can broadcast the conference to viewers on other platforms.
An online video platform’s security and monetization tools come in handy for this use case since it is common for this type of event to usually require viewers to buy a “ticket” or RSVP.
Training Sessions
Since many businesses are still having their teams work from home, sessions for new employee onboarding, building corporate culture, workflow efficiency, and other routine trainings are done online.
You can conduct many types of employee training sessions over Zoom. The record option makes it easier for trainees to access crucial information after the session. They can play the recording back and learn soft and hard skills at their own pace.
Web conferencing tools can come in handy here due to the nature of training; however, sometimes the viewership is too large to include everybody in a Zoom call. In that situation, it would be appropriate to broadcast the session.
How to Live Stream on Zoom
Zoom has several live meeting and video conferencing solutions to choose from, for a zero-latency streaming experience.
Live streaming from Zoom to another platform uses multi-destination streaming technology.
As the name suggests, multi-destination streaming allows broadcasters to share their streams to multiple destinations or sites in real time. It’s also commonly known as “multistreaming” or “simulcasting.”
There are a few ways that you can live stream and simulcast Zoom conferences. You could use dedicated multi-streaming software or with the help of an OVP with a Zoom integration. Zoom also has some built-in options for streaming to other platforms.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these methods.
With Simulcasting Software or an OVP
Setting up a live stream on Zoom via an OVP is very similar to using dedicated simulcasting software. The general flow is the same for both, but some small steps will vary from software to software.
Let’s break down the general process for live streaming your Zoom conference.
1. In your Zoom account, go to “Settings” > “InMeeting (Advanced)”
2. Turn on “Allow live streaming meetings”
3. Start your meeting in Zoom
4. Navigate to the Meeting Control Panel
5. Click “More” > “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service”
6. Enter the Streaming URL and Streaming Key when prompted (this information is typically found on the encoder setup page of your OVP or streaming software)
7. Click “Go Live” to start streaming
Zoom to YouTube
Zoom has built-in features for simulcasting to YouTube. If you are on your computer (either a Mac or Windows PC), you should log in to Zoom and start your meeting as the host.
Once your video meeting starts, follow these steps:
1. Open webinar controls
2. Click “More”
3. Choose “Live Stream on YouTube”
4. Login to YouTube
5. Choose the channel you want to stream to
6. When prompted, name your stream and indicate the privacy preferences
7. Click “Go Live”
You can find the full tutorial with screenshots in Zoom’s support center.
Tips for a Successful Zoom Live Stream
Zoom live streams may feel a little more casual since you’re likely using a webcam, smartphone, or tablet to record yourself. However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your broadcast is high-quality and professional.
Here are a few tips for a successful Zoom live stream.
Zoom live streams may feel a little more casual since you’re likely using a webcam, smartphone, or tablet to record yourself. However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your broadcast is high-quality and professional.
Here are a few tips for a successful Zoom live stream.
Plan Ahead
You only have one shot to get a live stream right. There’s no second take or editing involved. We don’t say this to scare you but to reiterate the importance of planning.
In addition to configuring your streaming setup well in advance, you should have a thorough outline of what you’ll cover in your broadcast. Some broadcasters prepare a list of notes and topics with bullet points, and others create well-developed scripts.
It may seem silly or juvenile, but we recommend practicing your presentation in front of a mirror. That’ll help you build confidence in your presentation and help you to be thorough and articulate.
Do a Test Run
As we mentioned, there is a lot of pressure in a live stream Since everything happens in real time. That’s why we suggest doing a test run of your entire setup a few times to identify any road bumps or snags in the system.
Use a Secure Internet Connection
An internet connection that is fast, secure, and reliable is key for a successful live stream. An Ethernet internet connection is ideal if you are broadcasting with a laptop or computer. However, if this is not an option or you are streaming from a mobile device, a reliable Wi-Fi connection will do.
You can check your internet speed by going to Google and searching “internet speed test.” The top result will allow you to “Run Speed Test.”
Your upload speed should double the bandwidth you plan to use for your stream. If you want to stream at 500 kbps, your upload speed should be about 1000 kbps.
Get a Ring Light
Good lighting can make your live stream appear much more professional. If you don’t have great natural light in the place you’ll be live streaming meetings, a simple ring light will do the trick.
You can get a reliable ring light for about $50.
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to stream your first event with Zoom?
Hosting a Zoom live stream via a professional video hosting platform allows you to access peer-to-peer conferencing on a familiar interface and professional tools for monetization, security, and reliable delivery.
This live-streaming setup is ideal for broadcasters hosting meetings, and virtual streaming events involving real-time interaction with the audience.
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