Updated September 2026. Periscope, Meerkat, Blab and Houseparty have all closed since we wrote this in 2016, so we rebuilt the app list around the platforms you can go live on today and kept the step-by-step advice.
Video has transformed social media marketing, and live streaming is its most direct form. Businesses use it to reach an audience that wants original, fresh and live content.
Believe it or not, live streaming is not new. Events were already being webcast in 1995: that July, Apple streamed concerts from more than 15 New York clubs during the Macintosh New York Music Festival.
Of course, it did not go without a hitch. There were moments of blank screens and poor audio, thanks to the Internet speeds of yesteryear.
Welcome to the World of Live-streaming
Fast-forward to today, and live social media streaming offers unique, dynamic content and gives viewers access to their favourite brands, businesses, entertainers, politicians and artists. Hotels were early adopters: back in 2016, SO Sofitel Bangkok streamed its pool party live on Facebook.
We can enjoy LIVE interaction and conversation with the people and brands we follow, every day.
Live-streaming video is engaging and easy to do. Point your phone, tap Go Live and you’re on.
Give an Experience with Live-streaming
If you run a hospitality business, the sky’s the limit when it comes to live-streaming. You can broadcast how your team sets up for an event and give the audience a tour of your property.
If you really want to WOW your audience, show them how you create some of your signature dishes and drinks.
Live-streaming gives hospitality businesses a direct line to their audience and a way to build a loyal community, and it costs little more than a phone and your time.
Where to Go Live Today
All the big social platforms have live video built in. Pick the one where your audience already spends its time:
- Facebook Live: go live from your business Page or a group. It suits local businesses whose customers already follow the Page.
- Instagram Live: good for behind-the-scenes streams, Q&As and going live with a guest.
- YouTube Live: stream from a computer with a webcam or streaming software, or from the YouTube app. To go live from a phone, YouTube asks for at least 50 subscribers and a verified channel.
- TikTok LIVE: popular for product demos and live shopping. TikTok has its own age and follower requirements for going LIVE.
- LinkedIn Live: the natural choice for business-to-business talks, panels and product launches.
Who is allowed to go live changes from time to time on every platform, so check in the app that your account can do it before you announce a stream.
What happened to the apps on our 2016 list
- Periscope, the streaming app Twitter bought in March 2015, was shut down on 31 March 2021.
- Meerkat closed in 2016, and its team went on to build Houseparty, the group video chat app, which Epic Games discontinued in October 2021.
- Blab, the four-person video chat site, has gone; its address no longer loads.
- YouTube Connect, the separate app we said was coming soon, is not something you need: you now go live straight from the main YouTube app.
YOU WANT TO WATCH ME EAT???
In South Korea, you can watch someone eat, live.
It’s called “mukbang” (meok-bang): hosts prepare and eat a meal on a live stream and chat with viewers as they eat pizza, burgers, noodles or bulgogi. The shows are free to watch, but viewers can tip the hosts with digital gifts that turn into real money. Mukbang began on Korean streaming sites and has since spread to YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch.
From television shows and sports events to gaming and watching someone eat dinner, live-streaming is a worldwide phenomenon where you can easily share experiences and content with the world.
How to Create a Social Media Streaming Event
Even though these platforms are different, the formula for a successful live stream stays the same.
1) Plan it, then set up in a spot with good light and little background noise
Choose one topic and a time, and tell your followers a day or two ahead. Put your phone on a stand, face the light, and test your Wi-Fi or mobile signal.
Write a title or description that grabs attention and tells people what they will get from watching. Then choose who can see the stream (public, or a group or audience you pick) and tap Go Live.
2) Once you’re streaming live, watch who’s tuning in
Keep your first streams short, around 10 to 20 minutes, then let your viewing numbers tell you whether to go longer.
The same goes for the time you stream. See which broadcast times (morning, afternoon or evening) get the most views and engagement.
Time to engage! Read the comments, ask questions and answer theirs. I once asked a question in the chat of someone live streaming about their entrepreneurial journey, and it was so cool to see her answer… it brought the whole thing to life.
3) Talk to your audience
Don’t forget to greet people when they join your stream. Be engaging, and answer questions and comments. Always end your stream with one CALL TO ACTION, such as:
- Follow or subscribe
- Sign up to your email list
- Visit your website
- Tell you their opinion in the comments
4) Repurpose your broadcast
When your stream ends, save the replay and download a copy to your own device, so you can edit and reuse it and aren’t relying on the platform to keep it for you.
Just like the rest of your content, you want to get as much out of it as you can, wherever it fits your brand. Your broadcast can easily become:
- A blog post
- A YouTube video
- Short vertical clips for Reels, YouTube Shorts and TikTok
- A post on your Facebook Page
You can even edit it into short videos for Instagram.
Live streaming helps businesses connect with their audience and get to know it on a deeper, more personal level. It is also a low-cost way to stand out in a crowded social media world.
The Social Skinny
- Pick the platform your audience already uses: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok or LinkedIn.
- Double-check your connection. The last thing you want is for your broadcast to drop.
- Find a location with good light and minimal background noise.
- Start with streams of 10 to 20 minutes.
- Write an eye-catching title so people want to tune in.
- Most importantly… ENGAGE! Answer questions, greet people when they join and ask for feedback.
Want to run live streams and social campaigns for a business? Social Media Marketing With Us is a private one-to-one course, in Bangkok or online, on your schedule.
