If you are an entrepreneur of digital media, it is your duty to engage your subscribers with content on a regular basis. And according to most surveys, the best content out there is videos. You can’t simply deny that the world isn’t filled with videos today- from celebrities to politicians, videos rule the internet. But, there are always some caveats to this- videos aren’t as easily created as text content. It takes time, resources, and some solid funding. The way around creating time-consuming videos is simply to live stream videos on Facebook, and this article is going to explain exactly how to do that.
Before we show how, here are the 5 best software where you can pre-record live stream videos.
How To Live Stream Video Through The Best Software Available
Onestream.live
This is an extremely cheap cloud-based tool that will help you stream videos that are pre-recorded. Interestingly, they also have a free trial offer- one that you can use before you actually spend some money on it.
Livereacting
This software allows you to upload pre-recorded videos on Facebook Live. And since this software works on the cloud, there is no reason why a third-party needs to be present there. But that’s not all it does- Livereacting also helps you schedule the videos, introduce logos in the video along with text scrolling right next to it. You might also want to add quizzes to your videos to make them more enjoyable.
Restream
Initially, this software was used as a tool for multi-streaming. But now, one can use this to support the option for live broadcasting or rescheduling live videos for Facebook. It is quite simple, and affordable to use.
Ecamm Live
This is for those looking to stream videos straight from a desktop. This software allows you to upload and stream pre-recorded live videos to Facebook profiles and pages from your desktop. And this is usually the perfect place for influencers.
OBS
This software has both its pros and cons. It is completely free, so you don’t have to pay anything for it- but the configuration can get a bit tricky at times, so you might have to carefully navigate through the software.
Remember, live videos always receive more attention than normal videos. So, read on to learn how to live stream video from your device or the cloud to Facebook.
How To Live Stream Video On Facebook Page From Desktop Using Pre-Recorded Videos:
The very first thing that you need is a ‘stream key’. This allows you to stream a live video on a page- which is where you can usually find the key.
Nevertheless, follow the steps to get it:
- On your Facebook page, click on Publishing Tools, then Video Library, and finally +Live.
- When you see a pop-up, copy the ‘stream key’.
- Then press ‘Next’. A screen will appear before you which would read ‘Create Live Video’.
Configuring Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) For Streaming Pre-Recorded Videos As ‘Live’ Stream Video On Facebook:
Here are the steps to configure OBS for live stream video.
- First, download, and then install OBS on your desktop.
- Open the application that says OBS.
- Now, you need to head on to Settings and click on Stream, where you would insert the stream key that you copied from Facebook.
- Press Ok.
- Now, you need to press the + icon in the field that says Sources and click on VLC Video Source.
Post this, a playlist needs to be created. Remember, it is up to you if you want the playlist to have one video or more. But for the sake of this tutorial, let’s stick to one.
- Create a playlist, and give it a name. Then press Ok.
- Next, configure how you want the video stream to take place. To put it simply, you can choose whether you want the video to be displayed when the software is running in the background, or only when the software is minimized.
- If you want to stream it while the video is minimized, all you have to do is click on ‘Always play even when not visible’.
- If you want to add more videos, you just need to press + icon.
- Press Ok which will add the video you have chosen to the list for streaming.
- Have the Aux/Mic muted.
- Press ‘Start Streaming’.
- Go to the Facebook page and press ‘Go Live’.
- A screen should appear if all the steps have been followed to the letter.
To be more comfortable, try out the trial offer as many times as you can. It is important that you navigate your way through it easily.
Some Issues That You May Face
- The live stream needs to end manually. If you don’t, the stream would continue in a cyclic way.
- If you want some streaming delay, you can go to OBS Settings, and then selecting Advanced.
If you are an influencer with a budget, then OBS would be the perfect tool for you. It is free, and it gets the job done without any hassle. You would be able to live stream videos from the cloud to Facebook after just a bit of configuration. Although the configuration might take some time, it will come naturally to you after a few tries. The other applications or software can be easier to deal with, but they come with a price tag. If you are a digital media company employed on behalf of a client, it would be feasible for you. But if you are a 20-year old influencer with a dream and not a big bank account, OBS might be more your thing.
No one is expecting you to be a prodigy after just one attempt. Put out some trial videos to get the hang of it, and when you have hit the sweet spot, begin your journey.