How to Livestream from Zoom to Facebook, YouTube, and Both Simultaneously
Zoom is one of the most prominent video and audio conferencing platforms that achieved soaring popularity during the COVID pandemic. It has won hearts and charts, all for good reasons. However, Zoom is not only a conferencing platform for virtual meetings and events but also an excellent live streaming tool. Zoom allows to stream on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Workplace by Facebook, and on multiple other platforms individually or simultaneously using third-party streaming services. The task doesn’t require any complicated skill and is itself extremely easy. So, if you want to stream your content on different platforms via Zoom, stay till the end. I’ll be discussing the tasks in-depth with easy to follow steps.
The pre-requisites before moving forward are:
- A paid Zoom license
- Facebook account credentials
- YouTube account credentials
- A free or paid third-party streaming service account (Optional)
Before getting started on the actual live streaming task, we will need to tweak a few settings on your Zoom account for enabling live streaming via your Zoom.
For live streaming your Zoom Meetings, go to Zoom Account Settings and activate the live stream of your Zoom meetings.
For live streaming your Zoom Webinars, your account admin should click Account Management on the Zoom Web Portal, go to Webinar Settings>>In Webinar Settings and click edit to its right. Then live streaming on the platforms you want to live stream on should be enabled.
Now that we’re done with the basic pre-requisites, let’s have a look at the procedure for live streaming on each platform one by one.
Section 1: Livestreaming to Facebook via Zoom
Zoom allows you to live-stream your meeting or webinar on Facebook to your Facebook timeline or group or a page that you’re an admin/editor for. This enables you to broaden your audience as people will be able to watch your session via Facebook Live even if they don’t register for your Zoom event.
Steps:
a. Start a Zoom Meeting or Webinar you want to live stream. (Note: Make sure you are the host of the Zoom Meeting or Webinar and log in to the designated Facebook account on your default browser.)
b. Click on More>>Live on Facebook
c. Click on the arrowhead at the right of ‘Share on Your Timeline’ and choose the appropriate timeline, group, event, or page.
d. Wait till a connection is established between Zoom and Facebook.
e. Fill the Title, Description, and Go Live.
Now, your Zoom session will be live on Facebook. Increase shares, create watch parties, and do all you can to boost the reach. For a more in-depth run down, read the support article by Zoom.
Section 2: Livestreaming to Youtube via Zoom
You can live stream your Zoom meeting or webinar on YouTube. People will be able to interact using the comment section. The video is available on the channel after the live stream is stopped, so this will also save you time for uploading the recording on YouTube.
Steps:
a. Verify your YouTube Channel for Live Streaming (Applicable for first-timers)
The YouTube channel takes 24 hours to get verified. So, get this done at least a day before your scheduled event time.
b. Start a Zoom Meeting or Webinar you want to live stream. (Note: Make sure you are the host of the Zoom Meeting or Webinar and log in to the designated Gmail account on your default browser.)
b. Click on More>>Live on YouTube
c. Choose a Gmail account attached to the relevant YouTube Channel.
d. Enter the title, set the privacy, and Go Live!
Now, your Zoom session will be live on YouTube. For a more in-depth run down, read the support article by Zoom.
Section 3: Livestreaming to Facebook and Youtube using Restream
Even though you can live stream directly to Facebook and Youtube from Zoom, you can not live stream on both platforms simultaneously via Zoom. Streaming on multiple platforms simultaneously is called multistreaming. You are going to require a third-party streaming service to do multistreaming via Zoom. Third-party platforms not only offer you multistreaming to Facebook and YouTube but they can offer you a myriad of platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitch, Twitter, etc. in addition to Facebook and YouTube. I have used Restream for live streaming Zoom meetings and webinars on Facebook and Youtube. My experience has been great with it, so I am carrying today’s article with its aid.
You can use Restream’s Free, Standard, or Professional Plan as per your need. If you have to broadcast Facebook live on your personal timeline and a Youtube channel, you’re good to use the Free plan but if you’re planning on streaming to public pages, groups, and multiple platforms, you might want to consider buying a paid plan. I’ll consider that you have opened a Restream account and move forward from there.
Steps:
Part 1: Setting up the channels
a. Go to restream.io and sign in to your account.
b. Add Facebook as one of the channels. (Log in the relevant Facebook account on your default browser, this will make the process easier.)
c. Add YouTube as another channel. (Log in the relevant Gmail account on your default browser, this will make the process easier.)
d. Choose Primary Youtube Events, set event, edit the title, and select a relevant category as per your content.
e. The channels are set.
Part 2: Direct Livestreaming without setting up an event.
You can set up a multichannel live stream using restream via Zoom instantly without pre-setting a live event. I do not recommend this approach but it also works well if you’re on a time crunch.
Steps:
a. Start a Zoom Meeting or Webinar you want to live stream. (Note: Make sure you are the host of the Zoom Meeting or Webinar and log in to Restream on your default browser.)
c. Log in to Restream.
c. Click on Update Titles, then edit the Title and Description for the soon-to-be-live event.
d. Click on More>>Live on Custom Live Streaming Service
e. You’ll be redirected to a page that asks for a streaming URL, streaming key, and live streaming page URL.
f. Switch to Restream, click on RTMP Settings.
g. You’ll be able to view the live streaming URL i.e. RTMP URL and stream key.
h. Copy the RTMP URL from Restream and copy-paste on Zoom Custom Live streaming page.
i. Copy the streaming key from Restream and copy-paste on Zoom Custom Live streaming page.
j. Put a valid URL in the Live streaming page URL e.g. Profile/Page/Group Link of Facebook or Channel Link of YouTube
k. Now, you’re live on YouTube and Facebook simultaneously.
l. The live stream is automatically stopped when the meeting or webinar ends but you can turn it off manually midway by clicking on ‘Stop Live Stream’ as shown below.
Part 3: Setting up a live event on Facebook and Youtube using Restream.
You can set up live events on your Facebook and YouTube prior to the event by using Restream. You shall follow many steps of the previous part but the first few steps of the process are different.
Steps:
a. Go to the Events Tab of Restream.
b. Click on Create Event.
c. Add Title, Description, and a Feature Image.
d. The event is shared on your Facebook and Youtube Channel.
e. On the day of the event, the steps on Part 2 of this article will guide you. However, for the RTMP URL, Live Streaming URL, and Streaming Key, follow the directions below.
1. Get RTMP Settings from the Event.
2. Copy the YouTube Live link for Live Streaming Page URL.
Congratulations! You’ve learned how to live stream to Facebook and Youtube via Zoom. I created dummy accounts and practiced multiple times before trying it on an actual event. Please make sure you practice these steps enough times before you make a live attempt. It’ll prevent blunders and their subsequent consequences.
I wish you smooth live streams! Take care.
