Instagram Live lets users stream live videos to their followers through their Instagram Stories. It's great for building engagement, connecting directly with your users, sharing news, and establishing your brand.

But perhaps you're thinking, "Isn't live streaming just a passing fad?" Well, let'due south look at the numbers (Source: New York Mag and Livestream.com):

  • 80% of audiences would rather sentry a livestream than read a blog post
  • 82% of audiences would rather watch a livestream than see a social media post
  • 67% of audiences who watched a livestream bought a ticket to a like event the next time it happened

Live videos are popular—and the tendency shows u.s. that they're hither to stay. That'south why it's so important that your brand understands how to use Instagram Live and leverage information technology for your audience.

Allow's walk through exactly how you can start using Instagram Live, some tips on using information technology, and a few ideas you can use to create an amazing Instagram Alive stream today.

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the verbal steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

How to go live on Instagram in 3 like shooting fish in a barrel steps

Going alive on Instagram is simple.

To start, yous demand to take an Instagram account (surprise!) and a phone since many of Instagram'southward features are only available on mobile.

Then leap into the outset step:

Step i: Tap the plus icon on the top right

Clicking plus icon on Instagram homepage to start an Instagram Live stream

From your profile or feed, tap the plus icon on the top correct. This volition take you to a screen where yous can pick the type of content you lot want to create.

Step 2: Swipe over to Live

Swiping to start Instagram live stream in Instagram mobile app

Swipe until you get to the Instagram Live screen.

Step 3: Tap Go Live

Tap on the recording icon. Instagram will briefly cheque your telephone's net connexion before starting your broadcast.

Tapping recording icon in Instagram mobile app to start Instagram live stream

Voila! That's how to go alive on Instagram in three steps. Told you it was simple.

Pro tip: Your number of viewers shows upwards at the elevation of your screen. You will also run into all your viewers' comments equally they come in.

Still from Instagram Live stream with viewer count in the top right of the screen

Don't exist distracted by the flying hearts that announced on screen as well. That's just your viewers' way of showing they love what they come across!

At the lesser and on the summit right of your screen, you have a number of different features you tin utilise in your live video.

Buttons on Instagram Live screen view in Instagram mobile app

They are:

  • Questions. Y'all tin can collect questions from your audience by posting a question sticker in an Instagram Story earlier you go live. When y'all jump into your stream, you can access your viewers' questions here.
  • Send. You tin can send your live video to a user on Instagram during a circulate.
  • Add a guest. This allows you and another user to share the live video. When you add a guest, both you and your invitee volition appear in the video via a separate screen.
  • Face filters. Because the puppy domestic dog face filter just makes everything better, doesn't information technology?
  • Change photographic camera. Switch the cameras from selfie way to regular style.
  • Share a photo or video. This allows you to grab a picture or video from your camera roll and share it with your live audience.
  • Add together a annotate. Use this field to add a comment to your stream or to turn off commenting.

When you're done filming your Instagram Live video, tap the X icon at the top right-hand corner. One time your video has ended, you will be able to share it to IGTV, download it to your camera roll or delete information technology.

Screen showing "Instagram Live stream ended" message

Pat yourself on the back. You simply finished making your first Instagram Live stream!

How to start a Live Room

In March 2021, Instagram introduced Alive Rooms—a new feature that allows users to get live with up to 3 other people. Previously, it was only possible to co-host streams with one other person using the "Add together a guest" option.

With Alive Rooms, users (and brands) can get a fleck more creative with their streams. Inviting more than speakers can create an engaging experience for your audience, like:

  • alive games
  • creative sessions
  • influencer Q&As
  • and more!

These are just a few ideas that tin work well with Live Rooms, but the sky's the limit (well, actually, 4 people is the limit. But y'all get our enthusiasm).

Live Rooms is expert news for businesses. Whenever you invite a invitee to join your live video, their audience has access to it, even the users who don't follow yous on Instagram. So, more guests = exposure to a wider audience!

How to start a Alive Room:

  1. Follow the same steps you would take to ready a regular live stream.
  2. Once you're alive, tap the Rooms icon and select your guests:

Instagram Live Room pointing to rooms icon in the bottom right of the screen

Source: Instagram

  1. Then, tap Invite, and you're fix to go!

Inviting up to 3 guests to an Instagram Live Room

Source: Instagram

You can add together up to iii guests, all at once (when setting up the stream) or one past one (e.m. calculation speakers during dissimilar parts of the stream).

Bonus: Download a gratuitous checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

Get the gratis guide right now!

iii tips for using Instagram Live

If you really want to take your Instagram Live videos to the next level, utilize these tips during your stream.

Fix a SMART goal

Knowing how to fix skilful goals is crucial for social media success — and your goals for Instagram Live are no exception.

It's the divergence between jumping into a live stream with no plan and no objective, and doing one where you know exactly what you want to do and how to practice it.

To practise that, yous demand to set a SMART goal.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time based.

SMART goal graph explaining the acronym

  • Specific. Your goal is focused. For example, a bad goal would be "I want a good Instagram Alive video" because it'due south vague. A better goal would be, "I want to have 50% more viewers in our next stream" considering it's more focused.
  • Measurable. In that location's a benchmark for success and y'all know what washed looks like. Example: "I want to gain 100 new followers on Instagram," is a expert goal because you lot tin can measure the amount of followers you gain.
  • Accessible. Information technology's really achievable for you and/or your business. For example, "I desire to have the near followers on Instagram" likely won't be possible (unless y'all're earth-famous soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo). Whereas, "I desire 1,000 followers on Instagram," is totally attainable.
  • Relevant. Does this goal matter to yous and your company right now? If not, pursue i that is.
  • Timely. Having a deadline for your goal is crucial psychologically. It gives y'all more than focus and drive to pursue your goal. For example, "I want to host three Instagram Live streams with guests past Q4," is a very good and timely goal.

And so ask yourself: What SMART goals should you make for your brand's Instagram Alive objectives?

Create a video map

Think of your Instagram Live video every bit a road trip: You should know all the pit stops you lot want to make equally y'all travel to your ultimate destination.

That's why information technology'due south of import to create a map or outline of your video. Write down all the points you desire to encompass, too equally how long you lot want to cover them.

Are you interviewing an industry thought leader? Write downward all the questions you want to hit, when you want to make introductions, and when to have questions from your audience.

Are you introducing a new product to your viewers? Write down every characteristic and benefit you desire to prove off.

Are you sharing a quick "how-to" for your viewers? Write down all the steps they need to know and whatsoever other tips you want to offer.

This helps go along your video focused and on track. Otherwise, it might easily run off the rails.

Engage your viewers

Similar anybody's favorite starship captain says:

Jean Luc Piccard

Instagram Alive gives yous a perfect platform to engage with your customers in real fourth dimension. When you do then, you establish a human relationship and build trust with your audition—all crucial elements for a thriving brand.

Similar any skillful relationship, though, engaging and building a adept relationship with your audience takes time and energy. It's not enough to just respond a few questions on a live stream. You need to listen to your followers and give them what they want.

Merely and then volition they reward you with their trust.

For more, exist sure to check out our article on prove to increment social media engagement.

7 Instagram Live stream ideas

Below are 7 peachy ideas to inspire your next Instagram Live stream. Use this list the adjacent time you need some aid coming up with an engaging Instagram Live stream for your audience.

1. Collaborate with an industry influencer

3 stills from an influencer's live stream showing her face on screen

Source: Engadget

There'south no better, more than proven way of spreading brand sensation and gaining more followers than collaborating with an industry influencer.

These are people who your target audition already recognizes and respect. When you lot work with them, they bring clout to your brand and introduce more people to your concern.

Instagram Alive is a perfect platform for these collaborations. With the Add a guest and Live Room features, you can bring influencers on for interviews, Q&A sessions with your viewers, or just to accept them on for a chat.

Tap on the Add a invitee push button at the bottom of your screen) and it'll give you the option to cull a guest for your stream. When the invitee joins, their video will announced with yours on a divide screen.

If y'all're planning to feature more 1 influencer in your broadcast, use the Live Rooms characteristic instead. You will be able to invite upward to three guests to share the screen with you.

Here's an example from The Lyons' Share Wellness, a fitness coach who welcomed a running expert on her Instagram Live to requite viewers some great insights on fitness.

For more than, bank check out our commodity on how to work with social media influencers.

2. Become live at an event

At that place's no improve place to get alive than at an industry event that you or someone else is hosting.

Maybe your brand is upwards for an award? Stream the ceremony live for your followers to run across.

Peradventure you're at a conference and there's a panel you think your audience would love?

Show them through Instagram Live.

Possibly it's just a political party or fundraiser your company is hosting? That'due south a good opportunity to show your followers the human, fun-loving side of your brand.

Streaming live at events also helps heave that all-powerful FOMO (fear of missing out) cistron, helping to build hype and anticipation for your side by side event. This is great if you want your followers to join y'all at some other event later on.

Here's a keen example from Cristiano Ronaldo who streamed his promotional visit to a Nike store from Instagram Live.

3. Host a tutorial or a workshop

Instagram Live is a nifty place to host a how to workshop for your followers. Not but can you lot stream to people across the world, but you also have the opportunity to respond any questions they might have in existent time.

One person who does this very well is John Mayer on his Instagram Live streams. He often turns to the platform to give guitar masterclasses to his followers.

These videos are fun, informative, and very engaging. He frequently takes the time to answer questions his audience has for him.

Kim Kardashian also created a Alive makeup tutorial for all of her Instagram followers.

Yous might not exist a famous rock star or a reality television mogul, but there are enough of means your brand tin can offer lessons to your viewers as well.

4. Q&As

A great mode to start building engagement with your audience is past answering their questions. This is especially effective if you have thought leaders in your organization.

Simply hop onto Instagram Live and solicit questions from your audition. They can range from topics like the latest news around your manufacture, to what the inner workings of your business look like.

Here'south a video of entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk conducting a Q&A for his Instagram Live stream.

Be sure to denote that y'all're going to concur a Q&A for your followers before you go alive so that they know to come up with questions ready. This also helps build hype for your stream in accelerate.

five. Interview a coworker

One great way to build transparency and showcase your business's man side is past interviewing a coworker during an Instagram Alive stream.

This is a not bad take a chance to put a face up to your company, while also giving some dearest and appreciation to your employees.

And it doesn't have to be a hard-nosed, Barbara Walters-esque interview. Just sit them downward and ask them most their office, what they do day-to-24-hour interval, and how they assist your audience with your brand.

Just be sure to give your coworker a heads up earlier you shove an iPhone in their face up like the paparazzi.

Caption: Don't be like Leonardo DiCaprio.

vi. Talk to a customer

Y'all don't need to talk to an industry thought leader or influencer to help boost your brand. Talking to a customer about how much they love your products or services is but as constructive at engaging your audience—and much less expensive.

Do you offering fitness coaching? Interview a customer who was able to run a marathon because of your concern.

Practice you teach people personal finance? Talk to 1 of your students about how they got out of debt using your advice.

These are only a few examples. Basically, if your client had a positive experience with your concern, they are perfect candidates for an Instagram Live interview.

And since Instagram gives you the option to save the video afterward you're washed, you can keep information technology on your Instagram profile as a video testimonial. Double win!

seven. Review

This is a close cousin to thought #two.

Yous can requite your instant reaction to an effect, volume, movie, lecture, or whatever else for an Instagram Live stream. As long as information technology'southward related to your manufacture and / or your audience is interested, information technology's fair game.

For example, if you lot just watched a talk given by a prominent thought leader in your field, you can go on Instagram Alive afterwards and requite your immediate thoughts on it.

Or perchance yous simply read the latest volume most your manufacture—and y'all have a baking hot take on it that no i else has thought of earlier. Hop on Instagram Live and spill the T!

(That's something the kids say, nowadays. Correct?)

Just brand sure you don't say anything you lot might regret while you're then fired up.

You tin as well review different products and services related to your business concern. Use a new laptop for your business? Or maybe you lot've been trying out a new camera? Review of all those products live!

Often asked questions well-nigh Instagram Live

Where can I find my Instagram Live video?

Afterwards you finish your live video, you take the selection to salvage and share the video.

When you tap End during your session, Instagram allows y'all to share the Instagram Live stream to your Story. Yous tin and so view information technology there.

In your Story, you'll likewise accept the choice to salvage the video using the save icon at the bottom.

Tin I restrict who sees my Instagram Alive?

Yes! Instagram gives you the option to limit who sees your Instagram Live stream.

The setting works the exact same way equally it does on your Instagram Stories (since that'southward where your video will "live").

Just tap the camera in the acme left corner. So tap the gear or settings button in the summit left corner.

Then go to the Hide Story From section and choose who you lot want to hide from your Instagram Live stream.

Alternatively, you can also tap on Close Friends and choose a smaller audience of people you want to share your Story with.

How exercise I turn off the comments?

You have the option to turn off the comments on an Instagram Live video by tapping the iii dots in the chat box and tapping Plow Off Commenting.

How exercise I answer questions on Instagram Live?

You can solicit questions from your followers via your Instagram Story for a Q&A.

Create a Story post with a questions sticker containing the question y'all want to inquire.

When it comes fourth dimension for your Instagram Live stream, you'll be able to access them all via the questions button. Tap the button and a drawer appears containing all of the questions y'all can answer.

Select one of the questions and it will appear on your stream for your followers to encounter.

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