Internet today has totally revolutionized the scene of business and communication by integrating Social media, instant messaging, media sharing, Voice calling and Video calling into one mastermind project. Today live streaming apps allow millions of users across the world to connect with their family, friends, and colleagues instantly anytime, anywhere, without any hassle.
The development of technology has been so rapid that people can even communicate with their over 100+ friends and followers at once via LIVE video streams using various apps and software.
{Latest 2018} Best Facebook Live Streaming Apps: How to Use Facebook Live
The age of LIVE streaming
People were getting bored with the regular social networking activities like sharing status updates, news feeds, chatting with friends and uploading images and short videos on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Orkut.
Over the years, numerous apps and tools have rolled out with some revolutionary features that began to change this monotonous landscape. Developers decided to raise the bar by going ahead of just Social networking, Voice, and Video calling.
The latest trend has now shifted to LIVE to stream. This is a feature that allows users of a specific portal to go live from anywhere, anytime to communicate with their friends and followers. Facebook LIVE and most recently Facebook Watch have dominated this scene, allowing publishers and celebrities to perform live broadcasts for their fans and admirers.
This feature has also found huge success in the field of online LIVE tutorials like music, cooking, and education. People are now adopting more and more LIVE streaming apps to serve this purpose.
Best tools for Facebook Live Streaming
Numerous developers from around the globe have capitalized on the growing success of the LIVE streaming feature and have designed online tools to allow users to live stream videos using their smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops anytime, anywhere.
These tools and software work in alliance with Facebook who quite obviously share a cut of the profit from them. Here is a list of the 5 best LIVE streaming tools that you can use.
1. Live Reacting
Status: Paid
Live Reacting is one of the most popular and fastest growing LIVE streaming online services that help users create interactive Facebook Live videos and use trendy viral tools to bring more Facebook followers.
Their algorithm has been designed in such a way that it boosts engagement and helps users get from 5 to 20 times more comments and reactions on their live streams, comparing to usual posts. You can easily get more followers and engagement for your posts with live polls, voting and games.
Live Reacting has a very User-friendly interface that lets you create a live video in 20 seconds and start stream without any third-party software. The unified dashboard helps you easily toggle through various options and settings.
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Their customer support is very good and prompt. Users can contact their team via email. Another interesting feature that gives the customer support system an edge is that they have a separate section called "Feature Requests" where users can suggest new features to be added to the service by the developer team.
Plans & Pricing
Users can choose from 4 different Live Reacting plans according to their requirements. Each of these plans is priced differently on the basis of the features and services they offer
Price: $14.99 per month- +5 Credits per month
- 20 Different Templates
- Post Scheduling
- E-Mail Support
- No Software Required
- +12 Credits per month
- 20 Different Templates
- Post Scheduling
- E-Mail Support
- No Software Required
- +50 Credits per month
- 20 Different Templates
- Post Scheduling
- E-Mail Support
- No Software Required
- +130 Credits per month
- 20 Different Templates
- Post Scheduling
- 1 custom template
- E-Mail Support
- No Software Required
Apart from these plans, Live Reacting also offers you to try out their free demo plan and a single purchase plan.
Price: N/A- +1 Free Demo Credit
- 20 Different Templates
- No Software Required
- +1 Free Credit
- 20 Different Templates
- Email support
- No Software Required
2. Periscope
Status: Free
Periscope is a social media app that turns your life into a live broadcast. This app was developed by Twitter.Inc which allows you to start a live broadcast and you get live interaction with the people that are tuning in to watch you.
The app is available for both Android and iOS and has become increasingly popular over time as a strong competitor to Facebook Live. The app allows you to use either the selfie camera or the rear-facing camera, along with the ability to switch back and forth between the two.
Once you start broadcasting, users have the ability to comment, and these comments pop up on your screen, as well as the screens of the other viewers
Viewers can also chat amongst themselves in the middle of the broadcast and you also have the ability to vocally address any questions or comments as you're recording. Similar to Facebook Live you can tap on the screen to give a heart while you are watching a broadcast. Hearts are a way for viewers to show they are enjoying the broadcast.
3. Facebook LIVE
Status: Free
Facebook began to allow users to live stream video in 2015. Commonly known as "FB Live", these streams appear on the News Feed, and users can comment on them in real-time. Live broadcasts are automatically saved as a video post to the streamer's page. The feature was positioned as a competitor to services such as Meerkat and Periscope.
Live streaming began to roll out for public use in January 2016, which was initially only available to verified public figures through the Facebook Mentions app. Access to the public began with the Facebook iOS app in the United States. The company then unveiled a live-streaming API, aimed to allow developers to use any device including Android devices and PCs.
To make this update more successful, Facebook provided incentives to publishers and celebrities to perform live broadcasts, including monetary rewards. Further updates to this service included to let two iOS users live stream together and support for closed captioning to live video.
Live streaming via FB Live is free of cost. There are no plans or subscription prices involved whatsoever. All you need to have is an active Facebook account!
4. Instagram LIVE
Status: Free
The latest major update that Instagram recently rolled out is its Live video feature, that lets you connect with your Instagram audience in real time. This service is totally free of cost and all you need is an active Instagram account.
The feature has been added as an extension to Instagram stories. Just tap on the Your Story profile photo (with the + sign next to it) at the top of your Instagram news feed or swipe right from the news feed to start an Instagram Live broadcast.
This takes you to your Instagram Stories, where you can choose from three options:
- Live: Video that disappears after the broadcast ends
- Normal: Photo or video disappearing in 24 hours
- Boomerang: Time-lapse-like video created from a burst of photos
Use your finger to slide over to Live to get to Instagram's Live broadcasting feature. Click on the "Start Live Video" option to begin your live broadcast. As your broadcast progresses, you can see the number of viewers and the users who have joined your live video. You can even prompt a conversation by starting and replying to comments.
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When you're ready to end your broadcast, tap the End button at the top-right corner of the screen. You'll see your Instagram Live video analytics after the broadcast has ended.
Conclusion
It is pretty evident that these live streaming apps have revolutionized the entire concept of live broadcasting from anywhere and anytime. Today people can broadcast themselves and their activities live on the go from literally anywhere. This has not only helped people and internet celebrities connect with their fans on a different level, but also helps them share views, talent, tutorials and more in real time.
Of course, there are many more popular live broadcasting apps like BIGO Live in the market. But if you are looking for some genuinely good quality broadcasting tools, then this is my list of recommendations for you!
HAPPY BROADCASTING!
