Corrected: Clandestine Miniature Video Absence

How to Fix the YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up Issue?

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Well, a YouTube Shorts is said to be YouTube’s short-form answer to TikTok. You can quickly scroll via algorithmically-driven feed, discover other similar short videos, and subscribe to your favorite creators.

Here, creators can record, share, and edit short-form video content that’s 60 seconds or less and vertically oriented. And, unlike Instagram stories, YouTube Shorts won’t disappear but will remain on your channel. So, that’s the brief intro of YouTube Shorts which we think everyone is aware of after YouTube has announced its YouTube Shorts availability globally.

However, certain factors are still there, raising the issue or concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. Thus, if you can’t find the YouTube Shorts option or videos, or YouTube Shorts disappeared, find a solution in this post.

Part 1: Why Do YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

There could be multiple reasons why YouTube Shorts not showing on your phone, the channel’s home page etc.

Besides, many scenarios arise with this issue, namely the YouTube Shorts option not showing up, the YouTube Shorts button missing, and YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly.

And, there are valid reasons as well as to why these situations are happening to you. So, let’s discuss each of them separately in brief, along with the solutions in the next section.

• YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage

The standard and the most common reason why YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage is that you have not updated the YouTube app.

• YouTube Shorts option not showing up

This may be happening either because you’ve not updated the app or your internet connection is pretty slow to show you the option. There could be another reason as you may not have cleared the YouTube mobile app’s cache and data.

• YouTube Shorts button missing

Again, you may not have updated the YouTube app, or your internet connection is slow is the most common reason here. Moreover, the button of YouTube Shorts stays hidden behind the +icon.

• YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly

The most valid reason for YouTube Shorts not showing correctly or YouTube Shorts disappearing is that you have a poor internet connection. Plus, we’ve discussed proper steps below if you’ve missed something while uploading the YouTube Shorts triggering this scenario.

Before we move on to fixing YouTube Shorts not showing the issue, here’s a quick note on which videos qualify as YouTube Shorts. Shorts are different from YouTube stories. Unlike YouTube stories, it gets displayed in your regular channel feed along with your other YouTube videos.

And, you must note that a YouTube Shorts video consists of two criteria as follows.

• The video has to be vertical (portrait-style)
• The video must be 60 seconds or less

Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

Here’s the section covering fixes on YouTube Shorts not showing. Please give it a read and resolve your issue happily!

Fix 1: Update the YouTube App

As we’ve already discussed above, check if your YouTube mobile app has the latest version. The newest version of the YouTube mobile app (Version: 16.17.36) has a dedicated Shorts button at the bottom. And, it replaces the Trending button from the YouTube app.

Moreover, the option to upload Shorts is now hidden behind the + icon. Tap on the + icon and hit the Create a Short option.

Fix 2: Check If Shorts Is Available in Your Country

Now, YouTube Shorts is available globally, but there was a phase when YouTube Shorts was a beta feature. It was only available in India and the US, which could be why you could not view Shorts in the YouTube app.

Fix 3: YouTube Shorts Is Mobile-only

As of now, YouTube Shorts is only available on a smartphone because it’s still in beta version. However, you can create Shorts via smartphone and the camera option in YouTube mobile app. Hence, there’s no point in searching for Shorts on your computer.

You can upload Shorts videos from your laptop. The entire process is similar to uploading a regular video. However, you have to mention #Shorts in the title and description to differentiate it as a Shorts video.

Common Fixes to YouTube Shorts Not Working

1. Update the YouTube App to the latest version.
2. Clear the YouTube mobile app’s data and cache.
3. Check if your internet is connected or your internet connection is strong.
4. Restart your smartphone and try again.
5. The YouTube server can be down, busy, or under maintenance. Wait for a while and try again.

The fixes above are also applicable if the YouTube Shorts are not showing on iPhone as well.

Or, you can try the VPN solution before contacting the YouTube team.

If Videos Are Not Visible under YouTube Shorts

Solution 1: Ensure that you’ve added #shorts in the title and description. Those who have YouTube Shorts, they can make shorts videos via the Shorts camera. Those who can’t access this camera can also upload their current vertical videos that are less than 60 seconds after adding the hashtag #Shorts in the title or description.

All in all, you must include #shorts to let the YouTube algorithm figure out the video is created for Shorts, and the issue of YouTube Shorts not showing up will also be resolved.

Solution 2: Sometimes, you may not find YouTube Shorts videos if they’re precisely 60 seconds in duration because YouTube sometimes adds 1-2 seconds to a Shorts video for some reason. So, be alert here and ensure your Shorts video is around 58 seconds or less.

Solution 3: If your YouTube Shorts is not getting views, you need to wait more here because it takes a while for YouTube to index a Shorts video and suggest them to people. So, it’s the task of the algorithm that varies from person to person. Some Shorts videos take several days while others take weeks.

If YouTube Shorts Videos Are Not Showing up Correctly

Once uploaded, the YouTube Shorts will be displayed in a vertical thumbnail on YouTube and other regular content already there in your account. Or, it’s your choice to create a new channel for the YouTube shorts videos. If the YouTube shorts not showing correctly, you can try as follows:

Step 1. Go to your channel and select the “customize channel” option.

Step 2. Hop on to the Featured section, and choose the add section.

Step 3. You’ll see shorts videos under the “videos” section. Click that, and the videos you have which are tagged in with #shorts in the title or description will automatically display here.

Bonus Tip: How to Easily Create Vertical Videos for YouTube Shorts on PC

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to use nowadays. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine-edit the videos if you’ve explored the app or specifically when you want your videos to look more professional. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options, such as Effects, Elements, etc., to make your videos more interactive.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professional-looking YouTube Shorts videos to engage your viewers highly. Even no famous YouTuber uploads their videos directly from the app without using any third-party tool.

We recommend Wondershare Filmora because it is a production and post-production app available for Windows and Mac computers. It gives tough competition to some globally renowned tools like Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere Pro, etc., because of its simplicity. Furthermore, Filmora has its inbuilt screen, voice recording features, and webcam that can be useful to create game walkthroughs, interactive videos, and voiceovers as needed.

Moreover, a YouTube Shorts video can be made through Wondershare Filmora using the below-mentioned guide.

Note: We are assuming that you have already recorded a vertical video using your smartphone and that it has been transferred to your PC.

So, the signature feature to create YouTube Shorts videos on Wondershare Filmora is Auto Reframe.

Powered by AI technology, Auto Reframe automatically identifies the focal point of your video and crops it while always maintaining it within the frame. This way, the main object or action in your video never goes out of vision.

You can choose an aspect ratio that best fits YouTube Shorts which is 9:16.

How to Use Auto Reframe in Filmora?

Step 1. Open Filmora and Select Auto Reframe

You can choose among three ways to open the Auto Reframe feature in Filmora.

  * **Way 1:** Once you open Filmora, the main interface will display the **Auto Reframe** tab on the right-hand panel. Click it to open directly

• Way 2: Import media as File > Import Media Files and select the file. After you import the media, right-click and choose the Auto Reframe.

• Way 3: Lastly, you can choose the Tools option on the top menu bar and hit the Auto Reframe.

Step 2. Adjust the Aspect Ratio and Motion Speed

A separate dialog box will display once you have selected the Auto Reframe option. Now, click on Import Media and choose a single video to import. You can change the imported video by hitting the Replace File at the top menu.

There are multiple aspect ratio templates available such as square (1:1), vertical (9:16), standard (4:3), widescreen (16:9), and cinema (21:9). As you are making YouTube Shorts, so you need to select 9:16.

You can adjust the speed of your video in multiple options: keep it at Auto or make it Slow or Fast as per your requirements.

Step 3. Analyze, and Auto Reframe the Video

Once you finish the above adjustments, hit the Analysis tab. Filmora will take a few seconds to finish analyzing your video project.

Then the video will be automatically and quickly reframed to your specified speed and aspect ratio. You can modify these aspect ratios and speed options by hitting the Restart option as well.

Step 4. Preview the Reframed Video and Check

Lastly, you can preview your final video. If the video needs more work, you can also play and pause it at the point you want to adjust the frame. You can use Next Edit Point, Undo, Redo, and Previous Edit Point at the bottom panel.

Step 5. Export the Reframed Video

Finally, after all the final adjustments, you can hit the Export tab, name your file and choose the destination folder.

Part 3: FAQs about YouTube Shorts

1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is currently available in the YouTube app that your iOS or Android smartphone has. To access it, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and select the Create a Short option in the popup box that shows off.

2. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

3. Can I Upload Shorts Video on Computer?

Yes. You can upload a Short video by following the traditional method.

• Click the Create camera icon on your PC.
• Click on Upload Videos.
• Locate the file on the PC you want to upload, and you are all done.

However, the option best works in smartphones, and still, if you are uploading through a laptop or PC, make sure to add #shorts in the title or description of the uploaded video.

4. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assured that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

5. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone no matter how many subscribers the YouTube channel has.

6. Can you make money on Shorts?

Short-form video creators do not share revenue from advertisements played in the Shorts player right now. Instead, start the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100M fund for creators that helps build the future of short-form video on YouTube.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have resolved the concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. You can access your total dose of entertainment by getting the YouTube Shorts through our editing tips mentioned in the last section.

However, we’ve mainly defined the editing part of Wondershare Filmora except creating YouTube Shorts through its Auto Reframe feature. But, as you go through Filmora, you will find that editing is not a cumbersome task to follow over this platform. It’s the easiest!

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Well, a YouTube Shorts is said to be YouTube’s short-form answer to TikTok. You can quickly scroll via algorithmically-driven feed, discover other similar short videos, and subscribe to your favorite creators.

Here, creators can record, share, and edit short-form video content that’s 60 seconds or less and vertically oriented. And, unlike Instagram stories, YouTube Shorts won’t disappear but will remain on your channel. So, that’s the brief intro of YouTube Shorts which we think everyone is aware of after YouTube has announced its YouTube Shorts availability globally.

However, certain factors are still there, raising the issue or concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. Thus, if you can’t find the YouTube Shorts option or videos, or YouTube Shorts disappeared, find a solution in this post.

Part 1: Why Do YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

There could be multiple reasons why YouTube Shorts not showing on your phone, the channel’s home page etc.

Besides, many scenarios arise with this issue, namely the YouTube Shorts option not showing up, the YouTube Shorts button missing, and YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly.

And, there are valid reasons as well as to why these situations are happening to you. So, let’s discuss each of them separately in brief, along with the solutions in the next section.

• YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage

The standard and the most common reason why YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage is that you have not updated the YouTube app.

• YouTube Shorts option not showing up

This may be happening either because you’ve not updated the app or your internet connection is pretty slow to show you the option. There could be another reason as you may not have cleared the YouTube mobile app’s cache and data.

• YouTube Shorts button missing

Again, you may not have updated the YouTube app, or your internet connection is slow is the most common reason here. Moreover, the button of YouTube Shorts stays hidden behind the +icon.

• YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly

The most valid reason for YouTube Shorts not showing correctly or YouTube Shorts disappearing is that you have a poor internet connection. Plus, we’ve discussed proper steps below if you’ve missed something while uploading the YouTube Shorts triggering this scenario.

Before we move on to fixing YouTube Shorts not showing the issue, here’s a quick note on which videos qualify as YouTube Shorts. Shorts are different from YouTube stories. Unlike YouTube stories, it gets displayed in your regular channel feed along with your other YouTube videos.

And, you must note that a YouTube Shorts video consists of two criteria as follows.

• The video has to be vertical (portrait-style)
• The video must be 60 seconds or less

Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

Here’s the section covering fixes on YouTube Shorts not showing. Please give it a read and resolve your issue happily!

Fix 1: Update the YouTube App

As we’ve already discussed above, check if your YouTube mobile app has the latest version. The newest version of the YouTube mobile app (Version: 16.17.36) has a dedicated Shorts button at the bottom. And, it replaces the Trending button from the YouTube app.

Moreover, the option to upload Shorts is now hidden behind the + icon. Tap on the + icon and hit the Create a Short option.

Fix 2: Check If Shorts Is Available in Your Country

Now, YouTube Shorts is available globally, but there was a phase when YouTube Shorts was a beta feature. It was only available in India and the US, which could be why you could not view Shorts in the YouTube app.

Fix 3: YouTube Shorts Is Mobile-only

As of now, YouTube Shorts is only available on a smartphone because it’s still in beta version. However, you can create Shorts via smartphone and the camera option in YouTube mobile app. Hence, there’s no point in searching for Shorts on your computer.

You can upload Shorts videos from your laptop. The entire process is similar to uploading a regular video. However, you have to mention #Shorts in the title and description to differentiate it as a Shorts video.

Common Fixes to YouTube Shorts Not Working

1. Update the YouTube App to the latest version.
2. Clear the YouTube mobile app’s data and cache.
3. Check if your internet is connected or your internet connection is strong.
4. Restart your smartphone and try again.
5. The YouTube server can be down, busy, or under maintenance. Wait for a while and try again.

The fixes above are also applicable if the YouTube Shorts are not showing on iPhone as well.

Or, you can try the VPN solution before contacting the YouTube team.

If Videos Are Not Visible under YouTube Shorts

Solution 1: Ensure that you’ve added #shorts in the title and description. Those who have YouTube Shorts, they can make shorts videos via the Shorts camera. Those who can’t access this camera can also upload their current vertical videos that are less than 60 seconds after adding the hashtag #Shorts in the title or description.

All in all, you must include #shorts to let the YouTube algorithm figure out the video is created for Shorts, and the issue of YouTube Shorts not showing up will also be resolved.

Solution 2: Sometimes, you may not find YouTube Shorts videos if they’re precisely 60 seconds in duration because YouTube sometimes adds 1-2 seconds to a Shorts video for some reason. So, be alert here and ensure your Shorts video is around 58 seconds or less.

Solution 3: If your YouTube Shorts is not getting views, you need to wait more here because it takes a while for YouTube to index a Shorts video and suggest them to people. So, it’s the task of the algorithm that varies from person to person. Some Shorts videos take several days while others take weeks.

If YouTube Shorts Videos Are Not Showing up Correctly

Once uploaded, the YouTube Shorts will be displayed in a vertical thumbnail on YouTube and other regular content already there in your account. Or, it’s your choice to create a new channel for the YouTube shorts videos. If the YouTube shorts not showing correctly, you can try as follows:

Step 1. Go to your channel and select the “customize channel” option.

Step 2. Hop on to the Featured section, and choose the add section.

Step 3. You’ll see shorts videos under the “videos” section. Click that, and the videos you have which are tagged in with #shorts in the title or description will automatically display here.

Bonus Tip: How to Easily Create Vertical Videos for YouTube Shorts on PC

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to use nowadays. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine-edit the videos if you’ve explored the app or specifically when you want your videos to look more professional. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options, such as Effects, Elements, etc., to make your videos more interactive.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professional-looking YouTube Shorts videos to engage your viewers highly. Even no famous YouTuber uploads their videos directly from the app without using any third-party tool.

We recommend Wondershare Filmora because it is a production and post-production app available for Windows and Mac computers. It gives tough competition to some globally renowned tools like Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere Pro, etc., because of its simplicity. Furthermore, Filmora has its inbuilt screen, voice recording features, and webcam that can be useful to create game walkthroughs, interactive videos, and voiceovers as needed.

Moreover, a YouTube Shorts video can be made through Wondershare Filmora using the below-mentioned guide.

Note: We are assuming that you have already recorded a vertical video using your smartphone and that it has been transferred to your PC.

So, the signature feature to create YouTube Shorts videos on Wondershare Filmora is Auto Reframe.

Powered by AI technology, Auto Reframe automatically identifies the focal point of your video and crops it while always maintaining it within the frame. This way, the main object or action in your video never goes out of vision.

You can choose an aspect ratio that best fits YouTube Shorts which is 9:16.

How to Use Auto Reframe in Filmora?

Step 1. Open Filmora and Select Auto Reframe

You can choose among three ways to open the Auto Reframe feature in Filmora.

  * **Way 1:** Once you open Filmora, the main interface will display the **Auto Reframe** tab on the right-hand panel. Click it to open directly

• Way 2: Import media as File > Import Media Files and select the file. After you import the media, right-click and choose the Auto Reframe.

• Way 3: Lastly, you can choose the Tools option on the top menu bar and hit the Auto Reframe.

Step 2. Adjust the Aspect Ratio and Motion Speed

A separate dialog box will display once you have selected the Auto Reframe option. Now, click on Import Media and choose a single video to import. You can change the imported video by hitting the Replace File at the top menu.

There are multiple aspect ratio templates available such as square (1:1), vertical (9:16), standard (4:3), widescreen (16:9), and cinema (21:9). As you are making YouTube Shorts, so you need to select 9:16.

You can adjust the speed of your video in multiple options: keep it at Auto or make it Slow or Fast as per your requirements.

Step 3. Analyze, and Auto Reframe the Video

Once you finish the above adjustments, hit the Analysis tab. Filmora will take a few seconds to finish analyzing your video project.

Then the video will be automatically and quickly reframed to your specified speed and aspect ratio. You can modify these aspect ratios and speed options by hitting the Restart option as well.

Step 4. Preview the Reframed Video and Check

Lastly, you can preview your final video. If the video needs more work, you can also play and pause it at the point you want to adjust the frame. You can use Next Edit Point, Undo, Redo, and Previous Edit Point at the bottom panel.

Step 5. Export the Reframed Video

Finally, after all the final adjustments, you can hit the Export tab, name your file and choose the destination folder.

Part 3: FAQs about YouTube Shorts

1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is currently available in the YouTube app that your iOS or Android smartphone has. To access it, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and select the Create a Short option in the popup box that shows off.

2. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

3. Can I Upload Shorts Video on Computer?

Yes. You can upload a Short video by following the traditional method.

• Click the Create camera icon on your PC.
• Click on Upload Videos.
• Locate the file on the PC you want to upload, and you are all done.

However, the option best works in smartphones, and still, if you are uploading through a laptop or PC, make sure to add #shorts in the title or description of the uploaded video.

4. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assured that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

5. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone no matter how many subscribers the YouTube channel has.

6. Can you make money on Shorts?

Short-form video creators do not share revenue from advertisements played in the Shorts player right now. Instead, start the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100M fund for creators that helps build the future of short-form video on YouTube.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have resolved the concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. You can access your total dose of entertainment by getting the YouTube Shorts through our editing tips mentioned in the last section.

However, we’ve mainly defined the editing part of Wondershare Filmora except creating YouTube Shorts through its Auto Reframe feature. But, as you go through Filmora, you will find that editing is not a cumbersome task to follow over this platform. It’s the easiest!

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Well, a YouTube Shorts is said to be YouTube’s short-form answer to TikTok. You can quickly scroll via algorithmically-driven feed, discover other similar short videos, and subscribe to your favorite creators.

Here, creators can record, share, and edit short-form video content that’s 60 seconds or less and vertically oriented. And, unlike Instagram stories, YouTube Shorts won’t disappear but will remain on your channel. So, that’s the brief intro of YouTube Shorts which we think everyone is aware of after YouTube has announced its YouTube Shorts availability globally.

However, certain factors are still there, raising the issue or concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. Thus, if you can’t find the YouTube Shorts option or videos, or YouTube Shorts disappeared, find a solution in this post.

Part 1: Why Do YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

There could be multiple reasons why YouTube Shorts not showing on your phone, the channel’s home page etc.

Besides, many scenarios arise with this issue, namely the YouTube Shorts option not showing up, the YouTube Shorts button missing, and YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly.

And, there are valid reasons as well as to why these situations are happening to you. So, let’s discuss each of them separately in brief, along with the solutions in the next section.

• YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage

The standard and the most common reason why YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage is that you have not updated the YouTube app.

• YouTube Shorts option not showing up

This may be happening either because you’ve not updated the app or your internet connection is pretty slow to show you the option. There could be another reason as you may not have cleared the YouTube mobile app’s cache and data.

• YouTube Shorts button missing

Again, you may not have updated the YouTube app, or your internet connection is slow is the most common reason here. Moreover, the button of YouTube Shorts stays hidden behind the +icon.

• YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly

The most valid reason for YouTube Shorts not showing correctly or YouTube Shorts disappearing is that you have a poor internet connection. Plus, we’ve discussed proper steps below if you’ve missed something while uploading the YouTube Shorts triggering this scenario.

Before we move on to fixing YouTube Shorts not showing the issue, here’s a quick note on which videos qualify as YouTube Shorts. Shorts are different from YouTube stories. Unlike YouTube stories, it gets displayed in your regular channel feed along with your other YouTube videos.

And, you must note that a YouTube Shorts video consists of two criteria as follows.

• The video has to be vertical (portrait-style)
• The video must be 60 seconds or less

Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

Here’s the section covering fixes on YouTube Shorts not showing. Please give it a read and resolve your issue happily!

Fix 1: Update the YouTube App

As we’ve already discussed above, check if your YouTube mobile app has the latest version. The newest version of the YouTube mobile app (Version: 16.17.36) has a dedicated Shorts button at the bottom. And, it replaces the Trending button from the YouTube app.

Moreover, the option to upload Shorts is now hidden behind the + icon. Tap on the + icon and hit the Create a Short option.

Fix 2: Check If Shorts Is Available in Your Country

Now, YouTube Shorts is available globally, but there was a phase when YouTube Shorts was a beta feature. It was only available in India and the US, which could be why you could not view Shorts in the YouTube app.

Fix 3: YouTube Shorts Is Mobile-only

As of now, YouTube Shorts is only available on a smartphone because it’s still in beta version. However, you can create Shorts via smartphone and the camera option in YouTube mobile app. Hence, there’s no point in searching for Shorts on your computer.

You can upload Shorts videos from your laptop. The entire process is similar to uploading a regular video. However, you have to mention #Shorts in the title and description to differentiate it as a Shorts video.

Common Fixes to YouTube Shorts Not Working

1. Update the YouTube App to the latest version.
2. Clear the YouTube mobile app’s data and cache.
3. Check if your internet is connected or your internet connection is strong.
4. Restart your smartphone and try again.
5. The YouTube server can be down, busy, or under maintenance. Wait for a while and try again.

The fixes above are also applicable if the YouTube Shorts are not showing on iPhone as well.

Or, you can try the VPN solution before contacting the YouTube team.

If Videos Are Not Visible under YouTube Shorts

Solution 1: Ensure that you’ve added #shorts in the title and description. Those who have YouTube Shorts, they can make shorts videos via the Shorts camera. Those who can’t access this camera can also upload their current vertical videos that are less than 60 seconds after adding the hashtag #Shorts in the title or description.

All in all, you must include #shorts to let the YouTube algorithm figure out the video is created for Shorts, and the issue of YouTube Shorts not showing up will also be resolved.

Solution 2: Sometimes, you may not find YouTube Shorts videos if they’re precisely 60 seconds in duration because YouTube sometimes adds 1-2 seconds to a Shorts video for some reason. So, be alert here and ensure your Shorts video is around 58 seconds or less.

Solution 3: If your YouTube Shorts is not getting views, you need to wait more here because it takes a while for YouTube to index a Shorts video and suggest them to people. So, it’s the task of the algorithm that varies from person to person. Some Shorts videos take several days while others take weeks.

If YouTube Shorts Videos Are Not Showing up Correctly

Once uploaded, the YouTube Shorts will be displayed in a vertical thumbnail on YouTube and other regular content already there in your account. Or, it’s your choice to create a new channel for the YouTube shorts videos. If the YouTube shorts not showing correctly, you can try as follows:

Step 1. Go to your channel and select the “customize channel” option.

Step 2. Hop on to the Featured section, and choose the add section.

Step 3. You’ll see shorts videos under the “videos” section. Click that, and the videos you have which are tagged in with #shorts in the title or description will automatically display here.

Bonus Tip: How to Easily Create Vertical Videos for YouTube Shorts on PC

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to use nowadays. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine-edit the videos if you’ve explored the app or specifically when you want your videos to look more professional. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options, such as Effects, Elements, etc., to make your videos more interactive.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professional-looking YouTube Shorts videos to engage your viewers highly. Even no famous YouTuber uploads their videos directly from the app without using any third-party tool.

We recommend Wondershare Filmora because it is a production and post-production app available for Windows and Mac computers. It gives tough competition to some globally renowned tools like Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere Pro, etc., because of its simplicity. Furthermore, Filmora has its inbuilt screen, voice recording features, and webcam that can be useful to create game walkthroughs, interactive videos, and voiceovers as needed.

Moreover, a YouTube Shorts video can be made through Wondershare Filmora using the below-mentioned guide.

Note: We are assuming that you have already recorded a vertical video using your smartphone and that it has been transferred to your PC.

So, the signature feature to create YouTube Shorts videos on Wondershare Filmora is Auto Reframe.

Powered by AI technology, Auto Reframe automatically identifies the focal point of your video and crops it while always maintaining it within the frame. This way, the main object or action in your video never goes out of vision.

You can choose an aspect ratio that best fits YouTube Shorts which is 9:16.

How to Use Auto Reframe in Filmora?

Step 1. Open Filmora and Select Auto Reframe

You can choose among three ways to open the Auto Reframe feature in Filmora.

  * **Way 1:** Once you open Filmora, the main interface will display the **Auto Reframe** tab on the right-hand panel. Click it to open directly

• Way 2: Import media as File > Import Media Files and select the file. After you import the media, right-click and choose the Auto Reframe.

• Way 3: Lastly, you can choose the Tools option on the top menu bar and hit the Auto Reframe.

Step 2. Adjust the Aspect Ratio and Motion Speed

A separate dialog box will display once you have selected the Auto Reframe option. Now, click on Import Media and choose a single video to import. You can change the imported video by hitting the Replace File at the top menu.

There are multiple aspect ratio templates available such as square (1:1), vertical (9:16), standard (4:3), widescreen (16:9), and cinema (21:9). As you are making YouTube Shorts, so you need to select 9:16.

You can adjust the speed of your video in multiple options: keep it at Auto or make it Slow or Fast as per your requirements.

Step 3. Analyze, and Auto Reframe the Video

Once you finish the above adjustments, hit the Analysis tab. Filmora will take a few seconds to finish analyzing your video project.

Then the video will be automatically and quickly reframed to your specified speed and aspect ratio. You can modify these aspect ratios and speed options by hitting the Restart option as well.

Step 4. Preview the Reframed Video and Check

Lastly, you can preview your final video. If the video needs more work, you can also play and pause it at the point you want to adjust the frame. You can use Next Edit Point, Undo, Redo, and Previous Edit Point at the bottom panel.

Step 5. Export the Reframed Video

Finally, after all the final adjustments, you can hit the Export tab, name your file and choose the destination folder.

Part 3: FAQs about YouTube Shorts

1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is currently available in the YouTube app that your iOS or Android smartphone has. To access it, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and select the Create a Short option in the popup box that shows off.

2. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

3. Can I Upload Shorts Video on Computer?

Yes. You can upload a Short video by following the traditional method.

• Click the Create camera icon on your PC.
• Click on Upload Videos.
• Locate the file on the PC you want to upload, and you are all done.

However, the option best works in smartphones, and still, if you are uploading through a laptop or PC, make sure to add #shorts in the title or description of the uploaded video.

4. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assured that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

5. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone no matter how many subscribers the YouTube channel has.

6. Can you make money on Shorts?

Short-form video creators do not share revenue from advertisements played in the Shorts player right now. Instead, start the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100M fund for creators that helps build the future of short-form video on YouTube.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have resolved the concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. You can access your total dose of entertainment by getting the YouTube Shorts through our editing tips mentioned in the last section.

However, we’ve mainly defined the editing part of Wondershare Filmora except creating YouTube Shorts through its Auto Reframe feature. But, as you go through Filmora, you will find that editing is not a cumbersome task to follow over this platform. It’s the easiest!

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Well, a YouTube Shorts is said to be YouTube’s short-form answer to TikTok. You can quickly scroll via algorithmically-driven feed, discover other similar short videos, and subscribe to your favorite creators.

Here, creators can record, share, and edit short-form video content that’s 60 seconds or less and vertically oriented. And, unlike Instagram stories, YouTube Shorts won’t disappear but will remain on your channel. So, that’s the brief intro of YouTube Shorts which we think everyone is aware of after YouTube has announced its YouTube Shorts availability globally.

However, certain factors are still there, raising the issue or concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. Thus, if you can’t find the YouTube Shorts option or videos, or YouTube Shorts disappeared, find a solution in this post.

Part 1: Why Do YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

There could be multiple reasons why YouTube Shorts not showing on your phone, the channel’s home page etc.

Besides, many scenarios arise with this issue, namely the YouTube Shorts option not showing up, the YouTube Shorts button missing, and YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly.

And, there are valid reasons as well as to why these situations are happening to you. So, let’s discuss each of them separately in brief, along with the solutions in the next section.

• YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage

The standard and the most common reason why YouTube Shorts are not showing on the channel’s homepage is that you have not updated the YouTube app.

• YouTube Shorts option not showing up

This may be happening either because you’ve not updated the app or your internet connection is pretty slow to show you the option. There could be another reason as you may not have cleared the YouTube mobile app’s cache and data.

• YouTube Shorts button missing

Again, you may not have updated the YouTube app, or your internet connection is slow is the most common reason here. Moreover, the button of YouTube Shorts stays hidden behind the +icon.

• YouTube Shorts videos not showing correctly

The most valid reason for YouTube Shorts not showing correctly or YouTube Shorts disappearing is that you have a poor internet connection. Plus, we’ve discussed proper steps below if you’ve missed something while uploading the YouTube Shorts triggering this scenario.

Before we move on to fixing YouTube Shorts not showing the issue, here’s a quick note on which videos qualify as YouTube Shorts. Shorts are different from YouTube stories. Unlike YouTube stories, it gets displayed in your regular channel feed along with your other YouTube videos.

And, you must note that a YouTube Shorts video consists of two criteria as follows.

• The video has to be vertical (portrait-style)
• The video must be 60 seconds or less

Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Shorts Not Showing Up?

Here’s the section covering fixes on YouTube Shorts not showing. Please give it a read and resolve your issue happily!

Fix 1: Update the YouTube App

As we’ve already discussed above, check if your YouTube mobile app has the latest version. The newest version of the YouTube mobile app (Version: 16.17.36) has a dedicated Shorts button at the bottom. And, it replaces the Trending button from the YouTube app.

Moreover, the option to upload Shorts is now hidden behind the + icon. Tap on the + icon and hit the Create a Short option.

Fix 2: Check If Shorts Is Available in Your Country

Now, YouTube Shorts is available globally, but there was a phase when YouTube Shorts was a beta feature. It was only available in India and the US, which could be why you could not view Shorts in the YouTube app.

Fix 3: YouTube Shorts Is Mobile-only

As of now, YouTube Shorts is only available on a smartphone because it’s still in beta version. However, you can create Shorts via smartphone and the camera option in YouTube mobile app. Hence, there’s no point in searching for Shorts on your computer.

You can upload Shorts videos from your laptop. The entire process is similar to uploading a regular video. However, you have to mention #Shorts in the title and description to differentiate it as a Shorts video.

Common Fixes to YouTube Shorts Not Working

1. Update the YouTube App to the latest version.
2. Clear the YouTube mobile app’s data and cache.
3. Check if your internet is connected or your internet connection is strong.
4. Restart your smartphone and try again.
5. The YouTube server can be down, busy, or under maintenance. Wait for a while and try again.

The fixes above are also applicable if the YouTube Shorts are not showing on iPhone as well.

Or, you can try the VPN solution before contacting the YouTube team.

If Videos Are Not Visible under YouTube Shorts

Solution 1: Ensure that you’ve added #shorts in the title and description. Those who have YouTube Shorts, they can make shorts videos via the Shorts camera. Those who can’t access this camera can also upload their current vertical videos that are less than 60 seconds after adding the hashtag #Shorts in the title or description.

All in all, you must include #shorts to let the YouTube algorithm figure out the video is created for Shorts, and the issue of YouTube Shorts not showing up will also be resolved.

Solution 2: Sometimes, you may not find YouTube Shorts videos if they’re precisely 60 seconds in duration because YouTube sometimes adds 1-2 seconds to a Shorts video for some reason. So, be alert here and ensure your Shorts video is around 58 seconds or less.

Solution 3: If your YouTube Shorts is not getting views, you need to wait more here because it takes a while for YouTube to index a Shorts video and suggest them to people. So, it’s the task of the algorithm that varies from person to person. Some Shorts videos take several days while others take weeks.

If YouTube Shorts Videos Are Not Showing up Correctly

Once uploaded, the YouTube Shorts will be displayed in a vertical thumbnail on YouTube and other regular content already there in your account. Or, it’s your choice to create a new channel for the YouTube shorts videos. If the YouTube shorts not showing correctly, you can try as follows:

Step 1. Go to your channel and select the “customize channel” option.

Step 2. Hop on to the Featured section, and choose the add section.

Step 3. You’ll see shorts videos under the “videos” section. Click that, and the videos you have which are tagged in with #shorts in the title or description will automatically display here.

Bonus Tip: How to Easily Create Vertical Videos for YouTube Shorts on PC

The YouTube Shorts app is pretty convenient to use nowadays. However, it doesn’t allow you to fine-edit the videos if you’ve explored the app or specifically when you want your videos to look more professional. The app doesn’t even have many filtering options, such as Effects, Elements, etc., to make your videos more interactive.

With that said, you can always use an efficient third-party program like Wondershare Filmora to create professional-looking YouTube Shorts videos to engage your viewers highly. Even no famous YouTuber uploads their videos directly from the app without using any third-party tool.

We recommend Wondershare Filmora because it is a production and post-production app available for Windows and Mac computers. It gives tough competition to some globally renowned tools like Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere Pro, etc., because of its simplicity. Furthermore, Filmora has its inbuilt screen, voice recording features, and webcam that can be useful to create game walkthroughs, interactive videos, and voiceovers as needed.

Moreover, a YouTube Shorts video can be made through Wondershare Filmora using the below-mentioned guide.

Note: We are assuming that you have already recorded a vertical video using your smartphone and that it has been transferred to your PC.

So, the signature feature to create YouTube Shorts videos on Wondershare Filmora is Auto Reframe.

Powered by AI technology, Auto Reframe automatically identifies the focal point of your video and crops it while always maintaining it within the frame. This way, the main object or action in your video never goes out of vision.

You can choose an aspect ratio that best fits YouTube Shorts which is 9:16.

How to Use Auto Reframe in Filmora?

Step 1. Open Filmora and Select Auto Reframe

You can choose among three ways to open the Auto Reframe feature in Filmora.

  * **Way 1:** Once you open Filmora, the main interface will display the **Auto Reframe** tab on the right-hand panel. Click it to open directly

• Way 2: Import media as File > Import Media Files and select the file. After you import the media, right-click and choose the Auto Reframe.

• Way 3: Lastly, you can choose the Tools option on the top menu bar and hit the Auto Reframe.

Step 2. Adjust the Aspect Ratio and Motion Speed

A separate dialog box will display once you have selected the Auto Reframe option. Now, click on Import Media and choose a single video to import. You can change the imported video by hitting the Replace File at the top menu.

There are multiple aspect ratio templates available such as square (1:1), vertical (9:16), standard (4:3), widescreen (16:9), and cinema (21:9). As you are making YouTube Shorts, so you need to select 9:16.

You can adjust the speed of your video in multiple options: keep it at Auto or make it Slow or Fast as per your requirements.

Step 3. Analyze, and Auto Reframe the Video

Once you finish the above adjustments, hit the Analysis tab. Filmora will take a few seconds to finish analyzing your video project.

Then the video will be automatically and quickly reframed to your specified speed and aspect ratio. You can modify these aspect ratios and speed options by hitting the Restart option as well.

Step 4. Preview the Reframed Video and Check

Lastly, you can preview your final video. If the video needs more work, you can also play and pause it at the point you want to adjust the frame. You can use Next Edit Point, Undo, Redo, and Previous Edit Point at the bottom panel.

Step 5. Export the Reframed Video

Finally, after all the final adjustments, you can hit the Export tab, name your file and choose the destination folder.

Part 3: FAQs about YouTube Shorts

1. Where to download the YouTube Shorts app?

The YouTube Shorts app is currently available in the YouTube app that your iOS or Android smartphone has. To access it, sign in to your Google account, tap the + button at the bottom, and select the Create a Short option in the popup box that shows off.

2. What’s the YouTube Shorts video duration?

A YouTube Shorts video can be of only up to 60 seconds.

3. Can I Upload Shorts Video on Computer?

Yes. You can upload a Short video by following the traditional method.

• Click the Create camera icon on your PC.
• Click on Upload Videos.
• Locate the file on the PC you want to upload, and you are all done.

However, the option best works in smartphones, and still, if you are uploading through a laptop or PC, make sure to add #shorts in the title or description of the uploaded video.

4. What’s the YouTube Shorts size limitation?

YouTube hasn’t provided any information related to this as of now. However, you can rest assured that a 60 seconds long video file wouldn’t be too large for YouTube to handle.

5. How many subs do you need to access Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is available for everyone no matter how many subscribers the YouTube channel has.

6. Can you make money on Shorts?

Short-form video creators do not share revenue from advertisements played in the Shorts player right now. Instead, start the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100M fund for creators that helps build the future of short-form video on YouTube.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have resolved the concern of YouTube Shorts not showing. You can access your total dose of entertainment by getting the YouTube Shorts through our editing tips mentioned in the last section.

However, we’ve mainly defined the editing part of Wondershare Filmora except creating YouTube Shorts through its Auto Reframe feature. But, as you go through Filmora, you will find that editing is not a cumbersome task to follow over this platform. It’s the easiest!

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Prosper with Your Live Video on YouTube: A Complete Blueprint

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Live Streaming

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

• Why Livestream?
• Type of Content to Livestream
• What You Need to Livestream On YouTube
• 4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube
• 8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube
• How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Create a Streaming Link 2 Days Before

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

• Why Livestream?
• Type of Content to Livestream
• What You Need to Livestream On YouTube
• 4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube
• 8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube
• How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Create a Streaming Link 2 Days Before

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

• Why Livestream?
• Type of Content to Livestream
• What You Need to Livestream On YouTube
• 4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube
• 8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube
• How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Create a Streaming Link 2 Days Before

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

• Why Livestream?
• Type of Content to Livestream
• What You Need to Livestream On YouTube
• 4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube
• 8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube
• How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Create a Streaming Link 2 Days Before

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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