The Step-by-Step Guide to Instagram Live in 2024 [+ Influencer-Approved Tips]

Instagram Live has exploded in popularity as a way for brands and creators to connect with their audience in an authentic, unfiltered way. 88% of people say they want to see more live video from brands, making it an important format to add to your social media strategy.

Content Navigation show

Going live might seem intimidating at first, but it‘s actually quite simple once you know the steps. In this guide, we‘ll walk you through exactly how to start a livestream on Instagram. Plus, hear from top influencers on their best tips for hosting an engaging and professional live broadcast.

Contents

Why Go Live on Instagram?

Before we dive into the how-to, let‘s talk about why you should consider using Instagram Live in the first place. Live video offers some unique benefits compared to pre-recorded content:

  1. Increases reach and engagement. Live videos show up first in the Stories feed and Instagram notifies some of your followers when you go live. On average, live videos get 10x more comments than regular videos.

  2. Builds trust and loyalty. Going live pulls back the curtain and shows a more human side of your brand. 79% of consumers say live video makes them feel more connected and authentic.

  3. Keeps you top of mind. Having a regular live show trains your audience to keep coming back and helps you stay fresh in their minds.

  4. Provides repurposing opportunities. You can download and repost live content across channels, extending its lifespan and value.

Step 1: Prepare for Your Live Video

While spontaneity is part of the appeal of Instagram Live, it still pays to do some prep work before clicking the "Go Live" button. Take these steps in advance:

  • Plan your content. Decide on a focus topic ahead of time and create a rough outline of what you want to cover. Make sure it provides clear value to your audience.

  • Check your tech setup. Test your camera, mic, lighting, background and internet connection beforehand to avoid technical issues during the live.

  • Promote the live. Let your followers know a day or two ahead of time that you‘ll be going live. Post a story or feed post with the date and time.

Step 2: Set Up Your Live Stream Settings

When you‘re ready to go live, open up the Instagram app on your mobile device. There are a couple ways to initiate a live stream:

  1. From the home screen, tap the camera icon in the top left corner or swipe right. Then swipe the options at the bottom of the screen until you see "Live" and tap the circular record button.

  2. Alternatively, go to your Instagram profile page by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right. Then tap the "+" icon in the top right and select "Live" from the "Create" menu.

Before you actually go live, you‘ll see a screen where you can configure options:

  • Switch between front and back camera
  • Turn the flash on or off
  • Apply face filters
  • Choose an audience (public, friends, or close friends)

Step 3: Add a Title and Choose a Nonprofit Fundraiser (Optional)

On the pre-live screen, you can also add a short descriptive title for your live broadcast. This gives viewers a quick preview of what your live will be about.

If you want, you can also select a nonprofit fundraiser to feature during your live video. When you do this, a donation button will appear on screen, allowing viewers to contribute to the nonprofit directly within the live. Some additional details:

  • You must be 18+ to add a fundraiser to your live video
  • 100% of donations go to the selected nonprofit
  • Instagram covers donation processing fees
  • You can set a goal amount and see incoming donations in real time

This feature is a great way to use your platform for good and further incentivize people to tune in live.

Step 4: Go Live!

Once your live settings are configured, tap the big "Go Live" button to officially start broadcasting. Instagram will notify some of your followers that you‘re now live.

Instagram live videos can be up to 4 hours long, but most effective broadcasts are much shorter. We recommend keeping it to 10-20 minutes max to hold viewers‘ attention.

During the first few minutes, greet viewers and allow time for people to join before diving into your main content. It‘s okay if your view count starts small – live viewers tend to build over time as people get notified.

Step 5: Interact With Your Audience

One of the biggest draws of Instagram Live is the ability to interact directly with viewers in real time. Here are the main ways to engage your live audience:

Comments

Viewers can post comments and reactions that show up in real time during the live. As the host, you can:

  • Read and respond to comments verbally
  • Pin a comment so it stays at the top of the screen
  • Turn off commenting altogether

To maximize engagement, encourage viewers to post questions, reactions or responses in the comments throughout the live. Acknowledge top fans by name to make them feel special.

Live Questions

Tapping the question mark icon launches a dedicated Q&A experience within the live video. Viewers can submit questions, which you‘ll be able to see and answer live. To share a question on screen:

  1. Select a question you want to answer
  2. Tap "Share Question"
  3. The question will pop up on screen as you respond

The live Q&A feature is a great way to interact with individual viewers and deliver value. For best results, let your audience know ahead of time that you‘ll be doing a Q&A so they can come prepared with good questions.

Guests and Co-Hosts

You can invite guests to join your Instagram Live, either in a split-screen format or by "handing off" the live to them to take over your stream. To invite a guest:

  1. Tap the two faces icon
  2. Select "Invite a Guest"
  3. Search for the person you want to invite or select from suggested guests

Having a co-host or interview guest is a great way to vary the format, access a new audience, and provide a more dynamic experience for viewers.

Some ideas for collaborative Instagram Lives:

  • Interview an expert or industry leader
  • Host a live workshop or tutorial with a guest instructor
  • Moderate a live panel discussion on a trending topic
  • Partner with another brand on a promotional campaign

Step 6: End Your Live Video

To wrap up your Instagram Live, thank viewers for tuning in and let them know if/when you‘ll be going live again. Once you‘ve said your closing remarks, tap the "X" in the top right corner to end the live session.

Step 7: Save and Repurpose Your Live Content

Congratulations, you‘ve completed your first Instagram Live! But the content doesn‘t have to stop there. After ending your live video, you‘ll see a few options for saving and repurposing the footage:

Option Description
Share to IGTV Posts the live video to your IGTV channel for people to watch on-demand
Download Video Saves the live video to your camera roll to repost on other channels
Share to Story Adds a 15-second preview of the live to your Instagram story
Delete Video Discards the live video completely

We recommend always downloading your live videos so you can get more mileage out of that content. Some ideas for repurposing:

  • Trim the video into highlight clips to post on your feed or story
  • Transcribe the audio to turn into a blog post or quote graphics
  • Use the footage in a longer YouTube video or IGTV series
  • Run giveaways or polls for people who watch the replay

Best Practices for Instagram Live

Now that you know the basic steps, let‘s cover some expert tips for getting the most out of your Instagram Live sessions.

Choose the right time to go live.

You want to go live when most of your audience is online and available to tune in. To figure out your optimal live times:

  • Look at your Instagram Insights to see when your followers are most active
  • Notice patterns in when you get the most engagement on story and feed posts
  • Consider different time zones if you have a geographically diverse audience

It‘s also a good idea to keep a consistent schedule, like going live at the same time every week. Let followers know they can regularly expect live content from you.

Optimize your live setup.

Poor audio and video quality is a quick way to lose live viewers. Make sure you‘re set up for a professional-looking and sounding live video:

  • Use a tripod or prop your phone up for a steady shot
  • Choose a well-lit, clutter-free environment
  • Check that your background is visually pleasing and on-brand
  • Wear a mic (like earbuds) for the best audio quality
  • Do a speed test to check your internet connection

Have a plan, but embrace spontaneity.

Live video is all about authenticity, so you don‘t want to seem overly scripted or staged. At the same time, it‘s important to go in with a game plan. We recommend:

  • Creating an outline with 3-5 key topics you want to hit
  • Doing a quick practice run to warm up and check your tech
  • Having any links, discount codes or resources ready to share
  • Preparing seed questions in case the conversation stalls

Then, once you‘re live, let yourself be in the moment and go with the flow. It‘s okay if you go off-script or make mistakes – that‘s part of the charm!

Tease exclusive value.

Give people a compelling reason to tune into the live rather than just catching the replay later. Tease unique value that‘s only available to live viewers, like:

  • Live Q&A or coaching
  • Real-time feedback or critique
  • Flash sales or limited-time offers
  • Behind-the-scenes access
  • Surprise guests or giveaways

The more urgent and exclusive your live content feels, the more motivated people will be to show up live.

Keep going live consistently.

The more regularly you go live, the better you‘ll get at it – and the more your audience will come to expect it. Commit to a cadence that‘s realistic to maintain and put it on the calendar.

If you‘re just getting started, aim for a 30-minute live session every other week. As you get more comfortable and see traction, you can increase the length and frequency. Some larger brands and influencers go live weekly or even daily.

Measuring the Success of Your Instagram Live Videos

To see if your Instagram Live strategy is working, track these key metrics:

Metric Description
Peak Concurrent Viewers The highest number of people who were watching your live at the same time
Average Viewers The average number of people who tuned in throughout the live session
Comments The total number of comments your live received
Likes The total number of likes your live video got
Shares How many times your live was shared to Direct Messages and stories
Viewers Retention How long people watched before dropping off on average
Link Clicks If you shared any links or CTAs during the live

Look at your live analytics after each broadcast and jot down what worked and what didn‘t. See which topics, formats and calls to action got the most engagement. Notice any patterns in how viewership fluctuated throughout the live.

The goal is to learn and iterate each time to improve your results. Keep testing different variables like:

  • The day of week and time you go live
  • The length and format of your live sessions
  • How much you promote ahead of time
  • The types of topics you cover and experts you bring on
  • Creative ways to interact with the audience beyond basic Q&A

As you dial in your Instagram Live strategy, you should start to see growth in your average viewers, engagement rate and ROI from the channel.

Examples of Creative Instagram Live Ideas

Need some inspiration for your next Instagram Live? Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

  1. Product demonstrations. Showcase how to use or style your products in a live tutorial. Give viewers an up-close, 360-degree view they can‘t get from photos.

  2. Behind-the-scenes tours. Give a live look at your office, event space, or "day in the life". Pull back the curtain to build intimacy with your audience.

  3. Expert interviews. Host live chats with thought leaders or high-profile guests. Let viewers chime in with their own questions.

  4. Weekly series. Start a recurring live show around a theme, like a Monday motivation pep talk or a Friday "ask me anything."

  5. Flash sales. Drop exclusive discount codes or early access to new products that only live viewers can shop.

  6. Challenges or games. Gamify the live experience with interactive challenges, quizzes or giveaways. award prizes to the most engaged viewers.

  7. Breaking news. Be the first to report on or react to industry updates and trending topics on Instagram Live.

  8. Mini workshops. Teach followers a new skill with a live workshop or masterclass. Give them something tangible to learn and apply.

  9. Influencer takeovers. Let trusted influencers and superfans "take over" your account to host their own Instagram Lives.

  10. Fundraisers. Champion a good cause with a charity livestream. Set a donation goal and rally viewers around giving back.

Remember, anything that would make for good video content can be adapted for a live format. Brainstorm what your audience would get excited to see and interact with in real time. Then put your own unique spin on it to stand out.

Putting It All Together

By following this step-by-step guide and expert tips, you‘ll be well on your way to hosting professional-quality Instagram Lives that grow your reach, engagement and influence.

The key is to make live video a consistent part of your content mix, not just a one-off tactic. Brands that stream weekly see a 26% increase in followers and a 6x higher watch completion rate compared to those who go live sporadically.

Start small with a basic Q&A or behind-the-scenes tour. Then gradually level up your production value and get more creative with formats. Listen to your audience‘s feedback and keep optimizing your strategy based on the data.

With commitment and practice, Instagram Live can become a central pillar of your social media presence – driving real business results and taking your brand to new heights.

Tags: