Live streaming video is becoming more popular worldwide. Subsequently contributing to the growth of live video broadcasting platforms. The leading live-streaming platforms are YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitch. This blog post will dive into the differences and each platform’s pros and cons.

Live video streaming has spread worldwide, reaching almost 30% of all video content viewers. Choosing a platform to live stream video content isn’t that easy. Apart from the famous social media platforms YouTube, Twitch Tik Tok, and Facebook, there are a few more platforms.

Companies like Trovo (formerly Madcast), Nimo TV, and Nonolive have live-streaming video platforms competing for content creators’ and viewers’ attention. However, these platforms are still relatively small.

Twitch

Twitch is the leading platform for the total watched gaming hours. In the 1st quarter of 2023, the hours watched accounted for 74% of the total hours on all platforms. In addition, over 2.4 Million concurrent viewers every day. Twitch has over 1 Million active streamers broadcasting their content daily. 

Furthermore, Twitch is the preferable platform for gaming lovers, although other content, like the “Just Chatting” category, has become popular. Also, one of the main benefits for live broadcasters is its community management capabilities. On top of that, content creators who ask, “How can I make money from a live stream?” will soon discover that monetizing their live streams is possible even if they are Nano or micro-influencers with a relatively small number of viewers.

Pros:

• Oriented to maintain strong community communication. Providing a variety of interacting tools like chat rooms and emotes.
• Live streamers can monetize their content in various ways: ad banners, subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships.
• Streamers can earn an income even if they have few viewers.
• A user-friendly platform with tools, extensions, and overlays that boost the user experience.

Cons:

• Archived (on-demand) video content hardly gets any focus.
• Trolls disguised as fans disrupt the live stream flow, creating a toxic environment.

YouTube Live

YouTube services gain over 2 billion users every month. It is the second most popular website in the world, mostly known for its on-demand content. YouTube Live features within YouTube’s app and website.

In fact, the most viewed categories on the platform were Entertainment, News & Politics, and Gaming. Although Youtube live gaming accounts only for 15% of the total watched live gaming video hours, unlike Twitch which dominates the category.

Pros:

• It is the go-to website for browsing video content, bringing a diverse audience.
• The YouTube Premieres feature allows users to live stream pre-recorded content.
• The on-demand library makes it easier for followers to watch the live stream once it’s over.

Cons:

• Contrary to Twitch, YouTube Live never followed the success of archived video content.
• Doesn’t emphasize community nurturing, so Interacting tools with viewers like chat rooms or emotes are relatively limited. 
• A high barrier to monetizing videos compared to other platforms.

Facebook Live

Facebook Live is an integrated feature within Meta’s Facebook social media network. That allows users and pages to live stream directly to their followers. 20% of the videos posted on Facebook are live. However, in recent years Facebook hasn’t published the number of live video viewers.

Moreover, Facebook Live allows creators to reach their existing audience on the platform and attract new viewers through sharing and recommendations.

Pros:

• A large, diverse audience with a variety of interests and demographics.
• Ability to cross-promote live streams with other Facebook features, such as groups and events.
• Built-in tools to increase audience engagement, including Facebook groups and pages.
• Live video streaming focuses on smartphone streaming.
•  An easy-to-use interface allows the unprofessional to instantly broadcast live. 

Cons:

• Interaction tools for viewers are limited and need to be more intuitive in offering chat rooms or emotes.
• Contrary to its popularity as a social media platform, YouTube and Twitch are less popular than Facebook Live.
• Analytics of viewerships could be more robust.

TikTok Live

TikTok is the “youngest” platform focusing on short-form videos. The live video stream feature is open for mobile app users only, and its main focus is to nurture influencers’ content. The live streaming feature was introduced in 2020, and according to TikTok, the app has over 1 billion monthly active users. 20% of the app users watch live content.

Pros:

• Enjoys a large and diverse audience within the younger age groups.
• Great Interacting and engagement tools such as gifts and comments.
• Mobile streaming tools are user-friendly.

Cons:

• Users with less than 1000 followers cannot live stream on Tik Tok.
• Somewhat limited monetization options for content creators, such as ads and brand partnerships.
• Promoting live TikTok streams outside the platform can be challenging.

To Conclude

Overall, each platform offers unique benefits and drawbacks for live video broadcasting. Content creators should first determine their goals, niche, target audience, and monetization opportunities. Only then can they consider which platform gives them the best growth value. Twitch is known best for gaming, and its “just chatting” category has become popular.

Indeed, YouTube Live and Facebook Live offer potentially large and diverse audiences who enter their platforms daily. TikTok’s focus on short-length videos offers much the same for live content and engaging with younger demographics. Ultimately, the best platform for your live streaming needs will depend on your specific goals and audience.