Did you know you can up your viewership by 231% with simulcasting? Grand PooBear did that in Q4 2023 and that can inspire you to do so. But, what is simulcasting?
Simulcast is when you stream to multiple platforms at once. It’s not a new thing, but some streamers still haven’t made the most of it.
Want to know how to make it work and why it’s a good idea for content creators? This article will break it all down for you. So, get ready for a deep dive!
What is Simulcast?
Simulcast means you broadcast the same live content across multiple platforms at the same time. The word itself comes from simultaneous broadcasting, which pretty much explains it.
With simulcasting, you can share your content without needing to set up different streams for each platform.
For example, if you’re streaming a gameplay session, simulcasting lets you send that one live video to YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Gaming all at once.
It happens because your computer sends the video stream to a service. And this service then copies the stream and sends each copy to the platforms you want it to go to.
That way, you stream live on YouTube, where your content is popular, while simultaneously broadcasting on Twitch to reach the gaming community.
What’s great about that is it doesn’t just boost your audience reach. It also lets viewers tune in on their favorite channels. They can use social media or streaming platforms.
Actually, simulcasting started in TV, but now that everyone’s streaming online, people simulcast to online platforms, often using RTMP or other protocols to distribute their content.
Simulcasting vs Multicasting: Key Differences
Multicast and simulcast are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Do you know the difference as a content creator?
- Core Concept — When you simulcast, you share one video feed live across multiple platforms. When you multicast, you send that video to a specific group in your network.
- How It Works — With simulcasting, your streaming setup connects to each platform separately. In multicasting, you use the same network to share to certain devices.
- When to Use It — You use simulcast to reach more audiences. You use multicast to reach large audiences efficiently.
- How You Share It — You broadcast a simulcast stream via your encoder. For multicast, you send it to a specific address, and the network handles distribution.
- Sending Data — Simulcast streams individually to everyone. Multicast sends one stream that the network duplicates only where needed.
- Performance — It depends on fast internet and a good encoder. Multicasting is usually more stable with better bandwidth efficiency.
- Scalability — Both have good scalability, but simulcast needs a better internet connection to scale up well.
How Does Simulcasting Work?
You know what simulcasting is. But how does it work? Simply put, you record your content and stream it with software that sends it to multiple platforms at once. Here’s the breakdown:
1. Content Capturing
It all starts with content capturing or live stream recording. Your streaming setup grabs raw video and audio. You might use a camera for video, a microphone for sound, or screen capture software for gameplay. The signals are high quality, but they’re too large to stream easily.
2. Encoding
After capturing the raw signals, the next step is to run them through an encoder. This process compresses the video and audio into a digital format suitable for online streaming.
Common codecs such as H.264 and H.265 take care of this process. The encoder cuts down the file size by removing any unnecessary data. At this point, it’s all set for transmission.
3. Signal Routing
Instead of sending the stream directly to each platform, which could slow down your internet, you need to send it to a distribution hub.
This hub can be a service like Restream.io or your own RTMP server. It acts as a central point, taking your stream once and sending it out to different platforms.
4. Distribution
At the distribution hub, your stream gets duplicated and sent to all your chosen platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook. This is called signal routing.
The hub sends the same stream to everyone at once, keeping everything synchronized. It’s important because it allows you to reach different audiences without managing multiple streams.
5. Transmission
Duplicated streams are sent to each platform via protocols such as RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) or SRT (Secure Reliable Transport).
These protocols guarantee reliable delivery and minimal delay. Each platform gets the stream separately, but the content remains the same.
6. Reception
When the stream reaches platforms like YouTube or Twitch, it goes through reception and transcoding.
Transcoding changes the stream into different formats and sizes so that people with various devices and internet speeds can watch it.
For example, YouTube might create versions in 1080p, 720p, and 480p. This ensures the stream plays well on everything from smartphones to large screens.
7. Playback
Viewers can watch the stream on any platform. The service sends the best version of the stream for each device and internet speed.
This happens through a Content Delivery Network (CDN), a network of servers around the world that speeds up delivery. Users interact with the stream through the platform’s interface.
Why You Should Use Simulcasting
You know what simulcasting is and how it works. Now, let’s explore why you should simulcast as a streamer:
1. You Can Reach a Wider Audience
If you’re streaming but not simulcasting, you’re missing a chance to grow your audience. Simulcasting helps you stand out and increases engagement.
This isn’t just a guess. Top streamers like Ninja saw a huge 97% rise in viewers in Q4 2023 by simulcasting.
Some viewers like YouTube for its on-demand videos. Others enjoy the live chat on Twitch. So, why not help different viewers find and connect with your content?
2. It Helps You Save Time and Focus
Back in the day, you had to set up separate streams for every platform. And it can be time-consuming and a bit of a hassle, especially for beginners.
You’ll have to tweak various settings, handle multiple stream keys, and monitor each platform.
Simulcasting simplifies that. You can stream to different platforms all from one setup. The software takes care of everything else, so you can focus on your live session and great content.
3. You Can Boost Your Engagement
What will people do when they can enjoy streaming content on their favorite platform? They’ll engage more easily because each platform has its own chat feature.
If you pick a platform they’re unfamiliar with, they might struggle to engage. By simulcasting, you can reach a larger audience and open up more opportunities for interaction.
As time goes on, these viewers can turn into dedicated fans. They’ll track you across different platforms, expanding your reach and influence.
4. It Opens Up New Opportunities for Growth
Simulcasting lets you explore various platforms to find out where your content shines. You might find that your gaming streams attract more viewers on Twitch, while your creative videos hit harder on YouTube.
By simulcasting, you can collect valuable data on audience engagement and adjust your strategy to fit. This is key if you’re still figuring out the best platform for your content.
5. It Helps You Earn More From Your Content
Platforms offer different ways to monetize content. On Twitch, you can earn money through subscriptions, bits, and ads. YouTube gives you options like ad revenue, Super Chat, and memberships. Meanwhile, Facebook Gaming lets you earn through stars and fan subscriptions.
By simulcasting, you diversify your income. This strategy keeps you safe. If one platform tweaks its rules or algorithms, your earnings won’t suffer too much.
6. It Helps You Boost Your Streaming Career
Ninja, The Grefg, and Grand PooBear aren’t just streaming for fun. They want to keep up with technology, show they are serious about streaming, and make money.
The streaming world changes quickly. New platforms appear all the time. By simulcasting, you can easily change your strategy. You can just add new platforms to your list anytime.
How to Simulcast
You know why multicasting is important, but how can you do that? Here are the steps:
1. Choose Your Streaming Platforms
To start multicasting, pick a streaming platform that fits your style:
- Twitch is great for gamers, ASMR creators, and IRL streamers
- YouTube Live is great for people who want more people to find their videos.
- Facebook Gaming Live is perfect for gaming content and reaching friends and followers.
Choose the platforms that match your content and goals. This helps you stay focused and motivated. Also, remember to see where your audience spends their time.
Read More: Live Streaming Platforms
2. Pick a Simulcasting Software
Now that you know where to stream, let’s figure out how to simulcast. Most platforms won’t let you go live in multiple Platforms without a little setup.
That’s where streaming software like OBS Studio or Streamlabs comes in. These tools let you multi-stream like a pro.
But if you’re just starting out, Restream is your best bet. It’s user-friendly, works with over 30 platforms, and allows you to simulcast for free for up to two platforms.
Take your time to choose the right tool that suits your needs and budget.
3. Set Up Your Simulcasting Software
Once you’ve picked your simulcasting software, it’s time to set it up. This can feel technical, especially with tools like OBS Studio. But it’s simpler than it seems.
First, you’ll want to link your accounts from places like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook in the tool. Most services will ask for permission to connect directly to your accounts.
If you can’t integrate directly or prefer manual setup, get the RTMP URL and Stream Key for each platform from their settings, then copy and paste them into your simulcasting software.
4. Test Your Setup
Make sure to test everything well. Simulcasting uses more internet bandwidth than streaming to just one platform. So, you need a stable and fast internet connection.
Do a private test stream on all your platforms to check if your audio and video are working well. This is also a good time to try out overlays, alerts, or other visuals.
5. Go Live
It’s time to hit that go live button or start streaming. You’ll see it go out to all your selected platforms at the same time.
As you stream, pay attention to what’s happening. Tools like Restream let you see chat from all platforms in one place. This makes it easy to connect with your audience.
But if you’re streaming on Twitch, look at their simulcasting guidelines. They don’t let you use third-party services that mix activities from other platforms, such as merging chats.
Tips for Simulcasting
Ready to start simulcasting? Here are some simple tips for beginners:
1. Use Beginner-Friendly Software
OBS Studio is a top choice for streaming software that lets you simulcast. But, beginners might find the setup a bit complicated.
That said, you can choose easy tools like Restream or Streamstarter. They let you manage multiple streaming platforms from one dashboard to make chat and data handling simple.
2. Opt for a Faster Internet Connection
Simulcasting on multiple platforms demands a strong internet connection. A slow upload speed can cause buffering and lost connections.
For high-quality streaming on Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Live, ensure your upload speed for streaming is at least 18 to 33 Mbps. Choose an internet plan that is 40% faster than required and use a LAN cable instead of Wi-Fi.
3. Start With Two Platforms
It might be tempting to start with many platforms, but is that the best approach? Why not begin with just two? Twitch and YouTube attract different audiences but share similar requirements.
Starting simple allows you to manage chats and optimize settings without feeling overwhelmed. Once you’re comfortable engaging on both, you can expand to platforms like Facebook Live.
4. Manage Your Chat Well
Managing your chat on one platform can be hard, right? Now, think about trying to use three or four platforms at the same time.
What if one of them doesn’t let you use a chat feature like Restream offers? That could be a big problem. Before you start simulcasting, have you thought about how to manage your chat?
Keep in mind, live streaming is all about real-time interaction. If you want to connect with your audience well, you need a good plan to manage user interactions without getting overwhelmed.
5. Earn More from Your Stream
Why do streamers like simulcasting? It’s not just about reaching more people, it’s also about finding more ways to make money.
To be a pro streamer, understand how simulcasting fits your strategy. Twitch has great monetization features, but what about YouTube or Facebook? They have different options, right?
You can also use third-party platforms like Gank to earn more from your content through donations, memberships, and merchandise sales. So, plan carefully to maximize your streams.
What Is Simulcast: A Wrap-Up
You now know what a simulcast is, right? It’s all about broadcasting the same live content across multiple platforms at once.
In this article, you’ve also learned how simulcast is different from multicast. You also found out how simulcast works and why it is important for you as a streamer.
Now that you know this, you are ready to jump into simulcasting. One live session can expand your reach and create more chances to earn.
We hope you find this information helpful. If you liked it, you can subscribe to our blog for more tips and tricks for content creators.
