Live streaming lets you interact with your audience in real time with a video feed, chat, and more. You can stream directly to your channel members, or easily transition public live streams to members-only streams—creating a more engaging and rewarding experience for your loyal supporters. To enable live streams, you need to have no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days and you need to verify your channel. For more information, see get started with live streaming.
Start a members-only live stream
You can share live streams exclusively with your channel members. It's a great way to offer exclusive content and create a more intimate experience for your most dedicated fans.
Adjust the visibility of your stream to “Members only,” with the further option to restrict access to specific membership levels. Your members will be notified about these streams just like your regular subscribers are for public broadcasts.
Non-members will only be able to view the thumbnail and metadata for your broadcast—such as the title and description—matching the experience of standard members-only videos.
- On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click Create
.
- Click Go live
.
- Follow the steps to create a live stream.
- In the "Visibility" settings, you can choose which channel members can watch the live stream:
- To allow all members to watch the live stream, select “All paid members.”
- To allow certain levels to watch the live stream, select the level (and up) that should be allowed to view.
- Schedule your stream for later, or go Live.
Transition a public live stream to members-only
You can seamlessly transition a public live stream to members-only to provide exclusive content to your supporters, and showcase membership benefits to your broader audience.
When your stream transitions from Public to Members-only:
- Non-members: Viewers will see that the stream is going to change to members-only after the transition time that you have set. Viewers who are not members will see a notification that the stream is now exclusive. To continue watching, they will be prompted to join your channel.
- Existing members: Members will automatically be transitioned to the members-only stream, where they can watch and participate in live chat.
- Note: Any viewers watching with a delay will only see the transition once they reach that point in the broadcast.
- While streaming, go to your Live Control Room (LCR).
- Go to the bottom right-hand corner of the Live chat box and click the plus button
.
- A pop-up box will appear with options on how you can engage with your audience. Select Members-only live stream.
- The Members-only live box will appear. Select the:
- Level of members you wish to include in your members-only live stream.
- The time remaining until the members-only live stream starts.
- You will have the option to set a countdown of 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes before the transition occurs.
- Click Schedule.
You have now scheduled a transition for your public stream to become a members-only stream. Once the countdown timer ends, your members-only live stream will automatically begin. Your audience will be transitioned to the members-only live stream and non-members will have an option to join. When you transition from a public live stream to a members-only stream, two separate streams are created sharing the same stream key: one public and one exclusive to members. Although two streams will be created, the experience for you and viewers will be seamless.
Best practices for switching from a public to members-only live stream
Here are some strategies you can use when changing stream visibility:
- Be transparent: Tell your audience when the stream will transition and invite them to join your membership to continue watching. Use the countdown timer (defaulted to 5 minutes) to let your audience know what special content is coming for members only. Use the moment to encourage new people to join as a channel member.
- Use the "Teaser" approach: Frame the public portion of your stream as a sneak peak of premium content, then schedule the transition once the majority of your audience has joined to encourage sign-ups.
- Create a "Cliffhanger": After giving viewers fair warning, use an abrupt transition to create a psychological cliffhanger that drives immediate interest in joining your membership.
- Update your metadata: If necessary, update the title, description, and monetization settings for both segments so they are tailored to their specific audiences. When you switch a live stream to members-only, the secondary stream is generated using the original metadata.
- Host an "After-Show": Transition from a broad, structured broadcast to a relaxed, high-touch session for your core community, such as behind-the-scenes access, deep-dive Q&As, or interactive games.
Manage your archived streams
FAQs
What is a members-only live stream?
How do I benefit from using this feature?
What are the benefits of members-only live streams?
Members-only live streams let you show appreciation for your biggest fans and build a closer-knit community. By creating an exclusive space, you can foster a more intimate and engaging atmosphere for your supporters.
Hosting members-only live streams allow you to:
- Enhance your membership offering: Offer more value to your members to encourage new subscriptions and long-term support.
- For existing members: Offer exclusive content and experiences to your most dedicated fans to enhance their engagement.
- For potential members: If you’re choosing to switch from a public stream to a members-only stream, you can showcase channel member benefits and exclusive content to non-members, illustrating the value of joining your community.