Substack has expanded its live video feature, making it available to all publishers. Previously, this feature was limited to Bestseller creators with over 100 paying subscribers. Now, any publisher with at least 10 free subscribers in the Substack app can enable live streaming capabilities, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for live content creation.

Testing and Early Success Stories

According to Substack’s announcement, the decision follows a fall 2023 testing phase involving Bestseller publishers. During this period, Substack explored various use cases across diverse content categories. 

Image Credits: Substack

Some examples included geopolitical discussions with Alexander Vindman and Tim Mak, espionage coverage by Noah Rosenberg, and sports analysis from Tyler Dunne and Jim Monos, focusing on Buffalo Bills games.

These implementations showcased the potential of live video to drive audience engagement and expand subscriber bases.

Collaborative Streams Drive Engagement

Substack’s live video feature supports collaborative broadcasts, allowing up to three publishers to stream together. Early data indicates that collaborative streams outperform solo broadcasts in terms of engagement and subscriber growth.

Key features include:

• Simple initiation: Publishers can start a stream directly from the Substack app’s home screen.
• Easy collaboration: Co-hosts can be invited via an in-app search function.
• Post-stream tools: Automatic recording storage and AI-generated video clips enable seamless content repurposing for social media.

Substack recommends publishers begin with free broadcasts to maximize live viewership while exploring paywalled recordings for paid subscribers.

Source: Substack

Minimal Technical Requirements

Substack has designed the live video feature to be user-friendly, requiring minimal setup. Publishers need only to download or update the Substack app and maintain a minimum of 10 free subscribers.

The streaming interface operates like standard video call platforms, with a brief seven-second delay when initiating broadcasts. This ease of use ensures publishers can focus on content creation rather than technical challenges.

Source: Substack

Expanding Substack’s Video Ecosystem

This rollout is the latest in Substack’s series of video expansions, building on previous launches for posts, Chat, and Notes features. Publishers across various niches have already embraced live video, including political commentary by Sharon McMahon and culinary content featuring Caroline Chambers, Sohla El-Waylly, and Olivia Noceda.

The platform also facilitates seamless participation for new users. For instance, financial writer Adam Taggart hosted Lance Roberts, who joined Substack specifically for a live discussion. New users can create accounts and join broadcasts in minutes.

Best Practices for Maximizing Impact

Substack provides publishers with actionable strategies for successful live video implementation:

• Promote in advance: Use promotional posts and social media announcements to build anticipation.
• Leverage post-stream content: Distribute recordings and AI-generated clips through Notes and social media.
• Engage audiences across platforms: Creators like Joanna Goddard, Hunter Harris, and Katie Sturino have successfully used cross-platform promotion to expand their reach.

The company reveals notable publishers such as Matthew Yglesias and Nate Silver use AI-generated clips to amplify their social media presence, driving further engagement and subscriber growth.