Instagram has grown into an extremely prevalent streaming platform for many users with over 1 million people watching Instagram Live every day. As the platform grows, it is constantly implementing new features to make live streaming a more engaging activity for influencers and audiences. Instagram’s Live Producer tool aims to make streaming more accessible and more competitive against other platforms such as Twitch and Facebook. Netinfluencer uncovers all of the details concerning Live Producer. 

What Is Live Producer?

In July 2022, Instagram announced the launch of Live Producer, a tool that allows users to live stream their content through their desktop. Using conventional third-party software such as OBS or Streamlabs, influencers can now implement a range of new features into their streams. 

Like other live streams, Live Producer allows users to add multiple camera views, external microphones, and graphic overlays. Previously, influencers could only conduct live streams via their smartphones and then broadcast the stream on their feed.

Although it is still in its initial stages of development, Live Producer hopes to help Instagram improve its stance in the live streaming industry. The simple collection of features means that even novices can find success with the new tool.

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How To Use the Live Producer Tool

1. Download your streaming software of choice.
2. Enter the URL and Stream Key. This will allow you to broadcast directly to Instagram.
3. Open Instagram on your desktop.
4. Click ‘Add Post’ and then choose ‘Live’.
5. From here, press ‘Go Live’ and then produce a title for your stream.
6. Change your stream to ‘Public’.
7. Copy the Stream Key.

In order to use the Live Producer tool effectively, you must ensure that both your video and audio settings are compatible with Instagram. Listed below are the criteria for both aspects.

Video Settings

• 9 x 16 Aspect Ratio
• 720p at 30fps
• Resolution: 720 x 1280
• Video Bitrate Range: 2250-6000 Kbps

Audio Settings

• Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz
• Channel Layout: Stereo
• Bit Rate: 256 Kbps maximum

Who Has Access To Live Producer?

Currently, Live Producer is still in its Beta phase and is only available to a small selection of users. These individuals were sent an exclusive invite as well as instructions on how to use the new feature. Instagram is hoping to extend this feature further if it is successful among the chosen influencers. 

A lot of these chosen creators were also Instagram Partners. This means that they have access to a brand account and can manage advertisements on their platform. Therefore, these people are regarded as experts in business growth and social media marketing. 

What Features Are Supported by Live Producer?

Despite its prosperous intentions, Live Producer only allows for a small number of features, compared to the mobile version. Comments are available on the desktop version and appear on the right-hand side of the stream. Influencers can reply to comments and keep track of updates in the event log. Yet, influencers will not be able to pin important comments within their chat.

Once you have finished live streaming and ended your stream, it will be automatically sent to your archive. To access it, you need to click the trio of lines on your profile page and then press archive. From this point, you can download your previous live streams to your chosen device and share them on your Instagram feed.

Live Producer also includes a unique practice feature. Users can change their settings to ‘Private’, which means their content will not be shared with their followers and will be recorded like a typical video. As a result, users can see a simple preview of their stream before they decide to interact with a live audience.

However, Live Producer does not allow a collection of main features. For example, external moderators cannot be added to the stream. Instagram has also stated that Q&As and Fundraisers will not be allowed at this time and it seems that the Instagram Shopping feature is also disabled through this new tool. Plus, Live Rooms are not supported, meaning that guests and co-hosts cannot access the stream. Finally, Instagram has noted that it has no plans to build an API, which means that this application will not be able to communicate with other platforms. 

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Benefits of Using Live Producer When Streaming

Instagram’s Live Producer is a fundamental step in the future of live streaming as it allows users to create state-of-the-art streams with ease. Software systems such as Streamlabs and OBS are known for their reliable set of features and can help users produce more professional streams when using them in conjunction with Live Producer. In turn, influencers have the opportunity to delve into a collection of new skills whilst still being connected to a stable platform like Instagram. 

If you have already built a devoted following on Instagram, conducting live streams can help to boost your engagement further. This is a beneficial alternative to other streaming platforms where you may not have an established audience. As such, influencers have the opportunity to delve into a new medium without the risk of failing on an unfamiliar platform. In addition, live streaming on Instagram means that new audience members can access the streams without having to move to an entirely new platform or app. 

Although short-form content is extremely popular on social media, it is important that we do not ignore the impact of long-form content. If you have found success with Reels and Stories, it may be time to expand into Instagram Live and begin creating more substantial content. This can also give you a more intuitive place to connect with your fans, building a sense of community on the platform. 

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Instagram Live is a tremendously popular platform that allows influencers to communicate with their audience in a more personable way and in real-time. The introduction of Live Producer may showcase a limited set of features but indicates an exponential growth in the popularity of streaming. To discover more about how Instagram is supporting the influencer marketing industry, visit our website.