StreamYard and WordPress
About StreamYard
StreamYard is one of the most popular streaming tool out there. Most live streamers will have heard about it at least once in their streaming careers and may have even used it. StreamYard is a live streaming studio in your browser where you can interview guests and stream to multiple platforms at the same time, including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch.
However, if you wish to broadcast directly to your website, you will need WpStream for WordPress. WpStream is a Video Streaming plugin that you can use to go live on your WordPress website, create Video On Demand, and monetize your content in less than 10 minutes.
Why Stream on your WordPress website?
Why may you want to live stream directly to your website (and cheekily speaking, with WpStream)?
Well, there are a few reasons
- WpStream is a white label platform – you can add your own branding to your player. No one will ever know that you are using a 3rd Party platform to stream – unlike with YouTube, Vimeo, and other platforms
- Your content is your own – we do not interfere in what you post including live streams or video on demand
- We do not censor, mute, or take down your content. No bots, just humans here
- You can monetize your content instantly! Both Live and VOD content. Unlike with other platforms where you have to wait to become monetized or depend on ads and sponsorships
- Anyone can watch your livestream! Whether they have social media platforms like Facebook or not, you can share your live stream or VOD link with anyone to watch. Consequently, your content automatically has more reach and engagement
- Great for E-Commerce if you have set up an online shop. One of the most popular marketing trends at the moment and predicted to show high demand is live streaming E-Commerce
- As an educational institute (schools, universities, colleges, and online courses), you are able to set up channels for teachers and they could go live and teach through the front end without access to your website’s admin
- Fitness instructors can easily go live and teach classes through live. This has showed a wonderful shift from in-person classes to either online or hybrid classes since the pandemic began
- If you are a crypto or investment coach, you can discuss the latest spikes and dips of all the different crypto coins and stocks (and get paid for spreading all your knowledge)
- Faith communities like churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues can carry out their services online for those who can’t attend in-person for different reasons (age, disabilities, busy schedules, etc)
Since that was a mouthful, let’s move on to what we’re really here for.
The Relationship between WpStream and StreamYard
To explain how this works, let’s think of WordPress as the destination that is established by WpStream. This is done through Custom RTMP which is a feature that is supported by many external broadcasters. There are plenty of external broadcasters out there including OBS Studio, Wirecast, vMix, etc. StreamYard also supports Custom RTMP as a destination which is why you can use WpStream with it.
StreamYard does not have its own platform and it is essentially a browser broadcaster that sends video and audio to other platforms like YouTube and Facebook live. Plus, it has some really cool features such as adding a countdown, your own logo, banners, widgets, guests, multistreaming to multiple platforms at once, and creating a playlist that you can schedule to go live. In this tutorial, you will find out how you can create that playlist.
This feature comes in handy for professional broadcasters that have pre recorded content and wish to go live. For instance, it may be a TV Channel that also broadcasts online, webinars, music performances, skits, etc. Although they have been pre recorded, they can still be put on live so that the hosts can interact with viewers as the broadcast is happening.
The first thing you will want to do is make sure you get the WpStream plugin, register, and start off with your Free Trial or purchase a subscription plan if you wish to broadcast for longer. You will also need to create an account on StreamYard and purchase a monthly or yearly plan. I have the basic monthly plan which is priced at $25.
As you can see, you can only broadcast to a Custom RTMP destination if you have the Basic plan at the least.
Going LIVE with StreamYard
Let’s go back to our website and go to create a free channel with WpStream. You can also create a pay-per-view channel if you wish to sell ‘tickets’ to your viewers for the live stream
Add details such a title, bio, make sure it is a ‘Live Channel’ next to ‘Product data’, add a featured image, tags, and categories. Once you are content with your result, you can publish your channel and you will be one step closer to your live
Now, you can either click on ‘Settings’ and check out your options, including to ‘Enable recording’ so that you can record the live stream and create a Video On Demand from it later. For this tutorial, I already have the videos saved and I can upload them later. Find out how here or at then end of this article.
I will simply ‘Start Live Event’ and wait for about 2 minutes for the channel to load. Once loaded, click on ‘Go Live with External Broadcaster’. You will see that a ‘Server’ and ‘Stream key’ will pop up. That is the Custom RTMP that we will put into StreamYard!
Go to StreamYard and register your account (don’t forget about purchasing a subscription plan). You will find a button called ‘Add a Destination’
A bunch of destinations will show up including YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Twitch. But, you will also find the option of adding a Custom RTMP
You will then add the Server and Stream key from WpStream into the appropriate sections on StreamYard. Make sure you also add a nickname so that you know what this channel is about. Click on ‘Add RTMP Server’
Now that you have added your destination, you can create a broadcast
Here is the browser broadcast (make sure you allow camera and mic). Start adding your pre recorded videos to create a playlist. To do this, click on ‘Share’ and then on ‘Video file’. Upload your video.
Repeat the above steps until you have uploaded all your desired videos
Make sure you make all your necessary edits before you go live. You don’t HAVE to but it will be easier to maneuver this way. By edits I am referring to banners or brand details such as a logo. You can always add or remove minor details during a live stream as well
I am going to add a banner asking viewers to vote for their favorite artists. Click on ‘Banners’
Add your text, have it scroll across the bottom (if you wish), and ‘Save’
Now that your videos are ready and your banner is set, go live! Click on ‘Go Live’ on StreamYard, go back to your website, and click on ‘View Channel’
The link is to the page where you will find your pre recorded playlist – LIVE
The banner is running at the bottom of the live stream and you can update the text at any point even during a live stream.
Also keep in mind that as of now, StreamYard does not automatically play the next video after the previous one has ended and you will have to manually add this
Once you are done, you will go to StreamYard and click on ‘End broadcast’
On your website, you will find that your live stream would have ended and the following message will appear. You can change this ‘Off-Air text’ by following the instructions here.
Conclusion
Going live on your WordPress website with WpStream and StreamYardis as simple as it gets. With a user friendly approach to live streaming, you can manage to achieve a professional looking video stream in a matter of minutes. You can use StreamYard for multiple types of streaming and if you own a WordPress website, rest assured that they work together great and deliver quality result at a low cost and no hassle required.
Are you looking for a Video Streaming Plugin for your WordPress website and brand?
Start your free trial with WpStream today and experience the ability to broadcast live events, set up Pay-Per-View videos, and diversify the way you do your business.
Check out the video tutorials on our YouTube channel and don’t forget to live, comment, subscribe, and hit that notification bell
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