How to Live Stream on Zoom with a Professional Video Platform

Since the beginning of 2020 when staying at home and social distancing became the safest option, much of the professional world has relied on peer-to-peer conferencing to carry out important meetings and events.

Zoom was the first choice of many since it was already well-known in the business setting. However, millions of people flocking to the platform caused issues. Luckily, integrations with professional video hosting platforms, like Dacast, have allowed Zoom users to carry out high-quality web conferences and live streams on the platforms that their audience is familiar with.

In this post, we’re going to talk about live streaming with Zoom on a live streaming platform and how this helps professionals circumvent some of the limitations of streaming with Zoom alone. We will also cover some of the most popular types of broadcasts that users use Zoom for before we dive into an in-depth tutorial on hosting a Zoom live stream via Dacast.

We will wrap things up by covering a few tips for making your live streaming event a success.

Table of Contents

• Zoom Live Streaming via an OVP: How it Works
• Why Not Stream Through Zoom Alone?
• Types of Events to Live Stream on Zoom
• How to Live Stream a Zoom Conference on Dacast
• Tips for a Successful Zoom Live Stream
• Final Thoughts

Zoom Live Streaming via an OVP: How it Works

Over the past year, Zoom live and other peer-to-peer conferencing tools have been essential for keeping some sense of normalcy in business operations. Video conferencing has also made it easier for schools to open up for remote attendance. 

Unfortunately, some limitations on Zoom have left professionals searching for the solution that makes the most sense for their web conferencing needs, and most online video platforms do not support peer-to-peer conferencing, which is essentially video chatting.

However, Zoom integrations on professional online video platforms (OVPs), like Dacast, have given these businesses and educators the best of both worlds.

Zoom is connected to the OVP as a source, just like a camera, mixer, or microphone would. That feed is then streamed to anywhere that you’ve embedded your Dacast video player.

Broadcasters can use this setup to stream to Facebook and other channels thanks to a process called simulcasting, which means that one live stream is simultaneously broadcasting to different locations. This is particularly valuable in situations where your goal is to share a meeting or conversation with a public audience.

Why Not Stream Through Zoom Alone?

You’re likely wondering what the point of hosting a Zoom stream on an OVP rather than streaming through the video hosting platform or Zoom alone. The reason for that is simple: Zoom is not a live streaming platform and most OVPs aren’t video conferencing platforms.

When you live stream a Zoom conference, you’re broadcasting a conversation between two or more people, or you’re hosting an online event that may require some real-time participation from people in the “audience.”

That said, there are a few major benefits of hosting a Zoom live stream on Dacast. 

The first benefit is access to Dacast’s network of powerful CDNs. This helps broadcasters rest assured that they won’t experience issues due to a Zoom server outage mid-stream. It also means that broadcasters can deliver higher-quality content to a larger audience than they would be able to on Zoom alone.

Another great thing about live streaming through Dacast is that broadcasters have access to all of our professional features, including our secure paywall, video analytics, and more. 

Security is another major perk of using Dacast. Settings can be configured to limit access to the live stream based on geographic location and domain referrals. This helps to limit unwelcomed participants.

Dacast also offers auto-archiving, which means that you can automatically record and store a copy of your live event for on-demand playback at a later time. Zoom does have a call recording feature, but having the copy go directly to your cloud video library makes it easy to embed on your website or share the video wherever you see fit.

Types of Events to Live Stream on Zoom

Zoom live streaming is commonly used to broadcast events that have multiple speakers in different locations. It is also used in situations where there may be some real-time interaction between the presenter and viewers.

Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular uses of Zoom live streaming.

Webinars and Conferences

Webinars and conferences that involve multiple presenters or a panel of people leading natural conversations are easily streamed on Zoom. The panelists and presenters can get on a Zoom call from any location, and the conference can be broadcasted to viewers on other platforms.

An online video platform’s security and monetization tools come in handy for this use case since it is common for this type of event to usually require viewers to buy a “ticket” or RSVP. 

Training Sessions

Since a lot of businesses are still having their teams work from home, sessions for new employee onboarding, building corporate culture, workflow efficiency, and other routine training are done online.

Web conferencing tools can come in handy here due to the nature of training, however, sometimes the viewership is too large to include everybody in a Zoom call. In that situation, it would be appropriate to broadcast the session.

City Council Meetings

Did you know that a lot of municipalities and local governments have “public access” laws that require city council meetings to be public? In many cases, live streaming these events fulfill that requirement.

Many local government meetings and events are still being carried out via Zoom in order to maintain social distance, and live streaming the meeting is much easier than giving constituents the ability to join the call directly on Zoom.

How to Live Stream a Zoom Conference on Dacast

As we mentioned, Dacast has a Zoom integration that allows our broadcasters to broadcast their Zoom meetings through the Dacast video player. It is very simple to set up.

With that said, let’s take a look at how to set up a Zoom live stream on Dacast.

1. Create a Live Stream on Dacast

2. Enable “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service” on Zoom

Now, head over to your Zoom account. Go to the “Admin” page on the left, and follow this sequence: Account Management > Account Settings > In Meeting (Advanced). 

The page you land on should say “Allow live streaming meetings” across the top. Toggle the button to the left. 

Now, make sure the box next to “Custom Live Streaming Service” is checked. You will have to provide instructions to configure your live stream in a very specific format. You will find these instructions in your Dacast account under the “General” tab in “Encoder Setup.”

You will enter the information listed above. Make sure to use the following format:

Stream URL: rtmp://{Username}:{Password}@{Server (without rtmp://)} Stream key: {Stream Key} Live streaming page URL: you can use your website URL or the Share Link in the General tab of the live stream.

3. Set Up Your Meeting

Next, navigate to “Meetings” in your Zoom account, and click “Schedule New Meeting.” Click “Save,” and you’ll be presented with advanced options. Click “Live Streaming” then select “configure live stream settings.”

This screen will appear:

Once again, copy and paste the “Encoder Setup” information from Dacast. This is the same information from Step 2. Click “Save.”

4. Start Streaming

Once you’ve connected your Dacast and Zoom accounts, it is time to start streaming. Start your stream on Dacast first by toggling “Live Stream Online” to “On.” You can do so under the “General” tab on the live stream that you created on Dacast.

Now, start your Zoom meeting, and you’re ready to go.

Additional Information

Please note that even though Dacast is a white-label service, broadcasters must have a Business, Enterprise, or Education Zoom subscription to remove or change the Zoom logo from a broadcast.

Check out our complete guide to the Dacast Zoom integration for additional details.

Tips for a Successful Zoom Live Stream

Zoom live streams may feel a little more casual since you’re likely using a webcam, smartphone, or tablet to record yourself. However, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that your broadcast is high-quality and professional.

Let’s go over a few tips for a successful Zoom live stream.

Plan Ahead 

When it comes to live streaming, you have one shot to get it right. There’s no second take or editing involved. We don’t say this to scare you but to reiterate the importance of planning ahead.

In addition to configuring your streaming setup well in advance, you should have a thorough outline of what you’re going to cover in your broadcast. Some broadcasters prepare a list of notes and topics with bullet points, and others create well-developed scripts.

It may seem silly or juvenile, but we recommend practicing your presentation in front of a mirror. This will help you build confidence in your presentation and help you to be thorough and articulate. 

Do a Test Run

As we mentioned, there is a lot of pressure in a live stream Since everything happens in real-time. That’s why we suggest doing a test run of your entire setup a few times so that you can identify and road bumps or snags in the system.

Use a Secure Internet Connection

An internet connection that is fast, secure, and reliable is key for a successful live stream. If you are broadcasting with a laptop or computer, an Ethernet internet connection is ideal. However, if this is not an option or you are streaming from a mobile device, a reliable Wi-Fi connection will do.

You can check your internet speed by going to Google and searching “internet speed test.” The top result will give you the option to “Run Speed Test.” 

Your upload speed should be double the bandwidth that you plan to use for your stream. That means if you want to stream at  500 kbps, your upload speed should be about 1000 kbps.

Get a Ring Light 

Good lighting can make your live stream appear much more professional. If you don’t have great natural light in the place that you’ll be live streaming from, a simple ring light will do the trick.

You can get a reliable ring light for about $50.

Final Thoughts

Hosting a Zoom live stream via a professional video hosting platform allows you to access both peer-to-peer conferencing on a familiar interface and professional tools for monetization, security, and reliable delivery. Using this live streaming setup is ideal for broadcasters who are hosting meetings and virtual streaming events that involve real-time interaction with the audience.

Want to test Dacast’s Zoom integration for yourself? Create a Dacast account today to start your 30-day risk-free trial. No credit card or binding contract required.

GET STARTED FOR FREE