How to go live on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Live isn't switched on for every account: LinkedIn quietly decides who qualifies, and gives you a new key for every stream. In BackstagePass, open Studio → Destinations. Turn LinkedIn on once, then add its key in the control room before each show.

Before you start

• LinkedIn's rules: your profile or Page needs more than 150 followers or connections and must be at least 30 days old.
• LinkedIn also looks for recent original posts and a clean record under its Professional Community Policies. There's no form to fill in; LinkedIn evaluates you automatically.
• Check whether you have it: on a computer, open linkedin.com/video/golive/now. If the Custom stream page opens, you're approved. If you see a message that you're not eligible, keep posting and check back in a few weeks.
• For a company Page, you must be a Page admin, and only the admin who sets up the stream can go live from it.
• Not available for members or Pages based in mainland China.
• Use a computer.
• Every LinkedIn live has to be scheduled on LinkedIn as a LinkedIn Live event first.

Get your Stream URL and Stream key (do this before every show)

1. On LinkedIn, open Events (linkedin.com/events) and click Create an event.
2. Choose Online, set Event format to LinkedIn Live, give it a name, and pick the start date and time. Use the same start time as your live on BackstagePass.
3. Add an end time and a description if you like, then click Next.
4. Add a cover image if you like, then click Next.
5. Click Post.
6. Click Set up Event. This opens LinkedIn's Live Studio. You can stop here and come back closer to the start time.
7. In Live Studio, open Manage streams and click Prepare to go live next to your event.
8. Pick the region closest to you and click Get URL.
9. Copy the Stream URL and the Stream Key. Leave this window open.

On show day

1. In the control room, click the LinkedIn icon next to Ready on. It has a red dot until today's key is added. Destinations opens with LinkedIn at the top: paste the Stream URL and Stream key and click Add. Then press GO LIVE.
2. Back in LinkedIn's Live Studio. Your video shows in the preview. Click Go live at the top right. LinkedIn's preview times out after 10 minutes, so go live on LinkedIn soon after you start. If Go live is still greyed out, LinkedIn is waiting for your scheduled start time.
3. End on BackstagePass, then click End stream in Live Studio. Next live, create a new LinkedIn event and get a new key.

Things to take care of

• Every stream needs a fresh key. Keys are tied to one stream or event, so repeat the steps each time.
• LinkedIn only shows the key shortly before your start time, about 1–2 hours before.
• You can press Go live on LinkedIn from 15 minutes before the scheduled time until 2 hours after it. Miss that window and the event can't be started.
• One LinkedIn destination at a time. LinkedIn doesn't allow the same stream to go to both your profile and a Page. Pick one.
• 4 hours maximum per live.
• Post on LinkedIn between lives. Accounts that stop posting original content can lose Live access.
• Your stream URL will start with rtmp:// or rtmps:// and contain the region you chose; that's normal.
• No key, no LinkedIn. If you press GO LIVE before adding LinkedIn's key, BackstagePass asks first: LinkedIn isn't ready. Choose Add LinkedIn's key, or Go live without LinkedIn.
• Once you're live, the control room reminds you: "Now open LinkedIn's Live Studio and press Go live there, or LinkedIn viewers won't see you."
• The key is for one live. BackstagePass clears it when the live ends, so the next live asks for a new one.

Every platform, and the one step most people miss: Destinations.