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The Complete Guide to Multistreaming

Multistreaming allows you to simultaneously stream your event to a third-party platform like Facebook, Youtube, Instagram Live or LinkedIn.

Multistreaming is available on Pro and Business plans—you can upgrade anytime from your account settings.
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Why Multistream?

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch can help boost your event’s exposure. However, they don’t allow you to collect attendee emails, bring guests on-screen, or offer the interactive features available on Crowdcast.

By multistreaming, you can broadcast your Crowdcast event to multiple platforms while encouraging viewers to join you in Crowdcast. This allows them to:
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✔️ Participate in the chat
✔️ Ask questions in the Ask a Question section
✔️ Vote in polls
✔️ Join you on-screen
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Multistreaming helps you convert passive social media viewers into engaged attendees while building your own email list—so you own the relationship with your audience, not the algorithms.
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How to Set Up Multistreaming

You can configure your multistream destinations at any time before going live:

  • Pro Plan: Multistream to one location.

  • Business Plan: Multistream to up to three locations simultaneously.

Important Notes

  • Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn frequently update their live streaming setup, so always check their latest instructions for obtaining the required stream keys.

  • By leveraging multistreaming, you can expand your reach while keeping full control over your audience engagement and data.

Streaming to Facebook Live

Click on the Facebook button within the multistream section of editing your event, then click Create Live Stream on the pop-up, and follow the instructions on the Facebook site.


Facebook will provide you with a Stream Key and Server URL for you to copy and paste into your Crowdcast Event.

Next, select the session of your event that you want to stream to Facebook and paste in the Server URL and Stream Key as shown below, and click done.

How to Stream to Instagram Live from Crowdcast

You can stream your Crowdcast event to Instagram Live using the Custom Multistream option and a Professional Instagram account (via browser only). Here's how:


​1. Set Up Your Crowdcast Event

  • Create a new event and set up a multisession (if needed).

  • Go to the Multistreaming tab and choose Custom Multistream.

2. Get Stream URL & Key from Instagram

  • On a desktop browser, log in to your Professional Instagram account.

  • Click Create > Live Video.

  • Add live video details: Add a title for your livestream, and select the audience (select Practice if you just want to run a test).

  • Copy the Stream URL and Stream Key from Instagram.


​3. Connect Instagram to Crowdcast

  • In your Crowdcast event settings, paste the Stream URL and Key into the Custom Multistream fields.

4. Go Live

  • Join the greenroom in Crowdcast and prepare to go live.

  • When the Crowdcast stream appears in Instagram, click “Go Live”.

5. End the Stream

  • First, end live video on Instagram.

  • Then, end the broadcast in Crowdcast.

Notes

  • Instagram streaming must be done on desktop (not mobile app).

  • Stream keys expire quickly, so go live soon after setup.

Streaming to YouTube Live

  1. To stream your Crowdcast event to YouTube Live, first visit your YouTube Live Dashboard →

  2. Under Encoder Setup copy the server URL and stream Key.

3. Within your event options, pick the session you want to stream to Youtube, paste in the Server URL and Stream Key as shown below, and click Done.

4. You've now connected your session to YouTube! Now proceed as usual in Crowdcast to go live. When you're ready to start your event, click the Go live button in Crowdcast. Within about 15-seconds, the YouTube Live Dashboard will show in your video stream, and you will have to switch the status at the top from Starting to Live. You're now streaming to YouTube. When you end the broadcast in Crowdcast, it will automatically end on YouTube.

How to set up LinkedIn as an RTMP destination

You can multistream your Crowdcast event directly to LinkedIn Live using a Custom RTMP destination.

Set up your LinkedIn Live event

  1. In LinkedIn, create an event and select LinkedIn Live as the event format.

  2. Complete your event details and publish the event.

  3. Return to your LinkedIn event shortly before it is scheduled to begin.

  4. From the event’s organisers view, click Prepare to go live. This option normally becomes available one hour before the scheduled start time, or up to two hours before for some verified Pages.

  5. In LinkedIn Live Studio, open Stream settings.

  6. Select your streaming region and click Get URL.

  7. Copy the Stream URL and Stream Key.

Important: Keep the LinkedIn Live Studio page open. If you close it, you may need to generate a new Stream Key.

Add LinkedIn to your Crowdcast event

  1. Open your event in Crowdcast and click Edit.

  2. Go to the Multistream section.

  3. Add a Custom RTMP destination.

  4. Paste the Stream URL and Stream Key you copied from LinkedIn.

  5. Save the destination.

Go live

  1. Start your broadcast in Crowdcast.

  2. Once LinkedIn begins receiving the stream, you'll see a video and audio preview in LinkedIn Live Studio.

  3. Check that everything looks and sounds correct.

  4. Click Go Live in LinkedIn Live Studio to begin broadcasting to your LinkedIn audience.

When your event is over

When you're ready to finish:

  1. Click End Stream in LinkedIn.

  2. Then end your broadcast in Crowdcast.

💡 Test before your event

LinkedIn recommends running a test before your live event. If you're streaming from a LinkedIn Page, you can create a test LinkedIn Live event that is only visible to Page admins and anyone who has the direct link.

This is a great way to confirm your RTMP connection, video, and audio before the real event.

When you start your broadcast in Crowdcast, LinkedIn will begin receiving the stream. After a short preview period (typically around 15 seconds), you'll see a preview in LinkedIn.

Important: Starting your stream from Crowdcast does not automatically make it live on LinkedIn. Once your preview appears, click Go live in LinkedIn to begin broadcasting to your audience.

When should I use Restream?

Direct RTMP is the simplest option if you're only streaming to LinkedIn.

If you'd like to stream to multiple platforms at the same time (such as LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook), a service like Restream is still a great option. Restream lets Crowdcast send a single stream, then distributes it to all of your selected destinations. We recommend Restream as you can stream to LinkedIn on their free account. To begin scheduling your Live Event, these are the instructions to log in and set up.

Streaming to other live-streaming platforms

Crowdcast can stream to third-party services like Twitch, Instagram, and more. If a platform provides an RTMP endpoint, you can send your Crowdcast stream there. However, we strongly recommend running tests beforehand to ensure a smooth broadcast.
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To set up multistreaming with these platforms:

  1. Select the "Custom" option in your multistream settings.

  2. Enter the Server URL and Stream Key provided by the third-party service.

  3. When you go live in Crowdcast, your stream will automatically be sent to the RTMP endpoint.

Testing in advance ensures your stream is properly configured and delivers the best experience for your audience.

Important Notes

  • For in-browser Crowdcast sessions, your stream to third-party services will be in 720p HD (1280 × 720 pixels).

  • If the session is streaming using RTMP Studio, you can stream up to 1080p.

  • If you are planning to multistream to Facebook, YouTube, or other third-party platforms, you should create the event and set up the multistream from your browser.

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