Are you using Google Hangouts on Air?
Do you want your Twitter and Facebook followers to join
in?
By sharing the YouTube link of your Google Hangout to
Twitter and Facebook, you can stream the live event to reach more viewers.
In this article you’ll discover how to stream your next
Google Hangout On Air to your Facebook and Twitter followers.
Why Google Hangouts On Air?
Google Hangouts On Air are live video broadcasts that
stream simultaneously on Google+ and YouTube. Through the magic of Google,
YouTube automatically records your live video and saves it to your YouTube
channel after the event.
Because
Hangouts are tied to YouTube, you can broadcast (or replay) your Hangout event
anywhere you can embed a YouTube video. Read on to find out how you can stream
your live event to Facebook and Twitter.
Set Up the Hangout On Air
Before you can embed your Hangout in Facebook or Twitter,
you need to set it up.
Log into Google+ and go to the Google Hangouts On Air
page. If you have multiple Google accounts, make sure you’re signed into the
correct one. This is important because your audience can see the name
associated with the account during your Hangout.
The main
Google Hangouts On Air page shows you all of the other Hangouts currently going
on. This is a great place to find inspiration or tips for your own event.
At the top of
the page, click Hangouts On Air and then click Start a Google Hangout On Air.
When you see the pop-up window, type in the details for your Hangout and click
Share.
Be sure to
name and describe your Hangout exactly as you want it to appear on YouTube.
It’s a good idea to include keywords related to your topic, hosts, guests,
company or industry.
You also have
the option to choose when the broadcast will start and who can see it. However,
since you want your YouTube, Facebook and Twitter audiences to have access,
make sure you include Public in the Audience box.
So far, so good! Everything is ready, so click the Start
button to activate the video and your computer’s camera. Then invite any other hosts or speakers as guests.
I've had
trouble with the Invite feature when the people I’m inviting haven’t been
active on Google+ for a while. If you run into the same issue, just email them
separately with the URL for the Hangout. When they sign into Google+, they can
use that URL to easily find the event.
When speakers
arrive, you’re able to talk with them immediately, but your conversations won’t
be broadcast or recorded until you click Start Broadcast.
Don’t click it
yet, though! You’ll need to embed the video into your other social platforms
before the live Hangout starts. Google automatically posts the video to your
Google+ account and YouTube channel, but you have to add the feed manually for
Facebook and Twitter.
Embed Hangout On Air Events in Facebook and Twitter
Leave the live Hangout On Air tab open and go back to
your Google+ tab. Click the Preview button to convert the preview window into a
YouTube video. Then click the
YouTube logo to see your Hangout on YouTube.
On the YouTube
page, you’ll see a screen like the one below. Don’t worry that it’s black or
that you can’t see yourself or any of the speakers. Since you haven’t started
the broadcast yet, there’s nothing to see.
To embed your
live Hangout feed in Facebook and Twitter, you need the YouTube sharing link.
Click Share and copy the link.
Head over to your Facebook page, write an update and
paste in the link. The link will generate a preview, but it won’t be active
until your Hangout starts. You can either post the update immediately or use a
scheduling tool. Either way, my suggestion is to make the post live at the same
time the broadcast goes live.
The embedding process works the same on Twitter. Go to
your Twitter account and paste the link into a new tweet and include additional
information that tells your audience what’s going on.
You may even want to post a string of teaser tweets that
explain what your Hangout is about, who’s speaking, other places people can
watch and how it works on Twitter. Build up a little excitement and provide
some instruction at the same time.
When you have your Facebook and Twitter posts ready, it’s
time to start the show! Head back over to the Google Hangout On Air tab and
start your broadcast.
It’s important to note that there’s about a seven-second
delay from when someone speaks to when the audience hears it on their end. Keep
this in mind if you plan on responding to the comments on each platform in real
time.
Conclusion
Google Hangouts On Air is a fun way to host everything
from general Q&A sessions to webinars to product launches. And because
Hangouts On Air is integrated with YouTube, you can embed your live broadcast
(as well as the saved one) just about anywhere—Facebook and Twitter included.
Want to reach
even more of your audience? Use Facebook ads and promoted tweets to get your Hangout
in front of more people and increase engagement.
Have someone
monitor each channel that’s broadcasting your Hangout. It’s important to
respond to comments, shares and other interactions during and after the event
because Hangout can significantly increase your engagement and audience across
all of your accounts.