LinkedIn Live is live video on LinkedIn. A host broadcasts from a personal profile or a company page, and the stream shows up in followers’ feeds while it runs. Viewers react and comment in real time, and the host can answer out loud. When it ends, the recording usually stays on the profile or page for people who missed it.
Broadcasts typically run through a third-party streaming tool that connects to LinkedIn, rather than from a phone camera alone. LinkedIn sets eligibility rules for who can go live, and they have changed over time, so check LinkedIn Help for the current requirements before you plan anything.
The checklist
Live video takes more planning than a post. Without it, you risk talking to an empty room. Work through these in order.
A week or more before
- Pick a format with a clear payoff. “Live Q&A on salary negotiation for new managers” is far easier to promote than “a chat.”
- Schedule it as a LinkedIn event. People get a page to sign up on and a reminder before it starts.
- Choose a time that suits your audience, not just you. The free Best Time to Post tool converts your audience’s working hours into your time zone.
- Line up a co-host, or write ten questions you can answer if comments are slow at first.
- Announce it with a post that says who it is for and what they will leave with. The Post Generator can draft it.
The day of
- Run a private test of audio, video and the streaming tool.
- Check that your account still shows the option to go live.
- Turn off notifications and close anything that might pop up on a shared screen.
- Ask someone to watch the comments and pass you the best questions.
- Start on time, and say in the first minute what the session will cover, for people who join late.
Afterward
- Reply in writing to questions you did not get to.
- Note which questions came up most. They are ready-made topics for future posts.
- Turn key moments into short posts or a document post that summarizes the takeaways.
Why go live at all
Live video does something a post cannot. People watch you think, answer questions and handle the unexpected, and that builds trust quickly. It suits product demos, expert interviews, office hours, panel talks and launches.
The comment stream is also direct feedback. You hear the questions your audience actually has, in their words. The LinkedIn personal branding guide shows where live sessions fit alongside regular posting, and how to get more followers on LinkedIn covers building the audience that shows up.
Live vs a recorded video post
A video post is recorded and edited before you publish. A live broadcast happens in real time, with an audience who can respond. If you want polish, record. If you want conversation, go live.