Interaction is what makes live broadcasts work. People show up for the video and stay for the conversation, and a chat you are actually taking part in is the difference between an audience and a crowd. Multistreaming complicates that. You are live on YouTube and Twitch at once, comments are arriving in both, and you can only watch one. Questions go unanswered and the conversation goes quiet. OneStream Studio handles cross-platform chats for you.
Every comment lands in one window, tagged with the platform it came from, and your reply goes back to the right place. A few clicks, one screen.
This guide covers what cross-platform chats are, how they work in OneStream Studio, how to put a comment on screen, and how to keep a chat worth taking part in.
- OneStream Live brings cross-platform chats from your supported platforms into one window inside Studio.
- OneStream Live supports chat on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitch and Kick.
- Live Chat is for your audience. Private Chat is for your guests, and viewers never see it.
- You can push a viewer’s comment onto the broadcast as a banner, carrying their name and platform.
- Chat connects once your stream is live, not before.
What Are Cross-Platform Chats in OneStream Studio?
Cross-platform chats collect the comments from every platform you are broadcasting to and show them in one place inside Studio. You read and reply without opening a single platform tab.
Studio splits this into two panels.
Live Chat carries your audience. Comments arrive from Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitch and Kick, and your reply goes back to whichever platform the message came from.
Private Chat carries your guests. It is a backstage conversation between the people on the call, and your viewers never see it.
The two sit next to each other in the right rail, so you can talk to your guests and your audience without losing track of either.
Perks of OneStream Studio Cross-Platform Chats
If you live stream to multiple platforms at the same time, OneStream Studio chat can have a positive and engaging impact on your stream performance. Here are some benefits of OneStream Studio Live cross-platform chat:
All Chat in One Place
At its core, OneStream Studio Chat lets you manage communication with your audience on one screen. You can connect audiences from your supported platforms via Studio Chat and respond to them in one place.
Audience Engagement
Engage with your audience in real-time conversation. People engage with broadcasts to share thoughts, ask questions, and exchange opinions. OneStream Studio Cross Platform Live chat makes them feel welcome and engaged.
Easy to Gather Feedback
OneStream Studio chat helps you to get comments quickly and effectively. Instantaneous feedback drives performance and makes it simple for management to establish connections.
Instant Support
It is way easier to direct and redirect your audience via OneStream Studio Chat compared to the traditional service channels. Cross-platform chat supports must faster query resolution times and faster lead generation.
No More Tab Switching
It takes a lot of labor to manage everyone commenting on your stream. It’s one less thing to worry about with OneStream Studio cross-platform chat. Take your efficiency curve to a new level by reading and rereading your live stream communications from various streaming platforms and responding to them on a single screen.
How Cross-Platform Chats Work in OneStream Studio
Chat connects once your broadcast starts, not before. Log in to OneStream Live and follow the steps below.
1
Open your session and set destinations: Start a Studio session, click Set Destinations, and switch on the platforms you want to reach.
2
Open the Live Chat panel: Click Live Chat in the right rail. Before you are live it reads Stream Not Live, and the Connect Chat button stays inactive.
3
Go live: Click Go Live. The panel changes to Ready to Receive Messages? and confirms your channels are connected.
4
Click Connect Chat: This starts pulling comments in. The panel opens on three tabs: Chat, Banner Queue and Pinned.
5
Read and reply: Comments appear in the Chat tab. Type in the box at the bottom, add an emoji if you want one, and send.
Spotlight Comments on Stream as a Banner
Comments do not have to stay in the side panel. You can put them on the broadcast itself.
Hover over a comment in the Chat tab and three icons appear, plus a menu.
Show now puts the comment on the broadcast straight away. Nothing waits and nothing queues.
Add to queue lines it up to appear in turn, which is useful when several good comments arrive at once and you do not want to lose them.
Pin holds a comment in the Pinned tab, so an important one does not scroll away while you are mid-sentence.
The three dots beside them let you delete a comment.
The banner carries the viewer’s name and their platform badge alongside the message, so credit goes to the right person.
Controlling the Queue
The Banner Queue tab is where queued comments are managed, and the tab header shows how many are waiting.
Two options control how they behave. Show banners until removed holds each banner up until you take it down, which suits a question you are answering at length. Show next banner after advances automatically, and you set the display time yourself, anywhere from 10 to 300 seconds.
Showing now tells you which banner is on screen and how long is left on it. Pause Queue stops the rotation when you want to hold on one comment.
This is what unifies your audience. Stream to Facebook and YouTube at once, put a YouTube comment on screen, and your Facebook viewers see it too. Two audiences start feeling like one.
Tips to make Cross-Platform Chat More Engaging
The live stream chat presents several chances for you to be “you” and foster a personal connection with your audience. Here are some tips to make your OneStream Studio Cross-Platform Chat more engaging.
Embrace Authority and be Yourself
Consider fresh perspectives on the subject of your live event, and feel free to share your thoughts with the audience. You increase the likelihood that viewers will connect with you and want to engage in more conversation with you in the live Chat by being more relatable.
Set Chat Rules
Before starting the live Chat, make sure the rules are clear. For example, don’t use long texts; repeating text is spam; links are not permitted; don’t type in all caps; use only English; and don’t use foul language.
Organize Q&A Sessions
By definition, most live broadcasts are interactive. However, in practice, they frequently devolve into one-way information-distribution sessions, gaming, or informal discussion sessions with viewers. It is a wonderful idea to plan a weekly or monthly Q&A session in order to increase audience participation. Remember that audiences adore sincerity. The greatest way to achieve it is by being open to their queries and putting yourself out there.
Highlight Live Comments
Seeing your name appear on the live stream is a good feeling. Use the banner to display comments or questions while you are live. Highlight regular viewers by name, and add a little about them if you know them. That is a strong source of engagement with your audience.
Final Thoughts
Cross-platform chats turn scattered comment feeds into one conversation. Your supported platforms in one window, every reply going to the right place, and the good questions up on screen where everyone can see them.
That is the difference between viewers watching you and viewers taking part.
Ready to try it? Start a Studio session, go live, and click Connect Chat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see all my live stream comments in one place?
Yes. Live Chat in OneStream Studio collects comments from every supported platform you are streaming to and shows them in one panel.
Which platforms support cross-platform chat?
Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitch and Kick. OneStream Live streams to 45+ platforms, and chat is unified for these five.
What is the difference between Live Chat and Private Chat?
Live Chat is for your audience, and everyone watching can see it. Private Chat is for your guests only, and viewers never see it.
Why is my chat not connecting?
Chat connects after the stream starts. Before you go live the panel reads Stream Not Live and the Connect Chat button is inactive. Go live first, then connect.
Can I show viewers' comments on my live stream?
Yes, and you choose the timing. Hover over a comment and show it on screen straight away, or add it to the queue to appear in turn. Either way, the banner carries the viewer’s name and platform.
OneStream Live is a cloud-based live streaming solution to create, schedule, and multistream professional-looking live streams across 45+ social media platforms and the web simultaneously. For content-related queries and feedback, write to us at [email protected]. If you have a story to share about your live streaming experience with OneStream Live, we would be glad to feature it. You’re also welcome to Write for Us!
