The Ultimate Guide To Livestreaming On Substack

Livestreaming offers a completely new opportunity for growth and collaboration.

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Live streaming on Substack is here, and it’s a game-changer.

For years, platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram Live have dominated real-time content, but now Substack has entered the chat.

The ability to go live directly with your newsletter audience means stronger connections, deeper engagement, and new opportunities for growth and monetization.

And the best part? It’s still early.

Not many writers are using live streams yet, which means you have a huge opportunity to stand out.

I’ve been live streaming for years—running hundreds of sessions on different platforms—and now that Substack has fully rolled out live streaming, I know this is the next big thing for writers, creators, and thought leaders.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about live streaming on Substack:

• How to prepare your livestream for success

• How to collaborate with other Substack creators

• How to promote your sessions and get people to show up

• How to start a Substack livestream

• How to engage your audience in real time

• How to repurpose your livestream

By the end, you’ll have a battle-tested plan to host engaging, high-impact live streams that grow your audience and strengthen your brand. Let’s dive in.

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Preparing Your Live Stream For Success

Let’s be real: a messy, low-quality live stream is a fast way to lose viewers.

People will forgive a little imperfection (it’s live, after all), but if your stream is distracting, hard to hear, or visually unappealing, they’ll leave.

Here’s how to set yourself up for success before you hit "Go Live":

• Choose a clear topic and prepare key talking points – Random, unfocused live streams tend to feel unstructured and lose engagement quickly. Have a clear topic that aligns with your audience’s interests and prepare key points to guide the conversation. A simple outline will help you stay on track without sounding scripted.

• Camera positioning – Keep your camera at eye level to create a natural, engaging perspective.

• Lighting matters – Natural light is great, but if that’s not available, invest in a ring light or softbox to brighten your space.

• Clear audio – Use headphones or an external mic to cut out background noise and avoid echo. Good audio matters more than good video.

• Quiet, distraction-free space – Turn off notifications, mute your phone, and let your family or roommates know that you’re going live.

A little prep goes a long way in making sure your live stream looks and sounds professional and engaging.

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Collaborate With Other Substack Creators

One of the most underrated ways to grow your Substack is through collaborating with other creators, and live streaming makes this easier than ever.

Substack allows you to co-host live streams with up to three other people. This means you can:

• Run panel discussions with other writers in your niche

• Host interviews with experts your audience would love

• Collaborate with other Substack writers to cross-promote each other’s publication

• Make live streams more dynamic and engaging by having multiple perspectives

This is a huge opportunity to introduce your publication to new audiences.

If your guest shares the live session with their audience, you’ll immediately tap into a fresh group of potential subscribers who already trust and follow them.

That’s why many of our livestreams are with other Substack creators, such as

Ana Calin

,

Derek Hughes

,

Veronica Llorca-Smith

and

David McIlroy

, just to name a few.

To get the most out of collaborations:

1. Find the right people. Choose co-hosts whose audience overlaps with yours but offers a different perspective.

2. Plan the session together. Discuss the topic in advance so everyone knows their role and key talking points.

3. Promote it across both newsletters. The more both parties share it, the more people will attend.

Live streaming with other creators isn’t just about exposure—it also makes your content more engaging, conversational, and valuable for your audience.

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Promoting Your Live Sessions (So People Actually Show Up)

One of the biggest mistakes people make with live streaming is assuming people will just “show up.” That’s not how it works.

If you want real-time engagement, you need to build anticipation and remind people.

Here’s how to make sure your audience actually tunes in:

• Announce it in a Substack Note – A few days before your live stream, post a quick Note letting people know when you’re going live and what you’ll be covering.

• Use a shared calendar – Let your subscribers add your live stream schedule to their calendars so they get automatic reminders.

• Send a reminder on the day of the event – Post a short update in Substack Messenger or send an email one hour before you go live.

• Tease the benefits – Instead of just saying “Hey, I’m going live,” tell people why they should join; "I’ll be sharing the exact strategy that helped me grow my Substack by 3,000 subscribers in 5 months"

The more people know, anticipate, and get excited about your live stream, the higher your attendance rate will be.

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Starting The Session And Going Live

Once you’re set up and ready, it’s time to start your stream.

• Open the Substack app, click the “+” button, and tap “Live.”

• Choose a title and select your audience. You can go live to everyone, notify all your subscribers, or limit it to just paid members.

• Decide if you want guests. You can invite up to two others co-hosts or skip this step to go live solo.

• Enter the preview room. This is where you can check your audio, video, and connection before starting.

• Click “Go Live” to start streaming. Once the stream begins, a red “Live” icon will appear in the corner, and your audience can join in real time.

It’s that simple.

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Keeping Viewers Engaged (So They Don’t Leave Mid-Stream)

Engagement is the lifeblood of a good live stream. If people aren’t participating, they’ll zone out or leave.

Here’s how to keep them hooked:

• Read and repeat questions before answering – Since chat replies don’t show up in replays, always repeat the question before answering.

• Reintroduce the topic every few minutes – People join at different times, so reintroduce the topic to keep everyone on the same page.

• Encourage participation – Ask questions, get people to drop comments, or run quick polls to keep the conversation flowing.

The more interactive your session, the more people will stay until the end.

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What To Do After Your Livestream

Your work isn’t over when the stream ends. Here’s how to get more value from your session:

• Follow up with attendees – Send a quick thank-you message to the most engaged viewers (especially if they asked questions). This turns casual subscribers into superfans or even paid subscribers.

• Promote the replay – Remind your audience that they can still watch the replay if they missed it live. We upload all our livestreams to our publication, and you can find them right here.

• Create snippets for Notes – Substack lets you clip short snippets from your stream—perfect for repurposing into future Notes or teaser content.

You’ve already put the time and effort into hosting your livestream, so squeeze the most value out of it by repurposing the content.

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Final Thoughts

Live streaming on Substack isn’t just about sharing content—it’s about building connections.

It’s a powerful way to engage your audience in real time, attract new subscribers, and strengthen your brand.

And the best part? It’s still early.

Not many writers are using live streams yet, which means you have a huge opportunity to stand out.

So, are you ready to hit "Go Live"? Drop a comment and let me know if you’re planning to host your first Substack live session!