This article provides information on how to create a Live Stream widget for your dashboard. It uses YouTube's live stream feature, so you need to have a YouTube account.
An example can be seen below how it can compliment your Dashboard, for important company updates.
Attention: Please keep in mind that these instructions are how to currently enable & create a live stream through the YouTube website. However, YouTube can make changes to this process at any time (without warning). Please also consider if this is the best solution for your intended purpose.
Tip: Please make sure you are logged into YouTube, as some of the instructions contain links to tools within your YouTube account.
Step 1: Enable Live Streaming on your YouTube Account
Before you create a live stream, you'll need to enable your channel for live streaming. Please see the instructions below:
1. Confirm that your channel is verified and that you have no live stream restrictions in the last 90 days.
Note: To live stream on mobile, your channel will need to have at least 1,000 subscribers in addition to the requirement above.
2. Enable live streaming:
- On a desktop, go to Creator Studio tools, then go to the 'Live Streaming' tab
- On the YouTube app on mobile, create a live stream
Note: After you request live streaming be enabled on your account, it can take up to 24 hours to take effect. So, please ensure that you have enabled live streaming long before you intend on using this feature! Once enabled, your stream can go live instantly.
Tip: For full instructions, please refer to the following YouTube Help article: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9227509?hl=en-GB&ref_topic=9257984.
Step 2: Creating or Scheduling your YouTube Live Stream
After you have received confirmation that live streaming is available on your account (typically via email), you can access the YouTube live stream feature either on your phone (if you are going to be recording on a mobile device) or, on a desktop/laptop computer (if you are going to be recording via a PC webcam).
In this example, we'll be using the iOS YouTube app. Please see instructions below:
1. Open the YouTube app
2. Tap on the camera icon (top right)
3. Tap on the "GO LIVE" icon
4. Configure the below stream details, then tap on the "NEXT" button
- Enter a title (1)
- Set the visibility option to "Unlisted" (2)
- Tap on "MORE OPTIONS" (3)
5. Configure the below (additional) stream details, then tap on the "NEXT" button
- Enter a description (1)
- Choose whether to schedule the live stream for a later date/time (2) [optional]
- Tap on "Advanced settings", for additional settings, such as; disabling chat comments (3) [optional]
On the next (review) screen, you are given the option to make changes (e.g. stream settings, thumbnail image etc.) by tapping on the 'edit' (pencil) icon. However, more importantly, this is where you obtain the YouTube URL for the stream, which you require to obtain the embed URL for the widget (Steps 3 & 4 below).
To obtain the link, tap on the 'share' (arrow) icon (top right), then tap on "COPY LINK".
Important: Keep note of this link for the next set of steps.
Tip: Here is an example of what the YouTube URL should look like: https://youtu.be/nUET2paML28
Step 3: Obtaining the YouTube embed URL
Now that you have copied the YouTube URL from the above step, it's time to access it. However, this must be done on a PC, as they cannot be done from a mobile device, unfortunately. Please see instructions below:
1. Open your preferred browser
2. Access the URL copied from the previous steps - e.g. https://youtu.be/nUET2paML28
Note: When on the video page, you will either see your live stream (if you created a stream without scheduling a later date), or the countdown to your live stream.
4. Click on the the "SHARE" (arrow) button underneath the video player
5. In the pop-up windows that appears, click on the "Embed" icon
6. On the next screen, copy the URL within the 'Embed Video' coding (right side) - without the quotation marks
Important: Keep note of this link for the next set of steps.
Tip: Here is an example of what the YouTube embed URL should look like: https://www.youtube.com/embed/nUET2paML28
Step 4. Adding the Widget to your Platform
1. Log into your World Manager platform, then go to 'System → System Configuration' and click on the Dashboard button under the "System" section
2. Click on the New Widget button
3. Choose the "IFrame" option from the drop-down
4. Fill out the new widget details as follows:
- Title: YouTube Live Stream
- Description: YouTube Live Stream Widget
- Preferred Column: Left
- Target Country: Choose the country/countries you wish to display this YouTube widget in
- Style: None
- Text Colour: **Leave as Default
- Url Link: **The URL from YouTube (step 6 from above instructions)
- Height (px): 450
Note: All of the above settings are recommendations only. Please feel free to amend as per your requirement.
5. Click the Save button
The widget has now been created and can be pinned/added to the dashboard(s) of your choosing.
Tip: Please be sure to click Update once you have set the widget to the desired group(s). For more information regarding managing widgets, see article: Managing Widgets on the Dashboard.