Instagram Rolls out Live-streaming, (in case you need one more app for that) How to Use the Live Streaming

In the ongoing campaign to make all social networks indistinguishable from one another, Instagram has now added a live-streaming feature to its app with Live Videos. Whether you’re an iOS or Android user, you should be able to broadcast live video from your phone within the next couple days, with the U.S. rollout beginning December 12.

Much like you’re currently able to do via Periscope or Facebook Live, Instagram’s Live Videos allows you to stream content to your followers, all in real time. Unlike Facebook Live, however, these video streams won’t be archived for later enjoyment — rather, when you’re done recording, the video goes away instantly. So if ephemerality isn’t your thing, you may not like Instagram’s newest feature.

But if you’re a Snapchat fan, this disappearing act may be more up your alley. Already, Instagram has made a number of moves this year that has rendered it more and more similar to Snapchat — earlier this year, for example, it rolled out Stories, which was more or less a clone of one of Snapchat’s most popular offerings.

HOW TO USE

To use Instagram’s live-streaming function, just go to the Stories camera and select “Live” mode. Your audience will know you’re coming at them in real time thanks to a “live” badge that will appear over your Story icon. And they can interact with your content by leaving comments or tapping the Heart button.

There’s also a “Top Live” section in the app’s Explore tab, which alerts you to popular Live Videos — but don’t wait, since these videos supposedly disappear as soon as the creator is finished streaming, you’re either watching live or not at all.

So get excited, friends. Soon, no matter what your social media needs, you’ll be able to satisfy all of them from a single app. And its name will probably be Instagram.