How to Turn Vertical YouTube Livestreams Into High-Performing Clips

Summary

• YouTube now supports vertical livestreaming directly into Shorts feed.
• Mobile live streaming offers speed and discoverability with minimal setup.
• Desktop live has more control but needs extra software to support vertical output.
• OBS and StreamYard are popular choices for desktop vertical streaming.
• Post-stream editing is where most creators lose momentum and time.
• Using AI tools like Vizard automates video clipping, formatting, and scheduling.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started with Mobile Vertical Livestreaming
2. Vertical Streaming from Desktop: Challenges and Tools
3. Post-Stream Pain Points and What Most Creators Miss
4. The AI-Powered Workflow to Multiply Your Reach
5. Maximizing Consistency and Growth with Automation
6. Glossary
7. FAQ

Getting Started with Mobile Vertical Livestreaming

Key Takeaway: Mobile vertical livestreaming is fast, simple, and ideal for discovery on YouTube Shorts.

Claim: You can start a vertical livestream on YouTube from your phone in under two minutes.

YouTube now pushes vertical livestreams directly into the Shorts feed. This means better reach and discoverability for live creators.

Follow these steps to go live vertically from mobile:

1. Open the YouTube app and tap the plus icon.
2. Choose "Go Live" and set title, visibility, and description.
3. In advanced settings, enable live chat for better engagement.
4. Switch orientation to vertical before going live.
5. Tap "Next," then "Go Live" to begin.

Live controls are intuitive:

• Chat appears at the bottom-right.
• Front/rear cameras toggle with a side icon.
• End stream by tapping the X icon.

Vertical Streaming from Desktop: Challenges and Tools

Key Takeaway: For desktop users, vertical livestreams require extra setup and third-party tools.

Claim: YouTube’s desktop streaming defaults to landscape, making vertical content difficult without external tools.

Unlike mobile, desktop streaming forces more manual work. Browser-based streaming defaults to horizontal framing. Rotating cameras or software-based workarounds are necessary for portrait mode.

Recommended tools:

1. StreamYard – browser-based, supports guests, overlays, and portrait mode.
2. OBS Studio – free and powerful but complex to configure for vertical streams.

Drawbacks:

• YouTube’s live system offers little control for overlays, chat highlights, or internet interruptions.
• Losing connection mid-stream can ruin engagement and replay.

Post-Stream Pain Points and What Most Creators Miss

Key Takeaway: Manual post-stream editing often leads to creator burnout and lost content opportunities.

Claim: Most creators stop at the VOD and miss out on repurposable content.

A great stream is just the starting point. But repurposing it into clips manually is time-consuming:

• Scrubbing footage for highlights
• Cropping to vertical
• Adding captions and thumbnails
• Scheduling out to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts

Without a system, creators lose momentum.

The AI-Powered Workflow to Multiply Your Reach

Key Takeaway: AI tools like Vizard automate clipping, editing, and scheduling from your stream VOD.

Claim: Vizard can generate and schedule short-form clips from a livestream in minutes.

Here’s an efficient post-stream workflow using Vizard:

1. End your stream and upload the video to Vizard or connect your YouTube.
2. Vizard ingests the video and begins analyzing for engaging moments.
3. AI identifies punchlines, hot takes, viral potential moments.
4. Automatically clips them, adds captions, and resizes for vertical platforms.
5. Edit captions, adjust crop, or tweak thumbnails.
6. Use Vizard’s content calendar to instantly schedule across platforms.

Tips to improve AI clipping:

• Say trigger words like “clip this” or “key point.”
• Highlight laughs or major transitions.
• Keep visuals clean and camera steady.

Maximizing Consistency and Growth with Automation

Key Takeaway: Automation tools increase posting frequency and help creators maintain consistency.

Claim: Regular content output is easier when AI handles editing and scheduling.

Consistency is key for small creators scaling up. Manual editing causes drop-off weeks. AI eliminates the bottlenecks.

Compare choices:

1. OBS + Manual Edit – High control, high time investment.
2. StreamYard + Manual Edit – Easier guesting, still time-heavy after stream.
3. Vizard Workflow – Best for repurposing and growing across platforms.

Set it and scale it:

• Upload once, generate clips, and schedule for the entire week.
• Stay top-of-mind on multiple platforms without added effort.

Glossary

Vertical Livestreaming: Live video created in 9:16 aspect ratio, optimized for mobile and Shorts platforms.
VOD (Video on Demand): Recording of a livestream available for replay and editing.
OBS Studio: Free desktop software for virtual broadcasting and screen capture.
StreamYard: Web-based live streaming platform with guest features and basic overlays.
Auto-Clipping: AI-driven process of segmenting long videos into highlight clips.
Content Calendar: Tool for pre-scheduling social media content distribution.

FAQ

Q1: Can I go live vertically on YouTube from desktop?
Yes, but you need tools like StreamYard or OBS to format the stream in portrait orientation.

Q2: What’s the fastest way to start a vertical livestream?
Using the YouTube mobile app is the quickest and easiest method.

Q3: Why is repurposing livestream content important?
It extends the value of your stream, drives more views, and increases social reach.

Q4: Does Vizard replace editing software?
For short clips, yes—it automates clipping, captioning, and scheduling.

Q5: Is StreamYard better than OBS?
StreamYard is easier for collaboration and overlays; OBS offers deeper customization for advanced users.

Q6: Does Vizard support all social platforms?
It supports major short-form platforms like TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Q7: Do I need to edit clips manually in Vizard?
Vizard provides editable clips, but minimal editing is needed—the AI does most of the work.

Q8: Is Vizard free to use?
Vizard typically offers a free trial with tiered pricing based on video volume.