Socialive FAQs

What is Socialive?

Socialive is an end-to-end video creation platform for businesses. It’s easy for anyone anywhere to record, edit, publish, and livestream professional-grade content without hardware. Contributors around the world can produce high-end livestreams or create high-quality recordings — instantly available to edit or send to social media, internal and event platforms, or your own website.

How is Socialive different?

Socialive is the only end-to-end video creation platform built specifically for the enterprise. Socialive combines the ease of use and flexibility of popular video creation point solutions with the security measures and enterprise integrations businesses need to simplify workflows. The platform is user-friendly for people without formal video training, while designed to save video experts time and money. Just record, edit, publish, and livestream professional-grade video content.

Rather than using expensive equipment, needing to bring talent into a studio, or dealing with manual file transfers, video teams are able to execute every part of the video creation process in one place — while still maintaining the ability to instantly transfer video into any desired tool or platform. Using the team and equipment you already have, Socialive makes the video creation and livestreaming process easy from start to finish.

How do different departments use Socialive?

Socialive empowers teams across the enterprise to easily record, edit, publish, and livestream professional video to be used on social media, for sales and marketing, in internal communications, and for live events and webinars.

• Marketing: Easily create branded video marketing assets to grow awareness, driving high-quality leads that convert.
• Webinars and Virtual Events: Create professional, studio-quality live content that brings your digital, hybrid, or in-person event to life — without a physical studio.
• Video Services: Video teams are able to crowdsource high-quality content and speed up video creation workflows — gone are the days of sending a camera crew into the field or hiring an agency.
• Tech / Ops: With an end-to-end video creation platform, teams can reduce the tech stack and find cost-savings while building a cohesive video creation ecosystem.
• Communications: Authentic content that resonates with your customers and employees are both easy to create. It’s easier than ever to amplify your message.
• Learning & Enablement: Revitalize learning & development through authentic video content. From field-based training to onboarding and continuing education, it’s easy to create branded, authentic video that employees actually find helpful.
• Executive communications: Humanize leaders, increase their visibility, and amplify their message with clear, authentic messaging through video.
• Human Resources: Make your company appear even more compelling in a competitive workforce through employee-centric content, which is easy for anyone, anywhere to record as a contributor.
• Product Marketing: Recorded product videos and live demos are easy to pull off — showcasing your product in the best light, thrilling customers and prospects.

How much is Socialive?

We tailor a solution to fit your needs. Our pricing is based on number of users, contributors, distribution channels, and customer success tier. More information on our tiered offerings is available on our pricing page.

What devices can be used to record?

Socialive supports an array of recording devices, from your device’s internal camera, a connected external camera, or your mobile device. Socialive supports any kind of setup, ranging from DIY video to professional cameras. Mobile users can record via the Socialive mobile app, while desktop users can record in the Socialive Recording Booth.

Can I record by myself? What about in a group?

Both! Socialive’s Recording Booth is perfect for self-guided solo recordings, but the Socialive studio also includes group recording sessions. This makes it easy to capture an entire group of people at once, creating a composite of the recording while also capturing each individual’s full-screen, HD feed.

Can producers guide talent in recordings?

Absolutely! The recording studio includes a Virtual Green Room that connects producers and guests, so producers can manage everything behind the scenes while talent focuses on nailing the take. This allows producers to provide guidance over the recording, give tips on lighting and framing, and oversee the session to guarantee top quality.

Are there any physical limitations to where I can record?

Nope, as long as you have Internet connection you can record in Socialive. If you don’t have connectivity, you can always use the mobile app to record, which is automatically uploaded to your recording library after connection is restored.

Can I create recordings outside of Socialive?

Yes! You can upload any video created outside of Socialive directly to your recording library. While recording in Socialive is the most efficient workflow, we make it easy for anyone to add content that was created outside of the platform, as well.

How many people can you record at once?

Up to 20 people can be recorded in a single session. Socialive makes it easy for anyone to join by an invite link, as well. The platform is great for both quick solo recording or the larger group recordings.

Can you record your screen, too?

Yes! You can easily record yourself, your screen, or both! You can choose to either record an uploaded presentation, capture a browser window, or record your entire screen. Recording yourself and screenshares are easier than ever.

Are recordings saved to the device?

No — to keep content confidential all local recordings are automatically removed from the device and uploaded to your account’s secure content library.

Do guests need to have an account to record?

No, talent doesn’t need to create a Socialive account to record content. Just send them a link to record on their own or to participate in a guided recording and they can join from their preferred device.

What resolution does Socialive record in?

Standard recordings are captured in 1080p, but Socialive supports up to 4K quality. Check out our article on Socialive recording specs to learn more.

Am I limited in my recording orientation?

Of course not! You can record in the perfect format for your destination. Content can be recorded in 16:9 landscape, 1:1 square, 4:5 portrait, or 9:16 portrait. It doesn’t matter if your content is for social media, meant to be viewed on mobile device or a widescreen TV, Socialive provides you options to record in each format from both desktop and mobile devices.

Does connection strength impact recording quality?

No, poor Internet connection does not have an impact on the quality of the recording. Socialive captures recordings through both the cloud interface (our end) and the local device (talent’s end) to guarantee that quality is not impacted by laggy connection. Local recordings are automatically uploaded to your secure recording library and removed from the device.

How can I access recordings created in Socialive?

Each account has a secure recording library, which can only be accessed by designated team members. The different roles control who can record, upload, and access recordings after the fact. All data is encrypted end-to-end, both in transit and at rest, ensuring your content remains confidential. Once content is recorded it is immediately available in the library and ready to edit or publish.

Can Socialive recordings be used in other content?

Yes! As soon as content is recorded in Socialive it is uploaded to the secure recording library, where designated users can edit, publish, livestream, create snackable clips, or reuse the video as they see fit.

What makes editing in Socialive fast and easy?

Socialive’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows anyone to quickly rearrange different pieces of content, add branding, apply lower thirds, add graphics, add music, combine video clips, or make any other quick edits to create the perfect video. It’s an easy way for people without a background in content creation to edit video.

Does Socialive’s editor use AI?

Socialive currently leverages some automation with more AI-powered tools to come! We believe that AI is the future and are working to integrate it where it makes sense to speed up the editing process and contributes to our mission to make video creation faster and easier for everyone. We’re also more than happy to provide guidance on AI’s uses in video editing as we do in our blog post on AI video editing.

What are some examples of AI video editing tools?

There are a number of AI-powered features on the market that make it easy for anyone to edit video and to make the entire process faster. Some examples include:

• Automated captions and transcripts
• Text-based editing
• Automated video summarization
• Automatic chaptering
• Disfluency removal
• Color matching
• Auto templates

Check out our blog on the benefits of AI video editing to learn more about how AI-powered editing tools make it faster and easier to edit video.

How do I add lower thirds in Socialive?

Socialive’s automated nametags feature allows anyone to instantly toggle on lower thirds. Just edit the biographical information in the video file and turn on nametags — Socialive takes care of the rest.

How do I add graphics and borders around videos?

Socialive’s easy-to-use layouts and one-click graphics make it easy to turn raw footage into a branded video. There are dozens of layouts to choose from and users can upload custom graphics, backgrounds, logos, or any other media. Socialive then layers each piece of media over the video in a single click. Just pick what you want to use, combine those elements, and your video is ready to go!

What layouts are available?

There are dozens of picture-in-picture, side-by-side, and flexible layouts to choose from. Whether it’s pinned video over a presentation, two-person talking head video, a quick recording over a background, or huge group recording, we have tons of layouts you can choose from.

How can I set up a template for a specific type of video?

The easiest way to create a video template is to use the scenes available in Socialive. Each scene can be set up with specific layouts, can include different graphics and media, and in your desired orientation. Once the template is set up, only team members with the proper roles can adjust the template, ensuring that anyone can contribute content but only people with access can change the template. Additionally, everything is saved as you go, so no worries if you begin to build a template and then need to quickly leave the platform.

How can I create clips from existing content?

The easiest way to create a snackable clip is to use the clipping tools right in the recording library. It’s easy for anyone to pick the best section, drag the timeline heads into place, and then download that portion of the video. Clips can be sent straight to editing, downloaded, or instantly published.

Does Socialive create caption files and transcripts?

Yes, Socialive automatically generates caption files and transcripts! The platform generates caption files and transcripts for all content in the recording library. Just click to export and then you can download files with timing as an .srt, .txt, or .vtt.

 What file exports are available in Socialive?

You can download content from the recording library as an .mp4 for video, .mp3 for audio only, or download a CFR video as an .mp4 for editing outside of Socialive.

Where can I publish content?

Anywhere! Socialive connects with a wide range of collaboration, meeting, webinar and event, social media platforms, and more. This allow users to instantly send content from Socialive to any enterprise workforce tool. Check out a list of some of the enterprise tools we natively connect with on our integrations page.

Who can publish or download content?

Only people with access to the recording library can publish or download content. Socialive limits permissions via each user role.

Does Socialive transfer video straight to my desired channel?

Yes! Anything that is created in Socialive is available for cloud transfer directly to your desired destination. Storage platforms like Google Drive, collaboration platforms like Facebook Workplace and Slack, video CMS’s like Wistia and Frame.io, are among our plethora of enterprise-ready integrations.

Can I send video straight to social media from Socialive?

Yes! You can send snackable and social content straight to Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, among other social sites. You can also send content to social media publishing platforms such as Hootsuite, Sprinklr, and others so content can be scheduled and posted later. To see a more comprehensive list of connected social channels and tools, check out our integrations page.

Does Socialive connect to other enterprise video platforms?

Of course! Socialive connects to Kaltura, Brightcove, Vimeo, Wistia, Vbrick, Frame.io, and dozens of others. For a more comprehensive list, check out our enterprise-ready integrations.

How does Socialive save time in file transfers?

Socialive’s enterprise-ready connections eliminates manual file transfers. There’s no longer any need to download content from one platform and upload to another. Socialive’s one-click file transfers save teams time when moving content between one platform and another. This empowers video teams to build a truly end-to-end video workflow in an ecosystem designed for the enterprise.

Can I download files? How long does it take for files to download?

Of course you can download content from Socialive. It depends on the length of the content, but if you’re downloading an .mp4 for a short video it’s pretty much instant. Any generated captions, or audio-only exports take about one minute before they are ready to download.

What do I need to livestream on Socialive?

To get started, all you need is a computer with a camera and microphone. The easiest way to tailor the platform to your specific setup is to book a demo with one of our video experts.

Do I need to install any software?

No. Socialive is a browser-based video creation platform, so there is no software to download. To create or livestream on mobile we have an iOS app and Android app available in both app stores.

Do I need an encoder?

Nope! There's no need for a separate software or hardware encoder. Socialive takes care of it. However, if your team wants to use a separate encoder, they can.

What channels can I livestream to?

With Socialive, you can livestream and send content to:

• Social Media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, Periscope
• Virtual Event and Webinar: ON24, GlobalMeet, Kollective, Hopin, Intrado, Swoogo, Cvent, Eventmobi
• Enterprise Video: Pigeonhole Live, Kaltura, Vbrick, JW Player, Maestro, Splash, Brightcove
• Team Collaboration: Bizzabo, Workplace from Facebook, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Stream, BrightTALK
• Ecommerce: Amazon Live, Shopify ...and more!

Can I livestream to Instagram Live?

Yes! Instagram now supports livestreaming outside its own mobile application. It can be added as a distribution option within Socialive, and there are plenty of ways to create compelling content within Instagram, including sending content straight to Instagram Reels or Instagram Stories.

Can I livestream to my own website?

Yes, you can use a number of players embedded to your website.

Can I livestream to more than one platform at a time?

There is no limit to the number of platforms you can broadcast to. You can broadcast to multiple pages within a single platform, or across multiple platforms. We offer a number of out-of-the-box enterprise integrations.

Do I need any special equipment or hardware?

No, you can easily go live with just your laptop, but you can easily connect any external camera, microphone, or device you like to maximize picture and audio quality. For the best experience possible, check out our article on recommended cameras, tripods, microphones, and audio gear that fit any budget.

What cameras can I use as inputs?

You can use any camera from your iPhone to a webcam to a cinematic camera, supporting quality up to 4K resolution. If you’re just getting started, check out our article on recommended external equipment.

Are my livestreams recorded?

Yes, all broadcasts are recorded automatically and uploaded to your secure content library. The entire livestream, as well as each guest’s feed are recorded. Each guest’s recording is captured through the device to maximize quality, immediately uploaded to the recording library for instant access, and then automatically removed from their device as a security measure.

To access, download, transfer, or edit your recordings, log into portal.socialive.us.

The permissions-based library can also be accessed via our mobile app.

Are guest feeds recorded?

Yes! Guest feeds are automatically recorded in the cloud (our side) and the local device (their end) can be recorded, both automatically uploaded directly to your secure content library. For more information check out our article on recording best practices for producers.

How many guests can you host on screen?

A maximum of 20 feeds — guests or screenshares — can join the livestream. You can broadcast with up to ten feeds on screen in a variety of layouts. Socialive makes it easy for guests to join and contribute content.

Can I add graphics or other media to my broadcast?

To enhance the viewing experience, you can add graphics such as video, audio, images, lower thirds, watermarks, calls to actions, and more. For more information, check out our article on adding graphics and media to content.

Can people watch on Socialive?

No. Socialive is built to livestream to third party platforms where your audience is — you’ll never tell a viewer to go to Socialive, livestream to the places your audience already know. However, you can host video content on your own website with a number of players, including our embeddable Socialive Player.

Can I add users to my account? Can I control their access?

Yes, it is a multi-user platform designed for enterprises with user roles and permissions, granting different types of access based on role. Check out our article on Socialive user roles and permissions to learn more.

How secure is the data in Socialive?

Socialive does not store any sensitive data. We utilize end-to-end encryption, both at rest and in transit and are both SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 270001 certified. Our account structure allows admins to set access permissions.

Through security audits, data encryption and standards compliance, we’ve designed our platform to meet or exceed enterprise security requirements. Check out our article on our security measures to learn more.

I’m having an issue. What should I do?

Tell us! Contact us or send us an email at support@socialive.us.