How do I set up a livestream or webcast page on my website?

How do I put a livestream on a page?

1. Schedule the stream on YouTube. Set it up ahead of time in YouTube’s live tools so it has its own watch link. Set its privacy to Public.
2. Copy the embed code. On a computer, open the scheduled stream on YouTube, select Share, then Embed, and copy the code.
3. Open your page. In WordPress, go to Pages and edit your “Watch live” page, or add a new page.
4. Add a Custom HTML block. Select the + button and choose Custom HTML, or type /html and press Enter.
5. Paste and save. Select Edit HTML, paste the code, select Update, then save the page.
6. Add the details as text. Above the player, add the date, start time and time zone, plus a link to watch on YouTube.
7. Test it. Open the page on a computer and a phone, ideally during a short unlisted test stream.
   • Expected result: the player shows your scheduled stream and plays once you go live.

These steps follow YouTube’s embed guide and WordPress’s Custom HTML block guide. YouTube’s promotion tips suggest embedding the stream on your website and sharing your link at least 48 hours before you go live.

The short version

• Schedule the stream on YouTube so it has its own link, then embed it with Share, then Embed.
• Paste the code into a Custom HTML block on your page, and test it before the day.

Do I need a new code every time?

Usually, yes. Each scheduled stream has its own link, so its embed code points to that stream only. For weekly services or meetings, schedule the next stream and swap the code on your page each time. Some people use a channel-wide “live” embed instead, but YouTube’s help pages don’t document it, so test it well before relying on it.

Why won’t the stream play on our site?

• Embedding is turned off. In YouTube Studio, go to Content, open the video’s Details, select Show more and make sure Allow embedding is ticked.
• The stream is private. YouTube streams can be Public, Unlisted or Private, per its live stream settings page. WordPress’s Embeds guide notes private YouTube videos can’t be embedded; public and unlisted ones can.
• The code disappeared when you saved. On a standard WordPress site, only Administrators and Editors can save embed code.
• Live chat is missing. YouTube says live chat is only available on YouTube watch pages, not embedded players (live streams overview). Add a “Chat on YouTube” link.

What are the common mistakes?

• No time zone. “7 pm” means different things to viewers in different places.
• Testing on the day. A short unlisted test stream the week before catches problems early.
• Only one way to watch. Always add a direct YouTube link under the player, in case the embed fails.

How does E-3 handle this?

Send us the page you want and the stream’s link through Request a change. A person at E-3 adds the player. Call 814-399-4655 or email support@e3help.me.

Related questions

• How do I add a video to my website?
• How do I update events or the calendar on my site?
• Can I embed a widget or code from another service on my website?