How to Host a LinkedIn Live Event with Zoom: A Step-by-Step Guide
Originally Published: 4/30/2025
Updated: 8/18/2026
LinkedIn Live has quickly become one of the most engaging tools for professionals looking to connect with their audience in real-time. From product demos to expert interviews, LinkedIn Live is your ticket to boosting visibility and interaction on the world’s largest professional network.
But here’s the twist: LinkedIn doesn’t natively support broadcasting—so you’ll need a third-party streaming tool. That’s where Zoom comes in. If you’re already comfortable with Zoom, you’ll find it surprisingly easy to stream directly to LinkedIn.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to host a LinkedIn Live event using Zoom, plus share some pro tips to make your event a success.
Do You Need Zoom to Go Live on LinkedIn?
Not necessarily. LinkedIn lets you go live natively from the mobile app for simple, one-person broadcasts. But once you want multiple speakers, screen sharing, or a more produced feel, Zoom is the easier route.
That’s the gap this guide fills. If you’re already running meetings and webinars in Zoom, streaming that same setup straight to LinkedIn Live means one less tool to learn.
Why Use Zoom with LinkedIn Live?
Before diving into the how, let’s talk about the why. Zoom is a popular choice for streaming to LinkedIn Live because it:
- Has a familiar interface
- Supports multiple speakers with ease
- Offers solid audio and video quality
- Makes screen sharing and presentations a breeze
Pairing Zoom with LinkedIn Live gives your virtual event a professional edge while leveraging your existing Zoom know-how.
Step 1: Check Eligibility for LinkedIn Live
Not everyone can go live on LinkedIn right away. LinkedIn has an application process to prevent misuse of the feature.
To be eligible, you must:
- Have an active LinkedIn profile or Page with good standing
- Meet follower or connection thresholds (typically 150+ for personal accounts)
- Follow LinkedIn’s community guidelines
To apply, go to LinkedIn Live Access Request. Once approved, you’ll receive a confirmation, and you can move on to setup.
What the LinkedIn Live Application Involves
The application itself is short, but LinkedIn reviews every request manually, so approval isn’t instant. Expect to wait anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.
When you apply, LinkedIn will ask for:
- The Page or profile you want to go live from
- A brief description of what you plan to stream (webinars, panels, product demos, etc.)
- Confirmation that you meet the connection or follower threshold
If your request gets denied, the most common reasons are a newer account, low follower count, or a Page that hasn’t posted consistently. Building up regular posting history before you apply tends to help.
Step 2: Schedule Your Zoom Webinar or Meeting
Here’s where Zoom comes into play. You can stream from either a Zoom Meeting or a Zoom Webinar, depending on your needs.
- Zoom Webinar is ideal for larger audiences and gives you more control (e.g., attendees can’t interrupt).
- Zoom Meeting is better for smaller, interactive sessions.
To schedule your session:
- Log in to your Zoom account.
- Click Schedule a Meeting or Schedule a Webinar.
- Set your title, date, and time.
- Make sure to check “Enable Live Streaming” under advanced options.
That last point is key. You’ll need to toggle on the Live Streaming option in your Zoom settings before you go any further.
To do that:
- Go to your Zoom settings (admin account might be needed)
- Navigate to In Meeting (Advanced)
- Enable “Allow Live Streaming Meetings” or “Allow Live Streaming Webinars”
- Check the box for “Custom Live Streaming Service”
When to Use Zoom Events Instead of a Standard Webinar
For larger or more formal broadcasts, like a multi-speaker panel discussion or a recurring webinar series, Zoom Events gives you more production control than a standard Zoom Meeting or Webinar.
The main difference is the Producer role. A designated producer can manage the run of show behind the scenes, switching between speakers, cueing slides, and controlling what the audience sees, without interrupting the person actually talking. For a panel discussion with several moving parts, having someone in that producer seat makes the broadcast look far more polished.
If your LinkedIn Live event is a one-person update or a small team check-in, a standard Zoom Meeting or Webinar is plenty. Save Zoom Events for the broadcasts where production quality matters.
Step 3: Set Up the Custom Streaming Settings
Now, we link Zoom to LinkedIn using the Custom Live Streaming Service option.
To find your LinkedIn Live stream info:
- Go to LinkedIn Live Producer
- Choose “Schedule for Later” or “Go Live Now”
- Set your event title, date, and visibility (Public or Connections only)
- Under “Stream Settings,” copy the following:
- Stream URL
- Stream Key
- Live Stream Page URL
These are what you’ll paste into Zoom later.
Step 4: Add LinkedIn Live Stream Info to Zoom
Once you’ve scheduled your Zoom event and gathered your LinkedIn stream details, it’s time to connect the two.
In Zoom:
- Go to your scheduled Meeting or Webinar.
- Click More > Live on Custom Live Streaming Service.
- Enter the following when prompted:
- Stream URL
- Stream Key
- Live Stream Page URL
Click Save.
Note: You can also go live immediately by starting your Zoom event and selecting “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service” from the “More” button in Zoom’s control panel.
Step 5: Go Live on LinkedIn
When it’s time for the event:
- Start your Zoom Meeting or Webinar.
- Click “More” > “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service”
- This triggers Zoom to connect to LinkedIn Live using your saved settings.
- Within 20 seconds, you should see your live stream appear in LinkedIn Live Producer.
Double-check your preview, and when everything looks good, hit “Go Live” on LinkedIn.
You’re now live!
Bonus Tips for a Flawless LinkedIn Live
A few extra suggestions to make sure your event is smooth sailing:
- Promote early: Share your event link a few days before across LinkedIn, email, and other social channels.
- Test beforehand: Do a dry run to test your audio, lighting, screen shares, and co-hosts.
- Have a moderator: Assign someone to manage comments and technical issues.
- Engage the audience: Ask questions, call out names, and encourage interaction in the chat.
- Record it: Zoom can record your session so you can repurpose the content later.
Streaming to More Than Just LinkedIn
If you want the same broadcast to reach Instagram or Facebook at the same time, Zoom supports streaming to multiple destinations from a single session. You’ll set up each platform’s stream key the same way you did for LinkedIn in Step 3, just repeated for each additional platform. Keep in mind more simultaneous streams means more bandwidth, so a stable, wired internet connection matters more the more platforms you add.
What Happens After the Event?
After you end the Zoom call, the live stream will automatically stop on LinkedIn.
The recording will be available on your LinkedIn feed or Page, and you can:
- Share it with attendees who missed the live version
- Edit clips for future marketing
- Use it in blog posts, newsletters, or social media
LinkedIn also provides metrics like view count, comments, and engagement, so you can measure how well it performed.
Can You Use Simulive Content on LinkedIn?
Simulive is pre-recorded content that streams as if it’s happening live. It’s common for webinars where you want the polish of a fully edited recording but still want the real-time chat and engagement that comes with a live event.
You can run simulive content through Zoom the same way you’d run a live broadcast: instead of hosting a live session, you play a recorded video through your Zoom Meeting or Webinar, then stream that to LinkedIn Live using the same Custom Live Streaming setup covered in Step 3 and Step 4 above. Your audience sees a live-labeled stream, and you get the reliability of pre-recorded content with no risk of technical hiccups mid-broadcast.
One thing to keep in mind: LinkedIn’s live audience can tell when comments aren’t being answered in real time, so if you go the simulive route, have someone monitoring and replying to chat live even though the video itself is pre-recorded.
Is LinkedIn Live Free to Use?
Yes. LinkedIn doesn’t charge to go live once you’re approved. Your only real cost is whatever streaming tool you’re using to broadcast, and most businesses already have a Zoom plan that covers live streaming.
Worth noting: Zoom’s live streaming feature is available on paid plans, not the free tier. If you’re on a free Zoom account, you’ll need to upgrade before Step 2 will work.
As for the stream key mentioned in Step 3, that’s a unique code LinkedIn generates for each live event. Think of it as a password that tells LinkedIn which broadcast belongs to which stream. It’s tied to a single event, so you’ll need a new one every time you go live.
LinkedIn Live vs. LinkedIn Events: What’s the Difference?
These two features get confused often, and they’re not the same thing.
LinkedIn Live is the real-time video broadcast itself, the stream you’re setting up with Zoom in this guide.
LinkedIn Events is the scheduling and promotion layer around it. You can create a LinkedIn Event to build an RSVP page, send reminders, and give attendees a landing spot before the live stream starts. A LinkedIn Live broadcast can happen with or without an Event page attached, but pairing the two gives you better attendance tracking and a home for the recording afterward.
If you’re hosting anything bigger than a quick check-in, creating an Event first and linking your Live stream to it is worth the extra five minutes.
How to Watch or Join a LinkedIn Live Event
If you’re on the attendee side instead of hosting, joining is simple. LinkedIn Live events show up in your feed like a regular post, marked with a “Live Now” tag. Tap or click it to watch, no separate app or sign-in needed beyond your regular LinkedIn account.
If the host created a LinkedIn Event for the broadcast, you’ll also get a reminder notification shortly before it starts if you RSVP’d in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions about LinkedIn Live
What is LinkedIn Live?
LinkedIn Live is LinkedIn’s real-time video broadcasting feature, letting approved profiles and Pages stream live video directly into followers’ feeds.
Is LinkedIn Live free?
Yes, there’s no cost to use LinkedIn Live once you’re approved. You’ll only pay for whatever third-party streaming tool you use to broadcast, such as a paid Zoom plan.
What do I need to go live on LinkedIn with Zoom?
LinkedIn Live access (approved through LinkedIn’s application), a Zoom account on a paid plan with live streaming enabled, and your LinkedIn stream URL, stream key, and live stream page URL from LinkedIn Live Producer.
Is LinkedIn Live the same as a LinkedIn Event?
No. LinkedIn Live is the broadcast itself. A LinkedIn Event is an optional scheduling and RSVP page you can attach to a Live broadcast.
Wrapping It Up
Streaming a LinkedIn Live event using Zoom might sound a bit techy at first, but once you set it up the first time, it becomes second nature. The combo gives you the best of both worlds: Zoom’s reliability and LinkedIn’s professional reach.
Whether you’re hosting a panel discussion, a product launch, or a solo thought-leader talk, this setup gives you a polished, high-impact way to connect with your audience in real time.
Ready to go live? Schedule your next session and let the world hear what you have to say.
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