Custom RTMP Streaming: How to Go Live on Any Platform
If a platform gives you an RTMP URL and stream key, you can broadcast to it. Here's how custom RTMP streaming works and how to use it to go live 24/7 anywhere.
Every major streaming platform — and many niche ones — speaks the same underlying language for ingesting a live feed: RTMP. Once you understand it, you're no longer limited to the platforms with a one-click button. If a destination gives you an RTMP URL and a stream key, you can broadcast to it, including your own server.
This guide explains custom RTMP streaming and how to use it to run a 24/7 broadcast anywhere.
Key takeaways
- RTMP is the standard protocol platforms use to receive a live feed.
- A destination is just an RTMP URL plus a stream key.
- Custom RTMP lets you broadcast anywhere, not only to built-in platforms.
- Pair it with a looping playlist to run 24/7 on any RTMP destination.
What RTMP is
RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) is a long-established way to send audio and video from an encoder to a streaming server. When you "go live," your encoder opens an RTMP connection to the platform's ingest server and pushes the feed. The platform then distributes it to viewers. Because RTMP is so widely supported, it's the common denominator that makes multi-platform streaming possible.
URL + key = a destination
Any RTMP destination boils down to two values:
- RTMP URL (server / ingest URL) — where the feed is sent, e.g. a platform's ingest endpoint.
- Stream key — a secret code that identifies your specific channel on that server.
Enter both into a service like StreamHouse and it will deliver your video there. That's all a platform's "connect" button is doing behind the scenes.
Where custom RTMP is useful
Custom RTMP shines when your destination isn't a big-name platform: a self-hosted server (like an Nginx RTMP or a restreamer), a corporate or education portal, a regional platform, or a white-label player on your own website. Anywhere that issues RTMP credentials becomes a valid target. You can also use it to reach a platform that isn't in a service's preset list.
Going live 24/7 over RTMP
- Get the RTMP URL and stream key from your destination.
- Upload your videos and build a looping playlist.
- Add a custom RTMP destination and paste the URL and key.
- Press Start — your playlist streams there continuously.
Because the feed is pre-encoded and cloud-hosted, it stays stable around the clock, no matter which RTMP endpoint you point it at.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between RTMP and RTMPS?
RTMPS is RTMP wrapped in TLS encryption. If your destination offers an RTMPS endpoint, prefer it — it protects your stream key and feed in transit.
Can I stream to my own server?
Yes. If your server provides an RTMP (or RTMPS) URL and key, you can broadcast a pre-recorded playlist to it 24/7.
Do all platforms support RTMP?
Most live platforms do, including YouTube, Twitch, Kick, Rumble and Facebook. Custom RTMP covers everything else that issues an ingest URL and key.
