A great guest can carry a whole episode. A confused guest, stuck installing software five minutes before air, can sink it. The good news: when you invite guests to a live stream with a link, most of the friction disappears. What is left is preparation, and that is what this checklist is for.
Before you send the invite
- Confirm the device. Studio Go works in Chrome and Edge on a desktop or laptop computer. Ask your guest to join from a computer, not a phone.
- Agree on the time, then add fifteen minutes. Ask guests to arrive early for a quick sound check.
- Write their lower third now. Get the exact spelling of their name and title, in the language of the show.
- Share the plan. Two or three lines: the topic, how long they will be on, and who else is joining.
Sending the invite link
From the studio, send the invite by email in English, French or Arabic, or copy the link and share it however you like. Each guest gets a private link: no account to create, no app to install.
If someone runs the show with you, send them the co-host link instead. It gives them their own way in, so you can share the work of bringing people on stage and showing the graphics.
What your guest will see
It helps to know the guest’s journey, so you can reassure them before the day:
- They open the link in their browser. Nothing to download.
- They check their camera and microphone and type their name.
- If you use the waiting room, they wait until you let them in.
- They arrive backstage: they can hear and see the studio, but your audience cannot see them yet.
- You bring them on stage when it is their turn.
You can watch the whole journey in the guests section of our home page.
The day-of-show checklist
Thirty minutes before
- Open the studio and pick the layout for the first segment.
- Check every lower third, banner and ticker in private preview.
- Line up the countdown, the intro and the break playlist.
Fifteen minutes before
- Let guests in and do a sound check with each of them, backstage.
- Ask them to close other apps that use the camera or the microphone.
- Check their framing: eyes about a third from the top, light in front of them, not behind.
When you go live
- Bring guests on stage one at a time, with their lower third.
- Keep the studio chat open for quick notes to guests while you are on air.
Directing guests once they are on stage
Every guest is in your hands. From the studio you can:
- bring people on stage or send them backstage;
- mute a microphone or turn a camera off (only the guest can turn their camera back on);
- switch which camera or microphone a guest uses;
- set each person’s volume, with live audio meters for everyone;
- turn on noise reduction to take out keyboards, fans and street noise.
Use Make main to spotlight the person speaking, or share your screen when you need to show something.
In-person guests
Someone sitting next to you? They can join from your own computer with a second camera and microphone, and appear as their own person on stage.
Guest questions you will hear
“Do I need to create an account?”
No. The link is all they need.
“Can I join from my phone?”
Ask them to use a computer with Chrome or Edge: that is where Studio Go works, for hosts and guests alike.
“What if my internet drops?”
They open the same link again and come back in. Keep a short break clip ready, so you have something to play while they reconnect.
New to hosting? Start with how to host a live show from your browser, then pick the plan that fits your show.
