Vertical live — also called vertical live streaming — is the natural format when your audience consumes mostly on smartphones. For a BtoC-oriented marketing or communication department, the question is no longer “should we try 9:16?” , but “how do we produce a premium vertical live, without compromising on image, sound and experience, and broadcast it wherever our customers are?” At the start of the school year in September 2025, Mogador Studios is supporting brands in Paris and Île-de-France to move from a simple social live to a controlled “corpo” device, designed mobile-first, with a final vertical rendering and, if necessary, a double vertical/horizontal flow to cover all screens.
Why switch to vertical live when your audience is on mobile
The “mobile-first” reflex in BtoC
Your customers experience the live in the palm of their hand. Holding a smartphone in a vertical position is the default gesture; offering a vertical live means removing input friction (screen rotation, suboptimal full screen) and maximizing immersion. For a product launch or a brand speech, this proximity counts: the 9:16 format takes up all the height, scales the subject to the scale of the face and reduces distractions. In BtoC, social platforms have standardized this code, and your audiences expect to find it again.
Live vertical vs horizontal: what does it look like for the user
- In vertical, the image fills the screen, the details “facing the camera” are more legible, the comments interface is natively integrated, and interactions are done with a wave of the thumb.
- Horizontally, the experience remains relevant for room or desktop screens, but on mobile it requires action (rotate, zoom), which can break the pace.
The right choice is often to reason “context of use” rather than “personal preference”: if your final target is on their phone, vertical live is simply the most natural format.
Misconceptions to forget about the 9:16 format
- “The vertical is amateur”: false. A stage designed for a final vertical rendering, with a mobile-first scenography, offers a broadcast-level image and sound.
- “We're losing information”: we're changing the script. The vertical favors frontal readability, storytelling with tight shots and adapted graphic skins.
- “It's impossible to multi-broadcast”: it's possible, provided you prepare the project for a simulcast and a vertical/horizontal double flow when necessary.
BtoC use cases that work in 9:16
Product launch: live demonstration and interaction
The vertical live product launch values useful details: design, textures, gestures of use. In 9:16, a close-up of the demonstrator's hand or the speaker's face creates complicity. The addition of a vertical graphic design (pictos, short titles, info bars) better anchors the key points. Coupled with real-time chat, this format encourages concrete questions (“Does it fit in a pocket?” , “What autonomy?”) , which the presenter can process on air.
“Snackable” webinar: short, effective, memorable pedagogy
The “vertical webinar” is suitable for short and rhythmic formats: 15—30 minutes, a clear promise, a 3-part plan, and a final Q&A. The mobile-first approach encourages tighter editorial content: one message per slide, legible subtitles, simple transitions. On LinkedIn Live or YouTube Shorts Live, you reach a professional audience that also consumes on mobile.
Training and events: proximity and commitment, even at a distance
For training sessions, onboarding or mini-customer events, vertical live streaming promotes the educational relationship: the speaker speaks “at eye level”, the participants follow without leaving their social flow. On the organization side, preparing a double vertical/horizontal flow makes it possible to display the live in 16:9 in a room while remaining vertical on the networks.
Designing a “corpo” vertical live without compromising quality
Mobile-first scenography (frames, decorations, lighting)
Everything starts from the board. At Mogador Studios, the scenography is designed for 9:16 from the storyboard stage:
- Framing: tight mid-bust shots, structured vertical lines, “head in the right place” to avoid interface bars.
- Decors: controlled depth, graphic elements in height, non-glittering textures, palette consistent with the charter.
- Lighting: soft but precise key light, skin/object brightness control, contrast designed for OLED screens.
- Proxemia: position of the speakers optimized for the vertical axis, with landmarks on the ground and a scenography that “breathes”.
Editorial: rhythm, short scripts, chat interactions
The vertical live performs when it goes straight to the point:
- Short scripts: intro in 20—30 seconds, plan announcement, clear benefits.
- Rhythm: alternation in front of the camera, product/screen inserts, micro-demos.
- Interactions: questions raised quickly, surveys integrated according to the platform (Instagram Live, TikTok Live, LinkedIn Live).
- Accessibility: concise subtitles and titles, as part of the audience sometimes watches without the sound.
Accessories and graphics adapted to 9:16
- Vertical layout: title cartridges, centered lower-thirds, legible pictos, animations designed for height.
- Prompter: facilitates a natural flow in front of the camera in a close-up.
- Feedback monitors: Display the native 9:16 frame for perfect control.
- Product graphics: screenshots, app mockups, QR codes to link to a campaign page.
Broadcast everywhere: native vertical, dual-stream, and multi-broadcast
Simulcast vertical + horizontal: when and how to use it
Dual flow consists of producing two simultaneous signals: a 9:16 vertical for networks (TikTok Live, Instagram Live, LinkedIn Live, YouTube Shorts Live) and a 16:9 horizontal for an event screen, landing page, or reference recording. This approach:
- Removes framing compromises.
- Ensures an optimal experience regardless of the screen.
- Allows vertical replay and horizontal master for internal archiving.
The key is to plan for it during preparation: placements, framers, graphic design available in two formats and multicast testing (simulcast) on the target platforms.
Platforms: TikTok Live, Instagram Live, LinkedIn Live, YouTube Shorts Live
- TikTok Live: ideal for discovery, demonstration, and conversational tone. 9:16 is native, the algorithm favors engagement.
- Instagram Live: “brand-community” relationship, very suitable for launches and collaborations with invited speakers.
- LinkedIn Live: BtoB audience, useful for webinars, pro demonstrations, corporate announcements and customer training sessions.
- YouTube Shorts Live: cumulative reach with the strength of the YouTube search engine and the ease of vertical replay.
Coordinated “multicasting” reinforces the reach while capitalizing on the strengths of each network.
Replays and combinations in Shorts/Reels to extend the reach
A major advantage of vertical live is its re-usability. As soon as the live is over:
- Cut sequences into Reels/Shorts/TikTok to feed your networks over time.
- Produce a vertical “best-of capsule” to relaunch the post-event audience.
- Prepare a clean “vertical replay” (intro/outro, neat subtitles) that fits naturally into your social playlists. This strategy increases memory and engagement over time, without disproportionate effort on the production side.
What Mogador does for your vertical lives in Paris/Île‑de‑France
A platter designed for vertical final rendering, in broadcast quality
Mogador Studios designs sets that deliver a premium vertical final rendering, by integrating 9:16 from the moment of preparation: vertical native framing, dedicated graphic design, control monitors, teleprompter and makeup. You capitalize on a controlled studio environment where the vertical axis is not a “crop” but the original format. For a visit, discover Le Loft, our modular platform: The Loft — Mogador Studios.
Double vertical/horizontal flow to cover mobile and room screens
When a device requires both vertical for networks and horizontal for a broadcast room, an intranet or a media partner, we set up a simultaneous double flow. Concretely:
- Two native frameworks designed from the start.
- Graphic skins available 9:16 and 16:9.
- Simulcast and multi-broadcast technical tests. This workflow avoids visual compromises and guarantees an optimal experience regardless of the screen.
Turnkey workflow: vertical capture, multi-broadcast, skin, replays and combinations
Our support covers the entire chain:
- Pre-production: editorial framing, mobile-first scenography plan, scripts, rehearsals.
- Production: vertical recording on a dedicated set, artistic direction, sound and light calibrated for mobile display, animation/presentation if necessary.
- Broadcast: native vertical live, simulcast to TikTok Live, Instagram Live, LinkedIn Live, YouTube Shorts Live, and dual stream if required.
- Post: delivery of a reworked vertical replay (intro/outro), subtitling and variations in Shorts/Reels for your social networks. The result: a vertical live streaming with a “corpo” look, clear, dynamic and consistent with your charter.
Put into practice: design your next vertical live step by step
Define the goal and the promise in one sentence
Above all, crystallize the promise: “Discover X in 15 minutes and ask your questions.” This sentence will guide the pace, duration, and dress.
Write a script designed for 9:16
- Direct intro (20—30 seconds): announcement of the subject and the plan.
- Demo/short chapters: one key point per sequence, 2-3 minutes.
- Q&A: group frequently asked questions, specify the next steps.
- Conclusion: simple summary, announcement of the vertical replay and the next publications.
Preparing the scenography and the frame
- Choose a background that sticks without distracting.
- Place the useful elements high up (screens, totems, products) to “inhabit” the vertical.
- Provide a “safe area” for platform interface elements (comments, reactions).
Anticipate the broadcast and the replay
- List the target platforms (TikTok Live, Instagram Live, Instagram Live, LinkedIn Live, YouTube Shorts Live).
- Validate image ratios, stream keys, and desired latency.
- Decide on Shorts/Reels combinations and post-live teaser messages.
Frequently asked questions from marketing departments
Is vertical live suitable for “serious” subjects?
Yes. The important thing is not the tone of the platforms, but the staging. A vertical platform, careful lighting, simple graphic design and structured interventions give a premium look that is perfectly compatible with corporate speech.
How to manage existing horizontal visuals?
Two ways: adapt by intelligent “pillarboxing” (side bands dressed with graphics) or revisit the key visuals for 9:16 (creative cropping, vertical versions of the slides). When the double flow is planned, two variants of cladding are immediately designed.
What about accessibility and viewing without sound?
Always provide subtitles, clear section titles, and icons. Many users discover live in a noisy environment: well-thought-out visual information supports understanding.
Back to school 2025: why is it a good time to switch
The start of the school year in September 2025 is conducive to brand announcements and appointments. Setting up vertical live streaming now allows you to:
- To align your device with the mobile consumption habits of your audiences.
- To structure a publication calendar thanks to Reels/Shorts combinations.
- To install a recurring format (monthly or per campaign) that feeds your networks without reinventing the wheel each time.
Conclusion
Going live vertically is not “doing like the influencers”, it's adopting the natural format of your customers when they are on mobile. For a BtoC brand, 9:16 combines proximity, readability and re-usability. By relying on a platform designed for the final vertical rendering, a mobile-first scenography and, if necessary, a double vertical/horizontal flow, you offer a premium experience on networks and on the big screen. In Paris and Île-de-France, Mogador Studios designs and delivers this level of quality so that your vertical live becomes a real brand event, with replays and variations that continue to work for you after the broadcast.
