Have you heard of Facebook Live? Did you know that you can now stream live video from your Facebook newsfeed? That’s right! It’s here and we’re excited about the potential.
What is Facebook Live?
Facebook has been hinting at the release of live video capability for a long time now. It’s just now starting to really take off. You may have noticed that some of your favorite brands and Facebook pages are now live streaming. Have you recently received a notification about live video? Did you open it? It’s a great opportunity for you to take your followers on location with your business.
Facebook Live actually came out last fall to select Facebook users and then it became available to all Facebook users at the end of 2015. We’ve noticed that it’s starting to really take off this spring and we are jumping on board. As marketers, Facebook Live offers you a great opportunity and much potential.
How Do I Access Facebook Live?
You can broadcast Facebook Live through your profile. Just tap to update your status and click on the Live icon. It’s that simple! Next, input a brief description of your video in the status update field. This becomes your title, which will go out in newsfeeds and notifications. Once you have your description entered, you can choose your audience. For business pages, you will want your video to be set to public. Tap ‘Go Live’ and you will be given a 3-2-1 countdown.
Point the camera at yourself or outward to show your audience what you see! During your live streaming, you will be able to see the number of viewers watching and even comments in real time! After your live broadcast, the video will be saved to your timeline. Pretty cool, huh?
Live Streaming Best Practices
Before streaming live, there are a few things to keep in mind. Be sure to have a focus for your video. Know what you want to talk about ahead of time to avoid rambling, panic and to deliver a smooth presentation. Create an eye-catching title! This will help spark the interest of those who receive your live notification! Be sure to speak loudly and clearly. Utilize both the front and back cameras and acknowledge your audience as if you are speaking to them in person. End your video with a call to action, such as to visit your website.
Be selective with Facebook Live. You don’t want to broadcast everything. Facebook Live videos are meant to be special or exclusive. The goal is for your audience to get excited about what’s happening or what you have to offer.
Editing Capabilities
Once your video is posted to your timeline, you can edit it. It’s similar to editing any video that you post to Facebook. Click on the dropdown icon on the top right corner and select ‘Edit Post’ to access the editing options. From there you can choose a thumbnail image, add a call to action button and select a category for your video.
Facebook Live for Marketers
Are you ready to give Facebook Live a try for your business? We have a few suggestions for how you can use this handy tool. Take your audience behind the scenes by coming up with short adventures that would be of interest. Host a Q &A session or post a How-To video. Demonstrate a new product or share breaking news! The possibilities really are endless! Watch here as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg takes us behind the scenes.
Video streaming through Facebook offers an incredible opportunity for your business. It’s another chance for your to showcase what you know and increase your fanbase! Video is a very strong marketing tool and Facebook Live only amplifies its value. So start thinking about what you want to stream and take advantage of this opportunity to grow your business.
Rethink out of the Box 
Why can’t I use the Facebook Live on my Surface Pro 3? I am using windows 10. I can use Facebook Live on my Samsung S6 just fine and I love it. I would like to also use it on my surface pro. Is there something I need to download for this?
Hello Harold,
Do you have the most up-to-date version of Facebook from Microsoft? You may need to uninstall the Facebook (beta) and install the latest one from Microsoft named Facebook. From what I understand, Microsoft apps tend to differ from those of iOS and Android devices. As of late last year, Microsoft was still testing the new Facebook app for Windows 10, so you may reach out to support to see if it has been released yet. Best of luck!