At RebelMouse we obsess about keeping pace with the ever-changing digital landscape and passing along best practices to content creators everywhere.
Today we're focusing on Facebook Live, which is now available for any user on the social network to leverage. While live broadcasting is not a new concept (platforms and publishers, like The Huffington Post, started live broadcasting years ago), Facebook Live is a game changer. Here are three reasons why:
- Everyone is on Facebook + they all watch video: In 2016, Facebook reached 1.6 billion monthly users and reported 8 billion daily video views.
- You have to take your content to where your audience lives: 63% of Facebook users leverage the social platform as a source for content.
- It's crucial to keep up with the almighty algorithm: Facebook is now making Live videos the #1 priority in the News Feed.
What Is Facebook Live?
Facebook describes Live as the ability to easily "broadcast to the largest audience in the world with the camera in your pocket." You can use your smartphone to share a moment in real time with the people you care about the most. Your friends, family, or fans can be there with you, and you can respond to their comments and see their reactions.
So whether you're promoting a company or yourself, you now have the capability to connect with your audience using the effective video format in an instantaneous, authentic, and engaging way.
Five Facebook Live Tips from RebelMouse
We've been experimenting and have come up with a few early best practices that you can start adopting:
Be Strategic, but Embrace Spontaneity
Pick an interesting topic ahead of time and plan a rough outline to maintain focus. For our recent broadcasts, we recruited two fabulous RebelMouse hosts to introduce our latest product, Rebel Discovery, in a light-hearted and personable way.
But this is live video where anything can happen ... if you're lucky. :) At the 0:50 mark, our VP of Product, Megan Berry, walks by and quickly drops brand new stats that support Rebel Discovery: timely, seamless, and not staged (we swear!).
These awesome, impromptu moments tend to resonate with viewers and help your brand come across as more authentic. So embrace them!
Keep It Dynamic
As you film, try to keep the camera moving — viewers will drop off if it stays on the same shot for too long. Change angles or use the front and back cameras to switch up POV. In our videos, we move from host to computer screen to give viewers a quick product demo.
Create a Compelling Status Update
The description in the status update is what will go out in the News Feed and notifications. Include the details but also have fun with it — try to catch the eye of your audience.
While Facebook Live videos are hard to miss in the feed (they take up more real estate vs. the average post and automatically play as users scroll), use strong language to concisely introduce what viewers can expect.
Constantly Engage, in Real Time + Anytime
Facebook designed Live to be interactive, allowing you to engage with commenters and viewers in real time. And it works: People comment 10x more on Live videos vs. regular videos.
So take the opportunity to:
- Introduce a Q&A section during the live broadcast.
- Actively "like" comments or answer questions as viewers watch and engage.
- Include a CTA at the conclusion of the broadcast. Facebook allows you to easily customize a short + sweet CTA that links to a page of your choice.
Whether they're tuning in live or catching a replay, viewers always like to feel like they're part of the action. Create opportunities to keep them engaged anytime and at all times.
Distribute Your Videos Everywhere
Once your broadcast is done, you now have fresh content in your library. At RebelMouse, we believe in maximizing content amplification, so go ahead and distribute your content everywhere. Feature it on your web property, share it on other social media channels, or weave it into your own Facebook Live blog post. ;) Embed your video to get more views, which all roll into your Facebook view count.
Start Testing!
Facebook makes it easy to get going, so don't worry about making the perfect video or leveraging all the tools. Broadcast a 1:1 interview, make it a hosted series, or just shoot an interesting event that's important to your brand ( like one of our clients, The Dodo, did with this animal video). Gauge the audience response, review the analytics, and use the insights to optimize your next Facebook Live video.
Happy live streaming!
