It’s time for businesses to take full advantage of what live content has to offer. Using Facebook live video for your business needs to be part of your growth strategy.
Facebook Live is a phenomenal free tool, underused by businesses that can be your ticket to bigger audiences and better results. In this blog post, we discuss the 4 pillars of using Facebook live video for your business, which serves as a starters’ guide for you to get going with live streaming.
Regardless of your proficiency level in live streaming, there’s something in this blog post for everyone. If you want to get started, you’ll learn what you should focus on when streaming to succeed. If, on the other hand, you’ve done it many times before, the concepts here can be easily applied to take your live videos to another level.
Want more tools for your Facebook live streams? Check out ManyCam for free!
Connecting with your audience
We could probably create an endless list of reasons why you should start live streaming on Facebook. Or how beneficial Facebook live video could be for your business. But, it all comes down to one main benefit: establishing a deeper connection with your audience.
Live video, whether it’s on Facebook, YouTube, or any platform, has an amazing power of connecting people. In other words, your viewers get to see more of you and your brand, which leads to building trust.
Unlike any other content format, live video gives your business a chance to interact with its audience on a personal level, and that’s huge. This form of interaction is only second-best to one-on-one interactions, with the advantage of connecting you to thousands of people at once.
Any business that wants to grow its success can leverage their online presence. Despite what you might think, using Facebook live video for your business doesn’t have to be complicated.
The 4 pillars of using Facebook live video for your business
When used right, Facebook live can be a fantastic tool for business. Best of all, any business or personal brand can use it for free. The key pillars to keep in mind when planning a live stream on Facebook are:
- Equipment
- Setup
- Content
- Interaction
Live video equipment
Despite common belief, live video equipment doesn’t have to be a huge investment. It’s entirely possible to produce high-quality streams on a low budget. Chances are, you already have some of the equipment need to use Facebook live video for your business.
At least, you’ll need the following gear to live stream with high-quality:
- Webcam
- Software
- Mobile
- Microphone
- Lighting
Webcams
These cameras have come a long way since their humble beginnings. You can easily find high-quality webcams that aren’t expensive. When using Facebook live video for your business, or even personal brands, you don’t need to worry about having the best 4k webcam.
Since the video will be live, you need to consider the internet speed and other details, so that the stream flows smoothly. An HD 1080 webcam should be more than enough.
Live streaming software
Having a software application to help you go live will make your life easier while enhancing your live stream. When you can add multiple video sources to your live videos, they become more engaging.
With ManyCam, you can add images, pre-recorded videos, Powerpoint presentations, and many other resources. During your Facebook live, you can easily switch between your sources with the click of a button.
Plus, you can:
- Add picture-in-picture windows
- Change your background (with the Chroma Key feature)
- Control your video and audio settings
- Add objects, effects, and masks
Download ManyCam for free and start using Facebook live video for your business today!
Mobile
Your mobile device can be your alternative equipment or additional. Either way, most current devices have good enough cameras and capabilities to help you live stream with quality.
Here is a blog post that guides you on getting started with mobile live streaming.
Remember to keep an eye on your battery and have a charger nearby.
Lighting & microphone
When it comes to video in general, the key elements are the visual and audio quality. The camera certainly plays a role in it, but lighting can be a game-changer. With good lighting for your live video, an average camera can give you amazing results. A great camera might not solve poor lighting, though.
As far as audio goes, having a microphone is crucial and it won’t break the bank. There are many types of microphones to choose from for your stream, but no need to get overwhelmed. You don’t need state-of-the-art equipment to get a crisp and clear sound.
Test your Facebook live setup
Another crucial element of Facebook live streams is its setup. Doing your first Facebook live video for your business might be daunting given the amount of information you can find on setting things up.
The best option to get started is to keep it simple. As simple as possible. If you use an application like ManyCam, it will define some of the settings for you, so you don’t have to worry about it. You can also check Facebook’s recommended settings for live streaming.
Also, you will have to decide how you want to go live. Facebook gives users a few different options, and choosing one will depend largely on your goals.
- On your timeline – open to all: If you are building a personal brand or you want to leverage the followers you already have, it’s more practical to go live on your timeline.
- Facebook live to groups: If you want your stream to be exclusive for a group of people, you can choose to do that instead. This is the case if you already have a group on Facebook or permission to live stream in a group that is part of your target audience.
- Business pages: If you already have a business page on Facebook with some followers, you can live stream to your business page, too.
The basic settings for your live stream won’t change regardless of how you decide to go live. But, you will need to double-check permissions to go live in certain ways on Facebook.
What kind of content can you create as a business?
More important than your live streaming technical aspects is your content. Your audience will forgive minor tech mishaps if your content is worth it, which is why it’s vital to put in the time to create excellent content.
When it comes to content, there’s no one-size-fits-all deal, except maybe for Q&As which seem to work for most content creators. The popularity of a piece of material depends on your audience’s preferences and interests.
Assuming you never used Facebook live video for your business and don’t know your audience’s preferences, live streaming is the perfect opportunity to try out different things.
Here are some content ideas for a Facebook live video for your business:
Show your product’s creation process
It’s a proven concept that people like to watch the process of things getting made. Some of the most popular videos out there are time lapses of objects being created. You don’t need to show the entire process though, just give your audience some sneak-peeks and talk to them about it live.
Do live interviews
Live interviews can be a huge win for most businesses. For instance, if you interview partners or complementary businesses, you get to expand your audience while providing engaging content. The critical thing to remember here is that your main goal is to provide useful information to your audience, not promote partners’ products.
Give your audience a behind the scenes special
Another popular live video content format is the BTS, AKA behind the scenes. BTS live stream isn’t about creating content, but rather documenting. You can share some of your business’ creative process, show the headquarters, or how you get things done. When streaming behind the scenes footage, think about entertaining your audience more than educating them.
Deliver training webinars
Since we brought up educating, here is a trendy type of live streaming content for businesses on Facebook, webinars. If you want to establish a deeper connection with your audience and grow your viewership, find ways to deliver value.
Within your industry, you probably know more about specific topics. You can create a webinar that grabs people’s attention and helps them improve. During the webinar, you can create special promotions and offer your product or service, as long as the main focus is on free information.
Create an online event
Instead of one webinar, you can create an afternoon of exciting content for your audience. You can mix and match these content ideas and create something new. For example, you can schedule a live interview, followed by a short webinar, some Q&A, and so on.
Live Q&A sessions
Which brings us to one of the most popular pieces of live content, live Q&A sessions. Answering questions from your audience is the perfect way to get to know them better, build trust, and provide value. Their questions will tell you a lot about them. Plus, when you take the time to answer them, it shows you care.
Flash sales or contests
Another way to use Facebook live video for your business is to create flash sales or contests while live. This can be combined with other types of content or as a standalone stream. You can take advantage of holiday promotions or hot sales like Black Friday to increase your sales with live streaming.
Live stream a product launch or unboxing
When you start building an online audience, you can go live to show them a new product or service that you’re launching. These live streams give your audience a feeling of being on the inside and help you build a stronger relationship with them. You can also do live unboxings of your products, to show your potential customers what your business offers.
Interaction is a must
One of the most important things in live video, regardless of the platform you stream on, is interaction. The main goal of live streaming is real-time interaction . That’s how you grow your online presence and, eventually, your business.
Every time you go live, make sure you get your viewers engaged and take the opportunity to interact with them. You can ask them questions and get to know them.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide to help you increase your interaction with your viewers. Simple actions can take you a long way.
Key Takeaway
If you want your business to thrive, going live on Facebook will be a fantastic strategy. Use these tips as your guide to using Facebook live video for your business. Getting started is the most challenging part, but each time you live stream, it will be a little bit easier. Practice will lead to better live videos and amazing results.
What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to live streaming?
Download ManyCam for free today!
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