Why Should You Produce Facebook Live Videos for Your Brand?
There are many reasons to start producing Facebook Live videos for your brand as there are many benefits to doing Facebook Live broadcasts.
Let's count the ways.
- Live video is getting ‘preferential' treatment in the Facebook newsfeed right now, meaning that the powers-that-be at Facebook like and reward brands and individuals for going Live by showing their content to more people than a regular (pre-recorded) video, or a still image. Taking advantage of this to reach more people is smart marketing.
- Going Live on Facebook means you are the producer and broadcaster of your own video, even your own show. Going Live regularly helps you build an audience of fans who will get to know, like and trust you.
- Facebook Live videos are interactive! Your audience, your friends and/or fans, can give you instant feedback, ask questions and have conversations with you while you are Live. This usually improves your overall message and lets people feel they are part of your show.
- Facebook Live videos can (and should!) be repurposed! After you end your Live video, download it. Once you have the video file, you can upload it to YouTube or Vimeo, embed the video on your blog or website, strip the audio for a Podcast, cut the video into bite-sized pieces to distribute on Instagram or Twitter, just to name a few ways.
Are you ready to create Facebook Live videos for your brand?
How To Prepare Before You Go Live on Facebook
Before you hit the ‘Live' button, you should always have a plan.
This plan should include
- The topic, and possible talking points
- Whether you will go Live on your profile (for personal brands) or Facebook page
- Coming up with a catchy title for your Live to entice people to watch (this could include emojis)
- How long you plan to go Live
- What purpose this video will have (educate, entertain, inform, explain etc)
- The set up of your camera, and audio equipment if needed
- Your location
- Possible guests
- How you plan to repurpose this video
- Checking the strength and liability of your WiFi
- The call-to-action you will issue at the end of your broadcast
- Marketing of your Facebook Live; this includes creating images and announcements for other platforms.
Going Live spontaneously and without a plan, can certainly benefit your brand. However, a well-thought-out plan and marketing of your Live shows will most likely yield better results in the long run.
Planning and preparing for your Facebook Live will make this a much more enjoyable experience.
What To Do During Your Facebook Live Broadcast
Once you hit the ‘Live' button, you are on the spot!
This might make some of you nervous, but remember; if you've planned well and well in advance, you will know your video topic, your talking points, your guests and the purpose of the video. Planning should make it so you can get through the broadcast without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
During a Facebook Live, it is important you speak to the camera, as to speak to your audience. It is important they see you and hear you well. It is equally important for you to see their interactions; comments and questions, so that the broadcast becomes interactive.
Here are some things to remember to do once you are Live on Facebook.
- Introduce yourself, and smile
- Catch the attention of viewers by smiling, moving, waiving, doing something active!
- Welcome and introduce any guests you might have
- Invite new viewers to subscribe
- Call viewers by name and say ‘hi'
- Ask viewers to ‘react' by asking a simple question
- Get close to the camera and look in the camera, not at yourself on screen
- Speak slow(er)
- Stick to your script and/or talking points, but be spontaneous when the opportunity arises to interact with your audience
- If you don't have a Live audience, still stick to the script; remember your video can be watched later and be repurposed as well
- Share the Live with a Facebook group you are the admin of, on a Facebook page, or to your profile and encourage viewers to share as well.
- If you have planned your next Live show, invite viewers to watch your next episode by giving them the date and time.
- Be yourself!
Once you have talked through all your talking points and feel you've managed your broadcast to your satisfaction, finish it strong! Don't linger, don't hold people up; just make your last point, give your call-to-action, say goodbye, smile and end the broadcast!
What To Do Once You End Your Facebook Live Broadcast
The first thing to do once you end your broadcast is to take a deep breath. You did it!
Next, do the following to get the most impact.
- Go to desktop and edit your video, adding a description and tags.
- Leave a comment with your call to action and pin that comment underneath the video. This could be a link to a sales page, a white paper, your YouTube channel or an article you referenced.
- If you didn't get a chance to share your broadcast while Live, do so now.
- If you didn't get a chance to set up your next Live, do so now.
- Download your video to your phone if you were mobile, or to your desktop, if you were going Live from your computer
- Go through the comments to make sure you didn't miss any questions. Answer them if you did.
- Invite next week's guest, if you plan to have a guest.
- Start the process of repurposing your video
Going Live with a purpose and intent should be your goal. You will be able to measure ROI on your investment of time if you know where you were before doing these Live shows.
As stated before, spontaneity does have a place in video marketing, but careful planning will help you stay the course and build your audience slow and steady.
Facebook Live Video Ideas for Your Brand
The question we hear a lot in our Facebook Group is this one:
What should I talk about in my Facebook Live?
Here are some video ideas for you to consider
- continued product development
- your product manufacturing
- product delivery
- new product testing
- community involvement
- charity involvement
- customer feedback
- happy customer reviews
- event planning
- live event reporting
- business travel
- trade show information
- inspirational messages
- encouragement messages
- educational tips
- how-to tips
- expert guest interviews
- industry news
- tool reviews
- before & after
- show & tell
- seasonal tips
- office celebrations
- podcasts
- Q & A
- promotional content
- giveaway/contests
- announcements
Whatever content you are already creating, consider how you could be using Facebook Live to push out that content. For example, if you write a weekly blog article, go Live and talk about your upcoming article each week, providing added value and generating curiosity about the article.
Tools for Making Facebook Live Broadcasts Better
Using the Facebook platform to go Live is surely an easy and simple way to go ‘Live'. Just adjust a filter, add a title and push ‘Live' and you are Live.
There are many tools on the market to assist you in creating more professional looking Facebook Live broadcasts. These tools let you add ‘lower thirds', add guests while on a desktop, and many other functions. We want to make sure you are aware these tools exist; feel free to check these out.
Other tools you might need are included in this list.
Are you ready to go Live? Do you have a weekly show? Have you had a Facebook Live go viral?
Let us hear it; leave a comment below.
I am a Certified Social Media Manager, Strategist, International Keynote Speaker, Organic Specialist and Agile marketer! Blogging is my creative outlet. Running, hiking and skiing are how I recharge. You'll recognize me on stage and online by my always present orange glasses, a nod to my Dutch heritage.
