Facebook Live: What Brands Need To Know

With more people turning to live video to connect, work, learn, celebrate, and so much more, Facebook has been adding new tools and features to make it’s Live Video platform even more useful for brands and businesses. 

What You Need To Know About Starting With Facebook Live

More than 4 billion video views take place on Facebook every day, and this amounts to 100 million hours of video content watched daily. The company reports that 20% of videos shared the site are Live broadcasts, which users will watch three times longer than standard uploaded content. 82% of social media users prefer seeing live video from a brand over a typical post.

According to Social Media Examiner’s 2020 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, most marketers who use live video in their social media strategy (64%) prefer Facebook Live and identify it as “the single most important video channel for their business.” Of those surveyed, 66% plan to increase their use of Facebook video “in the near future.” 

Broadcasting From Anywhere

Facebook Live initially launched as a mobile-only broadcasting tool. Now, it’s easier than ever for any individual or any brands to go live directly from a desktop or mobile device to a Facebook Page, Group, or Event.

Create a post on the Page, Group, or Event from where you want to live stream on the Facebook site or app. 

Give your audiences a reason to watch. Add a description to your video. Tag other people, check-in to a location, or add a feeling or activity.

Then, select “Go Live” and start broadcasting! 

You can also schedule a live broadcast ahead of time to alert the audience of upcoming broadcasts and easily connect when your stream begins.

Third-party video tools such as Ecamm Live, StreamYard, OBS Studio, and others make it possible to incorporate multiple cameras, manage guests from different locations, share screens, add branding elements, and overlay images. 

ICYMI -- Facebook brought back Live With, which allows Page admins or profile owners to select a guest to go live with them during a mobile broadcast. Facebook notes that while Pages can go live with a profile, they can’t add another page to their live stream. 

New Ways to Use Facebook Live to Promote Your Brand 

Try the new Live Shopping feature on Facebook Live. Merchants in the U.S. with a Facebook Shops enabled can now feature and sell products in real-time with Live Shopping on Facebook Live. 

Brands can tag select products from their Facebook Shop or catalog before going live. As they broadcast on Facebook, these products will appear at the bottom of the live video for viewers to see. 

Throughout the live broadcast, customers can tap the items to get more product details, ask questions, add items to their cart, and even make a purchase -- all without leaving the app!

Create Exclusive Facebook Live Events.

Over the coming weeks, Facebook Pages will be able to integrate Facebook Live with Facebook Events, marked as “online-only,” and charge for exclusive access to these live video events. Facebook suggests these live video Events can be applied to anything from online performances to classes to professional development.Fundraising for Causes. Help raise money for a good cause by adding the Donate Button to your live videos wherever nonprofit fundraisers are available. You can use this tool to signify a brand partnership with a charity or promote a local organization! 

We’re here to help hone your brand’s Facebook video marketing strategy. Contact us to explore your influencer and marketing options, potentially pairing up with one of our content creators and influencers with your brand.