18 Ways to Get Creative with Facebook Live Video

Have you heard about Facebook Live? Are you intrigued by the idea? Are you unsure what to say and a bit scared at the thought of broadcasting live?

If you answered yes to the majority of these questions then you’re like many other business owners today. Ever since Facebook Live launched earlier this year, business owners have been keeping an eye on this latest tool and trying to figure out exactly what to do with it.

According to Social Media Today, Facebook generates 8 billion video views per day.  In addition, video posts have 135% greater organic reach than photo posts.  Facebook’s updated newsfeed gives preference to Live Video so it’s not surprising to see that more people are being exposed to Live Video in their newsfeeds.  

For most business owners there’s no question about whether Live Video is something they should do.  The real question is, “How can I use it for my business?”

18 Facebook Live Recommendations

Just a few things any business can do with Facebook Live Video include:

1.      Share tips

2.      Offer updates from your industry

3.      Give a public service announcement

4.      Go into greater detail about one of your more popular blog posts

5.      Create a segment from the FAQs in your industry

6.      Take just one FAQ and do an entire broadcast covering it in detail

7.      Discuss current events and/or trending topics that pertain to your industry

8.      Do product demos

9.      Launch your book

10.  Host your product/service launch

11.  Give viewers an inside look at your business

12.  Create a live broadcast from an event

13.  Offer a new perspective on your industry

14.  Interview an industry influencer

15.  Ask for feedback

16.  Teach a live class

17.  Lead generation – share information and give a call to action

18.  Show them something fun!

The best part about Facebook Live videos is that you have the opportunity to invite viewers into the conversation and really engage with them live! As them questions, learn more about them, invite them into your space and make a connection with people all across the globe that you just can’t make any other way.

What you create is completely up to you. People like the candidness that live streaming videos provide. With live video you can’t memorize the script and rehearse all your lines.  You’re open, you’re authentic, you’re live!

Best Practices

• Announce your live broadcasts. When possible, give your audience 24 hours notice before a live broadcast.
• Check that your connection is speedy and reliable. Wi-Fi makes this easier to achieve.
• Use a description that incorporates well-researched keywords. Make sure it’s compelling enough to draw traffic.
• Use emojis to gauge your viewers’ response in real time. Make sure your presentation is flexible enough to adjust to audience mood.
• Audience participation is much more engaging than a one-way conversation, so ask for feedback. 
• You have 90 minutes of time available in a Facebook Live video.  Make the most of it! The longer the video, the more opportunities you have to connect with a greater percentage of your audience. Keep the information valuable and engaging but don’t be afraid to broadcast longer than usual!

Never

• Start late. Always respect your viewers’ time.
• Jump into a sales pitch.  People DON’T want to be sold to right at the start! Always give value and interact with your audience first. When appropriate a sales pitch may come towards the end but NEVER at the beginning.

Setting Yourself Apart

I can’t tell you how often clients have said to me, “No one in my industry is doing video. I don’t need video because no one else is doing it either.”  If none of your competitors have started producing Facebook Live videos then now is definitely the time for you to get started!  Give yourself an edge over the competition by doing the very thing they won’t!

Today’s content marketing efforts need to engage, not sell. No customer chooses to spend 10 minutes watching advertising. Your video needs to give your audience benefits that they will enjoy even if they don’t make a decision to buy from you today. You can achieve this by:

• Showing footage of what you’re doing for your customers that makes you different from other companies in your industry
•  Tapping into your influencers’ power through interviews. 92% of buyers trust customers’ recommendations over businesses’.
•  Respecting the fact that your audience has set aside time that carries an authentic opportunity cost, so your message needs to make those minutes count.  
• Use audience participation tools like live questions and answers to amplify engagement.
• Use hashtags to encourage viewers to share their ideas and thoughts.

Today’s business world thrives on the connection economy in that buyers respond to personal approaches honed to create a sense of intimacy. Video achieves this beautifully, which makes it the perfect way to add value to any campaign. 

Are you struggling to get started with Facebook Live Video? Not sure what to say or how to make it work for your business? Reach out to me and let’s discuss your needs. The best time to get started is right now!