How to use Facebook Live Videos for Businesses

Live stream on Facebook was made public in April 2016. After that, there was no looking back. The internet users have shown wide acceptance to Facebook Live videos.

Why is live streaming so enticing? There is no single answer to this question. More importantly, going live adds an authentic touch. In life, there are no cuts or retakes. Same is the case with live videos. All you need is a mobile phone with good internet connectivity.

Here are a few stats that indicate the importance of live videos for your business:

82 percent prefer live video from a brand to social posts.
80 percent would rather watch live video from a brand than read a blog.
78 percent of online audiences are already watching video on Facebook Live.
Facebook Live currently generates more than 3,000 years of watch time every day.

The above statistics give ample reason for brands to use Facebook Live videos. Further, if you are wondering how to prepare your business for Facebook live videos, here are a few tips.

Tips while using Facebook Live videos:

For starters, have a good broadcast strategy i.e. before, during, and after the live strategy. This should help your business create maximum impact. Hence, trigger the maximum reaction.

Before Live:

It is better to start your promotions before going live. It does not matter if you are good with your improvisational skills. The whole idea is to get your prospects talking before you initiate the live stream. Once the curiosity among the target audience is built. Consequently, it will lead to more traffic for your Facebook live video. Things to keep in mind for your business before going live.

Unlike Television, Facebook Live is more laid back. Hence, a little preparedness goes a long way. To clarify, you are representing your brand with the Facebook live video. Hence don’t take it lightly.
Begin with a private broadcast for testing purpose. Further, check the sound, light and other elements. Most importantly, invest in a good broadband connection and maybe a tripod to eliminate bad viewing experience. Finally, avoid shooting at places with unwanted background noise.
Facebook lets you target a specific audience section. As a result, you can streamline the marketing efforts for your business. Share the excerpt of the upcoming Facebook live video with your audience. In other words, have an awareness drive before going all out with the Facebook live video.
Finally, Analyze the data to check the best time to go live. In short, the time when you can expect maximum traffic.

Hence, you shall reach more people by implementing this structure.

During Live:

Unlike a blog, your audience can join the live stream anytime. So, provide context on a regular basis. For example, provide regular announcement for what they should expect from the live!

Above all, address the comments that you get when you are streaming live. If you go by stats, Facebook Live drives comments at 10 times the rate of non-live videos. In other words, Facebook live videos are generally more engaging. As a result, more people will share their opinion. You can always have another person to help you shortlist the comments worth giving a shout out.

In short, a basic thing to remember is- Be likeable. Besides, focus on building a relationship with the audience and not the sales for your business.

After Live:

The game is not over, once you are done with the live broadcast. Rather, it just started.

Firstly, revert to all the missed out comments. Don’t leave them hanging. This small gesture will make your customer more inclined to you.
Secondly, share the live video on other platforms. If your live video is of value, it deserves to be on other platforms.
Finally, Analyze the result of your live video. This analysis must include everything from the reach to the reaction.

Post the analysis, you will know the things which you are missed out on. Hence, list it down and work on it before going live the next time. Now let us check out the best content ideas for your business when going live.

Best Facebook Live Video content ideas

1. Exclusive product launching/unboxing

Create hype by letting people know that you are unveiling a new product. If you have witnessed a live unboxing of any electronic device; You will know the curiosity and the real-time experience it provides.

However, you cannot reproduce this feeling in any edited video. Businesses today offer - Viewers Only Discount, which makes the prospect never miss their Facebook live video in the future.

For instance, Xiaomi used Facebook live to roll out their new product. They successfully launched Redmi note 5 and their smart TVs on this platform. It received astounding 30K views.

2. Behind-the-scenes content

Behind-the-scenes content is preferred by 87 percent of the audience. The deeper connection is the result of the transparency this video provides for your business. As a result, Facebook users glue themselves to behind the scenes Facebook live video.

Meanwhile, Dunking Donuts ran a campaign on Valentine's day offering a peek behind the scenes. The company went live to capture the making of massive heart shaped wedding cake made of donuts. The video received over 48K views stirring up the sales.

3. Livestream events

By now, you should have realized that videos garner more response than any other form of content. Businesses today want to connect with the audience sitting at home and they do it by live streaming on Facebook. Thus, making your audience feel more involved.

For instance, Starbucks filmed their participation on the voter's registration day. The video featured several Starbucks representatives explaining why voting mattered to them. The idea was to lend a human touch and address the issue at hand. The video received a good response with 175K views.

4. Record Crazy stunts:

Social media is addicting by nature. Internet users getting attracted to abstract videos has become a common trend. As a result, featuring crazy stunts has become the success mantra for many businesses.

Buzzfeed does not sell any product or service. The money they make is through advertising and specialize in creating viral content. Two of their employees went live to make the watermelon explode with rubber bands. This 45-minute video has already hit 11 million views.

5. Address the FAQs:

Ever considered addressing the repetitive queries in the Facebook live Video? Today, the user would prefer a video instead of reaching the support team. This cuts down the workload on the support team. Above all, the video is accessible anytime.

Sephora, a French cosmetic chain store, did a 30-minute broadcast. They talked about tips, trends and beauty products; while a person off stage asked the FAQs. This video has got over 89K views on Facebook. Jen Atkin of Ouai Haircare and Christophe Robin Paris answered all the questions. They were casual throughout. On rare occasions, they had informative discussions. Therefore, the Live session didn't look like a sales pitch.

In Conclusion

Going live has proved beneficial and will continue to in the future. With more businesses opting for Facebook live video, we are witnessing a massive shift in the mode of communication. Hence, this honest approach to reach the target audience will go a long way.