Do you use Facebook Live to drive audience engagement?
Are you wondering how you can improve your engagement using Facebook Live and streaming video on other platforms?
In this blog post, you’ll learn about six tips that will improve your audience engagement using Facebook Live and Streaming Video.
Six Facebook Live Tips
1. Promote Before You Go Live
Marketing is marketing no matter if you are going live or scheduling a post on Facebook. You always want to promote your event using a variety of marketing channels.
You might capture some audience randomly streaming live on Facebook, but remember, PEOPLE ARE VERY BUSY. If they know you are going live or broadcasting a big announcement, they are more likely to take the time to tune in.
The best place to promote is on the platform you are streaming on. If you plan to stream on Facebook Live, the first place you want to promote your stream is on Facebook.
But never limit your promotion to just Facebook. Use other social media platforms and your website to get eyeballs to your Facebook Live stream. Your other social media platforms are more likely to be a different audience than your fans on Facebook.
2. Invest in a Tripod and Smartphone Mount
Part of the appeal of Facebook live is the ability to broadcast a live stream using the smartphone in your pocket, but that does not mean you can’t add a bit of professionalism to your stream.
Tripods are a great way to achieve a steady shot during your broadcast. And steady shots can help bring balance to your show while saving your audience from getting seasick.
There are cool devices to help you connect your phone to your tripod. We use a simple product called a JOBY GripTight Mount. It helps balance our smartphone and allows us to attach our phone directly to the tripod.
Click the picture below to purchase the JOBY:
There might be times that a tripod is not what you want. A more freestyle approach does bring a bit of authenticity to your stream. Judge your event and your audience to determine if a tripod will deliver a better experience for your audience to your broadcast.
3. Change Your Camera Angle
Keeping your camera the same throughout your event can be annoying. The best way to spice things up is by changing your picture throughout your event. Varying camera shots can be as simple as walking around your venue getting a variety of shots, panning your phone to get other angles, or by using a streaming device like a MEVO.
MEVO is a product we use that uses a mobile device that allows you to zoom, pan, and cut with ease, all from a single camera & app. It’s a great device to stream and change your camera angle on the fly while looking professional.
Click the picture below to purchase a MEVO:
Mevo streams to Livestream, Facebook Live, YouTube, Periscope, and Twitter. No rig is required. It is a simple, small, and discreet; the Mevo camera & free app are all you need to record or stream your live events beautifully. It has a 150degrees all-glass lens with a Sony 4K sensor. You can stream live in 1080p Full HD and record as high as 4K.
4. Remind Your Audience to Like and Share During the Live Stream
No matter the event, always take the time to remind your audience to like and share your stream. It is as simple as asking.
During our Facebook Live events, I always whisper into our phone or MEVO to like/heart our broadcast. I also ask our viewers to share the show so more people can see the awesome things that are happening in our district.
Just like any good show, viewers can get lost in the broadcast. When they’re watching, they are not going to remember to share your content. However, if you remind them throughout the show, they are more likely to take the time to click share on Facebook. Most of the time, when I ask, our viewers hit the heart or share button during our broadcast.
Liking and sharing increases engagement with not only your audience but with their friends on Facebook. When your audience shares the broadcast, the stream appears in their Facebook timeline. But that is only the tip of the iceberg.
When your audience shares or likes your stream, it tells Facebook that it is an exciting event and more of their audience should check it out. Sharing and liking is a way to manipulate the Facebook algorithm. You are hacking engagement.
5. Respond to Comments During the Live Stream
Engagement is better when you engage with your audience. Facebook comments are an excellent way to engage with your audience during your event. When someone on your broadcast comments, make sure to respond.
Even if they comment with a simple “awesome” or “thank you for doing this”… I always respond. We think of Facebook Live as a two-person operation. One person to work the camera, and the other person to be on a laptop interacting with our audience.
If you are not able to have two people work your event, make sure to answer or respond to your comments after the event is over. More comments mean more engagement. There might be an essential question that needs answering.
Comments are also a great form of a “Call to Action.” You can respond to a comment with a link to your website or an invite to your next event. Use your Facebook comments to drive engagement.
6. Share the Facebook Live Replay
Always remember to save the stream to your Facebook timeline. For the most part, Facebook does this automatically, but if you are using a device like a MEVO, you are prompted by the device to add it to your timeline. Make sure to do this.
Much of your audience will watch the event after your original broadcast. Make sure you allow your viewers to do so. And Facebook is a great start.
After you post it on your Facebook timeline, download your video and post it on YouTube, and your website. You can embed the Facebook video directly to your site. It is a great way to get more views.
By sharing your broadcast on other platforms, you allow different audiences outside of your Facebook fans to see the show. It’s a great way to cross-pollinate your content and get more people to see the great things happening in your organization.
I would even include it in your digital newsletter. Embedding video in your emails is a great way to increase open and click rate.
Our district also edits parts of our videos into chunks that might answer specific questions from our Live Stream. Facebook Live Streams can be long, so providing highlight videos from the event is a great way to reuse and expand your content.
Here is an example of chunking we used from our Kindergarten Live Event:
Facebook Live Tutorial Conclusion
Facebook Live is a great way to increase engagement on Facebook. Right now, live streaming is one of the top-performing organic posts on the platform. With these six Facebook Live tips, you can improve your engagement even more.
What do you think? Have you tried any of the tips shared in this article? Do you plan to adjust your approach based on this suggested tips for driving engagement using Facebook Live?
