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5 tips for Facebook Live success

Many social media experts believe that video will be one of the most important marketing trends of 2016.

4 min read

Brands & Campaigns

facebookLive

Many social media experts believe that video will be one of the most important marketing trends of 2016 and that live video on Facebook is a big part of it.

To make sure that your brand is benefiting from this new outlet in the biggest way possible, keep these winning tips in mind:

Create content that your fans want to watch.

Pick a great setting, strong speakers and some terrific action to showcase. You can share video from an event at your company, interview your staff about service lines or give potential customers a virtual tour. Ensure that your lighting and sound are top quality. There is so much high-quality content now available that people are not likely to stick around when they can’t hear what’s going on or are presented with less-than-awesome image quality.

Content should be geared toward the interests of the viewers; do not include too much overt promotion. This can turn users off and make them less likely to continue to watch.

Forget what you know about video length.

Usually, the shorter a video it is, the more people will watch. Most branded video come in under 60 seconds, since that means that people do not have to invest a lot of time to see what it is about. Facebook Live video, on the other hand, should go on longer so that people have time to join the broadcast and to share it with their friends. Facebook recommends that a live video event go on for a minimum of five minutes in order to gain traction and engagement.

Don’t forget that social networks are meant to be social.

When your live event is going on, engage with your viewers. Have people on-hand to pick out the best comments and questions. Keep your video’s content plan open enough that you can respond and can adapt to what your viewers are discussing.

During your broadcast, include many cues for users to participate. Ask a lot of questions. For example, if you own a restaurant, encourage people to share their favorite entrees at your place. By creating an opening in the conversation, you can get more people reacting and commenting on your live video.

Offer specials to broadcast viewers.

For instance, share a code word that can be used to get a free gift-away or another discount. If people know that there’s a perk for people who tune in, they are more likely to watch and share your live video broadcasts. You can also make it fun by creating live contests that your viewers can compete in to win prizes like t-shirts, koozies and gift certificates. The combination of exciting content and bonuses for people who tune in can win you a large and loyal audience. And, people are likely to share your specials with their friends, meaning that they help you extend your reach and get a needed boost from social proof.

Let people know when you’ll be broadcasting live.

Let fans of your brand’s page know that you will have live video coming up and what they can expect to see. Encourage them to set reminders on their phones so that they will remember to tune in and check out the show.

Do not forget to promote your broadcast on other platforms. Don’t just announce your live broadcast to your Facebook fans. Promote on all of the platforms where you have an active presence. The more cross-promotion you can do, the more people are likely to tune into your stream and hear what you have to say.

Live video offers great opportunities to connect with your local audience and get people excited about your brand. Post regularly to keep awareness high and increase your engagement. By bringing a top live video broadcast game, you can get more people watching and get more people in the door to visit your business.

Alex Membrillo is the CEO of Cardinal Web Solutions, an award-winning digital strategy agency based in Atlanta. He was named Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)’s 2015 Digital Marketer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter.