5 Reasons to Use Facebook Live
I find making and watching videos of myself embarrassing. I also don’t care about how I look online, and I may in time come to regret that. However, the more I learn about Facebook in particular, the more I realise I need to get over myself and get into Facebook Live.
I’m pretty annoyed with myself because I read something about Facebook Live a few weeks ago and why it is so effective, but can’t find any trace of it (blame my head cold). What I do have is Mark Zuckerberg from 2014 saying that in 5 years Facebook will be mostly videos and to date, his prediction is pretty much spot on (for more info see Facebook hits 8 Billion Daily Video Views). I also have read feedback from some serious Facebook users and social media “influencers” stating that compared to their other posts, their video reach is huge.
Reach is important because it represents engagement, and social media algorithms love engagement. The more likes and comments you receive on your posts, the more likely your content will show up in people’s newsfeeds. This improves your business’ online presence. I spoke about the importance of this topic in 10 ways to improve your online presence, but just to remind you all again, a good online presence breeds loyalty from you followers, who will hopefully turn into loyal customers.
After some research I’ve compiled the following list:
5 Reasons to Use Facebook Live
- Higher engagement – I’ll explain a bit about Facebook live. When you are live, your followers can like and comment live too. You can acknowledge people who are commenting while you film which makes the followers feel acknowledged when you interact with them. They in turn with comment, and keep commenting. A photo or pre-recorder video generally only produces one comment from your followers, if any at all.
- Humanises your brand – Once the live stream is over, the video will show in the feed of your other social media followers. Viewers will see you interacting with others, making you and your brand appear more relatable. If your customer already trusts you and your brand, making a sale is a lot easier.
- Saves Time – Writing posts takes quite a while. Most of my posts take around 15 minutes to construct and find an appropriate image to go with it. A live video takes as long as required, and much of the time you will be on the move to make it more interesting. Much better than constructing a post.
- It’s Prioritised – Facebook in particular are prioritising Facebook live over other posts. Your followers will also receive a notification that you either are live, or were live. You have more chance of people seeing your live post than any other forum, and what’s the point in doing this if it’s not going to show up.
- Instant Feedback – It’s a great way to gather information from your followers instantly. You and your followers are pretty well put on the spot, and it’s a good thing. It’s no different to being able to turn to a colleague and ask a question instantly compared to sending an email and waiting for a reply that you may never receive.
Facebook Live has its risks. You need to watch your language, and you never know what’s going to happen at any point in time, which is an issue you don’t have with pre-recorded material. If that makes you nervous, try to be in a controlled environment where possible (i.e. somewhere quiet). The uncertainty is why I’ve steered clear, but I’ve realised that if I’m going to be a part of Facebook I need to get into live streaming.
Now, I know I’ve written a lot about online presence and Facebook lately, but the simple fact is that I have been asked to. If you’d like me to write about something else, well you’ll have to ask. Feel free to comment below, or get in touch.
If you want to see me give Facebook live a crack, like our Facebook Page, and if this has inspired you to you’ll have to let me know your Facebook page so I can keep an eye out and provide support where ever I can. I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone goes, good luck!
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