Facebook Live? Livestream? Both?

Facebook rules. It’s a brilliantly savvy monetized social media platform that’s getting almost everything right.

1.79 billion people use Facebook each month.
1.18 billion people log into Facebook daily.

Many marketers agree that Facebook is still the reigning champ of social media.

One of the latest updates in the past year included Facebook Live – a live-streaming video service that most agreed was a move to compete with the rise of Periscope and the now defunct Meerkat. Facebook Live allows businesses to run a real-time feed off a computer or mobile device and post on their business page as a status. Viewers can watch and comment on the post, also in real-time. Latest figures show that people spend 3x longer watching a live video vs a pre-recorded video.

Live stream video is gaining traction on Facebook and companies have been asking whether the Facebook Live platform should be leveraged to gain more exposure for their brand. With Facebook throwing their hat into the live-streaming ring, there is a a lot of room for confusion about which platform to choose. Once you decide that Facebook Live is a good fit for your company, there are some important questions you must ask yourself. While there are not necessarily wrong answers, there are definitely better answers.

Selecting the right platform.

As we’ve said, Facebook Live is great. Facebook Live with a professional is even better. 67% of livestream viewers claim that video quality is the most important factor according to Livesteam. That figure goes up to 90% when talking about Facebook Live specifically. There is an enormous opportunity for getting your brand in front of people with live video.

A professional video company will take your live stream to the next level by having the ability to put your steam on Facebook and any other platform of your choosing. Until a couple of years ago you were limited in how you could stream live video to a massive audience across the world. Most options were prohibitively expensive or complicated to use. Now, along with Facebook, you have options such as YouTube, Ustream, and Livestream. Why limit yourself to only being able to work with one? For the audience that is on Facebook, stream to Facebook. For the audience that is on your website, embed another solution. Is your audience split between Facebook and your website? Do both. Meet your audience where they’re at.

Streaming to a mature platform will give you access to powerful metrics that have not yet made their way to Facebook Live. A professional service will provide demographics such as geographical location that you can use to tailor your message. An experienced production company will help you navigate what platform you should choose and how to best leverage all of the tools available to you.

How else can a professional help?

Beyond helping navigate what streaming platform you should choose, a professional video production company can help your stream be better in many different ways such as:

Creating a multi-cam setup for a high-end broadcast appearance
Professional lighting
Clear audio (this is VERY important)
Eliminate beginner mistakes that could jeopardize your brand
Technical support that includes an understanding of bit rates and web video delivery issues like latency, field compression, single or multi-encode workflows, etc.
Saving you time and allowing you to focus on your message

Now, don’t get us wrong; there is absolutely a time and place to pull out your iPhone and start streaming to Facebook. Audiences love transparency and spontaneity that can come from capturing an authentic, unplanned moment live. Embrace the power that is contained within your smart phone. When it comes time to take your production to the next level – bring in a professional.