Facebook Live for business? What on earth is that?
Let me explain.
As I’m sure you know, organic reach on a Facebook business page is pretty dismal these days. When we post something to our Facebook business page, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of likes, shares, or comments anymore. The bad news is that too many businesses are now having to buy ads if they ever want fans to see their posts. The good news is there is still one free post type that’s doing well – Facebook Live video.
Using Facebook Live for business is a great marketing strategy. It is free way to promote ourselves and our business.
Mari Smith, one of the top Facebook Marketing experts, recently confirmed that “Facebook is now favoring Live broadcasts, which tend to get more organic reach.” It turns out that most people love watching live video. As a result, Facebook Live video gets as much as six times the engagement over regular video.
According to Mari Smith, here’s how Facebook Live video engagement compares to other content you may be posting.
- Video posts on Facebook get the best engagement – with an average of 6% (up 2%)
- Photo posts get 4.81% (down 3%)
- Link posts get 3.36% (down 7%)
- Status posts get 2.21% (down 10%)
Facebook Live for business is a smart move for anyone that runs a Facebook business page. Unlike Facebook ads, which cost money, Facebook Live videos are free.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret… there are a few extra things you can do to get more bang for your buck.
Secret #1: Add Captions to Your Facebook Live Video
Facebook offers a free captioning tool you can use with your live videos. You can type or upload your own captions, or let Facebook generate them for you. The majority of Facebook users see videos in their timeline with the sound off. When they see captions on your video it will catch their eye and let them know what you’re talking about.
Secret #2: Upload Your Facebook Live Videos to YouTube
Facebook allows you to download your Facebook Live videos. Which means you can repurpose those videos. One idea is to upload your Facebook Live video to YouTube. This creates more content for your YouTube Channel, which helps with SEO. (Every business owner should have their own YouTube Channel. That’s a blog post for another day.) Always remember Google owns YouTube and having content on YouTube helps with your Google Search ranking. SEO baby.
Secret #3: Embed Facebook Live Videos on Your Website
After you’ve uploaded your Facebook Live video to YouTube, you can then embed it on your website. While you could embed a Facebook video on your blog or website, embedding a YouTube is better. We’ve been embedding YouTube videos onto our website for years and found YouTube to be so reliable. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it?
Not Using Facebook Live for Business?
If you’re not currently using Facebook Live for business, there’s no time like the present. Maybe you have a long list of reasons you’re not already taking advantage of this free and powerful marketing tool. You don’t have time. You don’t know how. You don’t know what to say. You don’t like how you look on video. You don’t like the sound of your voice. Yada yada yada.
“When you need an excuse, any excuse will do.” ~ Robert Vazquez
Please don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. ’ll be the first to admit that I have been riding the “excuse train” for quite awhile. However, I finally decided now is the time to jump in. For a few month now, I’ve have become inspired by a friend and business associate. Sue Clayton, the Solopreneur Academy, is just rocking it with Facebook Live for business. Sue runs a membership site for business women. To keep her members engaged and active on Facebook, she posts at least one (if not more) Facebook Live video each week. Whether she’s at home, at an event, or in her car, she never hesitates to whip out her cell phone and go live on Facebook. The beauty of using Facebook Live for business is that you don’t need any special talent or equipment. Really. If you can write and publish a status post to your Facebook business page, you’ve got this. Plus, you can use any digital device – a computer, tablet, or mobile phone. To get started:
- Visit your Facebook business page.
- In the status box, click the Facebook Live button
- Allow your digital device to access it’s camera.
- Smile and get ready to go live – countdown 1-2-3
- Start talking. It’s really not the hard.
- Your Facebook Live session will be posted to your Facebook business page as you are recording.
- Later, you can go back into the video post on your timeline and add captions, download the video, etc.
I would like to add a few extra tips:
- If you use your computer, it’s best to do so using Chrome Browser. I discovered that Facebook Live and Safari don’t play nice.
- It’s important to have a clear idea about WHAT to talk about. Have a specific purpose and stay focused. Try not to drone on and on. Nobody likes a rambler.
- Think about providing an overview of a specific product or service you offer. Do a quick question and answer session. Or, offer some tips and tricks your audience might find helpful.
Facebook Live videos are an awesome tool every business professional should check out. Try not to get hung up with being perfect. Instead, be yourself and let your unique personality shine through. People like to do business with those we know, like, and trust. Facebook Live videos for business are a great way for your customers to get to know you. So what do you think? Are you ready to start using Facebook Live for business?
