The first time I went Facebook Live was when I was at the Houston Zoo and these otters kept doing backflips in the water. It was amazingly cute and I freaked out. I wanted to shout from the rooftop and tell all my friends to look at these otters. So, I used Facebook Live.
Fast-forward to March 2017, when I was asked to do a Facebook Live video at a Hard Hat Tour for work at Volunteers of America.
These tips are intended for brands and can be adapted for personal brands.
Use it Strategically
Don’t use Facebook Live too often.
Go Live for at least 3 minutes. Ideally 10-15 minutes and less than 30 minutes.
Engage with the Comments.
Give shout outs by name to people watching, answer questions that pop up in the comments, and thank your viewers for watching. It’s a two-way form of communication.
Show dogs or kids.
If you want to win Cards Against Humanity, you play to the judge. The judge (aka your audience) likes puppies and children, I promise you. If you can, include a child or animal in your Facebook Live video. Watch the Hearts roll in.
It doesn’t have to be scripted.
The transparency of Facebook Live means that you don’t have to write out what you’ll say the whole time. Have notes and a general idea of what you need to say but otherwise, talk like you’d normally do.
It’s okay if something goes wrong.
Hey, it’s a live video so yeah, something probably will get messed up and viewers will understand. Roll with the punches and recover.
Debbie Gillum Wakefield 