5 Quick Easy Facebook Live Tips That You’ll Wish You’d Tried Sooner – 1 Minute Moment #96

I’m going to share with you five Facebook Live tips I’ve picked up in the last year and a half of broadcasting that will get more people watching for longer and engaging with your content.

But first let me tell you a story…

There’s a local supermarket in Athy where I live, it’s part of a chain but it’s managed locally. They stock local food and although I have to wait a while at the checkout (there’s no automated option) there’s always a smile and a bit of banter from the people on the tills.

The larger supermarket chains have lost that personal touch. Checkout workers are too busy churning people through a process to relax and chat with customers. If they tried they’d probably hear the tuts of the other customers in the queue. Friendliness isn’t part of the experience and because of that customers don’t have time for it.

Facebook live, and live streaming reminds me of the friendly supermarket. Businesses and brands are no longer hidden behind their websites and social channels, I can meet them and interact with them in real time. I no longer feel like I’m being processed.

Like my local supermarket, I’m going to keep going back to them because I feel I know them and that they know me.

I’ve been broadcasting regular shows on Facebook live since March 2016. Even though organic reach is taking a dive I still feel its power. That one to one connection I make with my audience once a week.

Facebook Live Tips For Getting More Viewers for Longer

I’ve shared my Facebook live tips with you before, but since then I’ve learned so much that I thought it was time for a refresh.

1. Write a great description

I used to be lazy with my description and just type something generic. I knew I could go change it afterwards so I rarely gave it a thought when I went live. But that was a mistake.

When people get a notification that you’re live, or when they see your video in the newsfeed they will also see the description. It’s that description that will trigger their decision to watch or not.

My problem is that I’m a fat fingered phone typist. I find it ridiculously hard to type on a phone keyboard and whenever I do my text is full of errors. To combat this I write my description on the computer first in the Apple Notes app (you could use Evernote or another alternative). I can then pick it up on my phone and paste it into my Facebook live description.

2. Start with a hook

Prepare a spiel that introduces you and your show and say it right at the beginning.

It’s daunting when you start a live. It takes time for people to join you. For the first minute or so you could be talking to yourself. It’s tempting to fill these first moments with general chatter or to talk about the weather.

But when we do this we’re forgetting about a large segment of our audience. Those who aren’t watching live but tune in for the replay. If you tell people straight away what the broadcast is and why they should watch they are more likely to keep viewing.

3. Ask for a share

It does seem a bit cheeky but if you are providing value with your live show it’s a good idea to ask for the share. I do it near the beginning and at the end of my show, most weeks and I’m often surprised how many people do share as a result.

I tend to use the line “If you know anyone who would get value from this show hit the share button below. You can share in a group, on your page, on your profile or even in messenger”

Facebook will tell you when someone shares so you can thank them then and there.

4. Get more engagement with questions

It’s easy to forget that a Facebook live isn’t just a broadcast it is a two-way conversation. Ask questions throughout your show and ask for responses in the comments or by hitting the reaction buttons. You’ll always get more comments this way and your viewers will feel like they are part of the experience.

5. Set up a mailing list

If you run a regular show create a mailing list to remind people to tune in. I have mine set up to notify people an hour before I go live.

Create a page on your website where people can subscribe, and embed your latest show there too. That gives people who missed the live show a destination to catch up. A page like this will help you slowly build loyal and repeat viewers.

Follow these five tips and you will begin to see a difference in your audience and their engagement on your Facebook live broadcasts.

Your Turn

Do you have any Facebook live tips to share? Have you a technique for getting more people to view for longer? If so leave me a comment below.