How to Use Facebook Live to Boost Your Business

Did you know that 46% of marketers use live video as a social media tactic? If your business isn’t yet using livestreams to promote your products or services, it’s time to consider it seriously. The digital marketplace is fiercely competitive, and every opportunity should be seized.

There is no better place to begin live streaming than Facebook, the most used social media network with 3.07 billion active users monthly. In fact, 11.95% of Facebook users are from India, making it the country with the largest user base.

This tutorial will cover how to get your Facebook livestreaming off to a great start and improve your online presence.

Facebook Live is a feature that lets you stream live video directly to your followers. This means your audience can watch you in real-time, comment, ask questions, and even share your broadcast with others. It’s a powerful way to connect with your customers, offering an opportunity to engage with them as events unfold. Unlike pre-recorded videos, Facebook Live allows for a dynamic interaction that feels more personal and immediate.

A successful live stream doesn’t just happen on the spot—it requires a lot of planning. Here are a few key things to get ready before your live stream:

Are you struggling to come up with ideas for your first live stream? Try these 5 live video ideas for Facebook Live.

1.Open the Facebook App on your phone. Make sure that your phone is running the most recent version of Facebook.
2.Go to the page or profile from where you want to start your live broadcast.
3.Scroll down until you see the section where you’d create a new post. Tap on the Live button beside it.

4.On the upper part of the screen, toggle the white button to decide who you want to see your live stream—whether it’s public, just your friends, or a specific group.

5.Write a clear and engaging description for your live video to help you attract viewers.

6.You may select a filter to enhance the quality of your video by clicking on the magic wand button.

7.If you would like to see more settings for your live, like checking in, inviting friends, and other advanced options, you might also want to look at the three vertical lines.

8.When everything is set, tap the Go Live button to start broadcasting.

For a more polished presentation, streaming from your desktop offers additional options:

1.Use your preferred web browser to log into your account.
2.Select the page or profile you’ll be streaming from.
3.Beside the status update area, click on the Live button.

4.An option will be presented to you: either go live or schedule a live video event. Tap Go Live to proceed with the broadcast.
Note: If you change your mind about going live now, you can still schedule your live video within the Go Live window. Under the left tab, click When are you going live? To schedule your live, simply choose Later and enter the desired date and time.

5.To use a camera and microphone, just click Allow once your browser asks permission from the website. Make sure to select the correct camera and microphone to ensure better quality of the stream.

6.If you will use a different video source, click Streaming Software with the key icon. By using streaming software, you can improve your broadcast with a number of features. Popular Facebook Live Tool examples include:

Go to step 8 if you are not going to use any streaming apps.

7.To connect the streaming software to your Facebook Live, go back to the Facebook interface and copy the stream key.

8.Do not forget to include every detail about the post, such as the check-in, tags, and caption before clicking Go Live.

After your live stream, it’s important to review how it performed. This will help you understand what worked well and where you can improve. Unfortunately, the Facebook Analytics tool is no longer accessible as of July 1, 2021. Facebook Analytics was discontinued in an effort to consolidate business tools. Here are the Facebook tools you can still use:

Facebook provides analytics that show:

Meta Business Suite is a free tool that allows you to manage your Facebook and Instagram profiles and ad accounts on a single dashboard. Here’s what you can do with it:

For deeper insights, consider using third-party analytics tools to track performance over time. Here are the top tools for your Facebook Live analytics:

Social Status is a Facebook analytics tool that gives you more detailed insights than Facebook's own analytics. It has four different functions:

Metricool is a cost-effective, all-in-one social media management platform that works smoothly with Facebook and other Meta platforms. It offers unlimited historical data, advanced analytics, and tools for researching your competitors. You can also cross-reference your data using Google’s Looker Studio. Metricool includes extra features like social media scheduling and AI-assisted content creation. However, some of the more advanced tools are only available on the higher-tier plans.

Sprout Social is a strong option to consider among social media management tools. It offers scheduling and analytics across all major social media platforms, helping you plan and manage your Facebook and overall social media strategy. With a comprehensive analytics dashboard, Sprout provides insights into both paid and organic posts and suggests the best times to publish your content. You can also easily white-label and download reports directly from the dashboard.

For most people, the best time to go live on Facebook is after 6 pm from Tuesday to Thursday. But the best time for your live sessions depends on your specific audience and their habits. For businesses, going live in the evening from Tuesday to Thursday usually works well. It is always recommended to check your Facebook Insights to find out when your audience is most active and schedule your live sessions accordingly.

Facebook live streaming is compatible with a wide range of video specifications. Your best options depend on your hardware specifications and internet speed. Test your stream before any scheduled events for optimal results. Here’s the live video recommendation from Facebook.

Video Options:

Audio Options:

Find out more about the full range of supported live streaming specifications.

You can limit who can watch your live video based on their location or age. Here are the easy steps to restrict audiences based on their age and country.