Going live on any social media can be risky, but if you pick the right one your business or brand can benefit from it. Live video shows that promotions and ads don’t have to be edited or revised before they are shared. Consumers are able to have a live-look into your daily tasks at your business or brand, and it builds a relationship with your followers. We’ve analyzed Facebook Live and Periscope’s features to find the best one for you.
Facebook Live
Facebook Live is one of the most popular live social media outlets. Facebook has made it simple to go live through the app, no matter where you are. This live outlet has become a must for a variety of users such as news stations reporting on breaking news, celebrities giving a behind-the-scenes look and hosting interviews. Although the idea of live video is to show your followers unedited content, there are ways your business can prepare for using Facebook Live so it benefits your brand.
To start, your brand or business should inform your followers that you will be doing a live broadcast, and encourage them to follow you on Facebook so they receive notification when you begin broadcasting. (Note: when someone ‘likes’ your page, they do not follow you). When you are ready to go live, you should ensure you have a strong internet connection so the broadcast is clear. Giving the broadcast an interesting name and caption will grab your follower’s attention and make them want to tune in, this should be prepared before you are ready to go live.
Once you begin broadcasting, encourage your viewers to click the ‘follow’ button so they can receive notifications for future live posts. Your business should also engage with your viewers during the broadcast. Facebook Live allows viewers to leave comments at the bottom during the broadcast. If a viewer leaves a comment, respond and include their name, viewers love this type of individual engagement. Another form of live engagement is the ability to see reactions in real-time. You, as well as viewers, can see who is reacting and when, so make sure you are receiving positive feedback.
Periscope
Periscope is Twitter’s live streaming video app. It is similar to Facebook Live in a number of ways. On the Periscope app, you can log in via Twitter, Facebook (although you can use Facebook’s live streaming capability), Flickr and Vimeo. The majority of users are linking their Twitter account to Periscope. In the app there are four main tabs to choose from: a list of live broadcasts from who you follow or broadcasts you’ve attended in the last day, a global list of live broadcasts, your broadcast booth and your followers. The followers tab is strictly for followers on Periscope, not on Twitter.
Before you begin broadcasting live on Periscope, you want to consider a few things. The first crucial point it timing, you want to broadcast at the best time for YOUR Twitter followers, researching the best time might be necessary. You also want to ensure your business comes up with an attention-grabbing title for the broadcast. In Periscope, you have three options when broadcasting: private broadcast, sharing the broadcast on Twitter and sharing your location. During a private broadcast, only people that you invite will be able to view the broadcast.
When you choose to share the broadcast on Twitter, there will be a tweet composed for you that reads: “LIVE on #Periscope: [Video Title] [Link to Video].” By sharing your location, it increases the reach of the broadcast. Enabling location features allows your broadcast to be added to the global map so users that search for your location can discover the broadcast on the global list tab.
Once the broadcast is over, Periscope will provide you with some metrics. You will see the retention rate, total viewers, the time it was watched and the duration of the broadcast. If you continue scrolling through the metrics page you can see everyone that viewed your broadcast and those that replayed it, as well as “hearts” or “likes” on the broadcast. Periscope will also provide you with the option to save it to your camera roll so you can post it to other outlets later on. Remember, the original live video will always be saved to your profile, so even if some followers miss the broadcast, they can view it up to 24 hours later.
Choose One
Live streaming is becoming more popular every time a business or brand broadcasts. Facebook Live is great for reaching large audiences and getting out current news quickly, whereas Periscope is great for engaging with your viewers. Choosing which the best one for your business or brand is based on your current marketing needs and your desired platform could change with each initiative. Consider the features and tools highlighted above and understand each live streaming application in order to make an informed decision. Happy streaming!