Facebook Live allows you to broadcast live video to your Facebook friends and followers. When you go live on Facebook, you have the option to turn your camera and microphone on so that people can see and hear you in real time. This interactivity is one of the key features of Facebook Live that differentiates it from simply uploading prerecorded videos.
In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about going live on Facebook, including how to start a broadcast, who can see and hear you, and how to control your privacy settings. We’ll also provide tips for having the best Facebook Live broadcast experience.
How to start a Facebook Live broadcast
Starting a Facebook Live broadcast is easy and only takes a few steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device or navigate to Facebook in your desktop browser.
- Click on the “Live” icon which is located in the status update box on mobile or on the left sidebar on desktop.
- Give your broadcast a title and description.
- Choose to broadcast using your phone’s camera and microphone or with a live streaming encoder connected to your desktop.
- Click the “Go Live” button and your broadcast will begin immediately.
Once you click “Go Live,” your live video will be published to your timeline for all of your friends and followers to see. The video will also be saved to your timeline when you end the broadcast.
Who can see and hear you on Facebook Live?
When you go live on Facebook, your broadcast is public by default. This means:
– All of your friends on Facebook will get a notification that you are live and can tune in to watch and comment on your video in real time.
– Anyone who visits your Facebook profile can see your live broadcast at that moment.
– Even people who are not your friends or followers on Facebook can stumble upon your live video if it’s shared widely.
So unless you change the default privacy setting, any Facebook user could potentially see and hear you while you are broadcasting live.
Can you limit who sees your Facebook Live video?
Yes, you do have some options to control the privacy of your Facebook Live broadcasts:
- Friends only: You can limit your broadcast just to your Facebook friends by changing the audience when you initiate the live video.
- Groups: If you start a live broadcast in a private Facebook group, only members of that group can view it.
- Pages: When broadcasting live from a Facebook Page, you can select an option to limit visibility just to people who like your Page.
Keep in mind that even with limited visibility, anyone who you share the live broadcast with can watch it. Privacy settings only control who can access the live video directly through Facebook.
Tips for the best Facebook Live experience
Here are some tips to help you have great quality and engaging Facebook Live broadcasts:
- Use good lighting and audio: Make sure your space is well-lit and minimize background noise.
- Interact with viewers: Respond to comments and questions to build a connection.
- Have a plan: Decide on a topic and points you want to cover to keep your broadcast focused.
- Share the broadcast: Let people know you’re going live and share the video afterward too.
- Check your connection: Use a strong internet connection for smooth, uninterrupted video.
- Be yourself: Bring your personality and authenticity on camera.
Can you go live on Facebook without being seen or heard?
No, broadcasting only video or only audio is not an option on Facebook Live. The platform is designed for live interactive broadcasting, so you must turn on your camera and microphone to go live.
However, you do have a couple options if you want to share live video but not actually appear on camera yourself:
- Go live with a co-host: Add a friend as a co-host and let them be on camera.
- Do a screen share: Share your phone or desktop screen without turning on your camera.
So while Facebook Live does require you to have your camera and mic on, you have some alternatives if you don’t want to physically appear on camera.
Can you post a prerecorded video as a Facebook Live broadcast?
No, Facebook Live requires a real live broadcast – you cannot fake it with a prerecorded video. The giveaway will be that you can’t actually interact with viewers in real time.
If you want to share a prerecorded video on Facebook, you can simply upload it as a regular video post on your timeline. While this won’t have the same live interactivity, it will let you share finished video content with your audience.
Live video and prerecorded video serve different purposes. Live broadcasting allows for authentic real-time connections, while prerecorded video may allow for more polished production value.
Can you edit a Facebook Live video after broadcasting?
No, Facebook Live videos cannot be edited after you finish broadcasting. The live broadcast is transmitted as a continuous stream, so there is no way to modify it once it’s over.
You can delete the video from your timeline if you wish, but you cannot selectively edit clips out or enhance it with graphics or effects like you could with a prerecorded video.
This is why it’s important to carefully prepare what you intend to talk about before going live. Make sure your camera angle looks good and your audio sounds clear before starting the broadcast. Make any mistakes and packaging your live video to share as edited highlights afterwards.
Can you tell who watched your Facebook Live video?
Facebook provides you with some analytics about who engaged with your live broadcast:
- People reached: The number of unique Facebook accounts that saw your live video.
- Peak concurrent viewers: The maximum number watching simultaneously at one point.
- Comments: You can see who commented on the live broadcast.
- Shares/Reshares: See who shared your live video on their own timeline.
However, Facebook does not provide a complete list of every single person who watched your live broadcast. The platform does not expose unique viewer data for privacy reasons.
You can get a good idea based on reach, peak viewership, comments and shares, but you won’t know each individual person that tuned in. For that level of analytics, you would need to use a standalone streaming platform instead of Facebook Live.
Can someone download your Facebook Live video?
Yes, it is possible for anyone to download and save a copy of your Facebook Live broadcast after it ends.
The video remains available for playback on your Facebook timeline unless you choose to delete it. Anyone can use a web browser extension or online video downloader tool to save the video file to their device.
So be cautious about sharing personal information and copyrighted content, as you lose control over your video as soon as you broadcast live.
Conclusion
Facebook Live is designed to be an interactive broadcast medium, so anyone tuning in can see and hear you in real time. Default privacy settings make your live videos public, but you can restrict visibility to friends or groups only.
To maximize the impact of your Facebook Live broadcasts, use optimal lighting and audio equipment, engage with viewers through comments, and share compelling live content that your audience will genuinely want to watch and interact with in the moment.
Going live on Facebook can be a powerful way to engage your target audience and build authentic connections with them through real-time video.