Facebook Live allows you to broadcast live video to your friends and followers on Facebook. It’s a great way to share moments, tell stories, engage with your audience in real time, or even go live with another person. Here are some tips on how to invite friends to watch your Facebook Live videos.
Enable Live Video
Before you can start broadcasting live, you need to enable Facebook Live on your account. Here’s how:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone or tablet. Log into your account.
- Tap on the More button (three horizontal lines) in the lower right corner and select “Live Video”.
- Toggle “Live Video” on by tapping on the switch.
Once enabled, you’ll see a Live icon (a circle with waves) above the status box when you go to post a new update. You may need to update your Facebook app to the latest version to get this option.
Schedule a Live Broadcast
You can schedule a live video ahead of time by following these steps:
- Tap the Live icon from your News Feed.
- Tap “Schedule Live Video” instead of going live immediately.
- Select a date and time when you want to broadcast.
- Fill in the rest of the details just as you would for a regular Facebook post.
- Tap “Schedule” to confirm.
This will create an upcoming post on your Timeline that your friends and followers can see. It also sends out notifications so people can be reminded to tune in when you go live.
Go Live Immediately
To start broadcasting on the spot:
- Tap the Live icon when sharing a post.
- Write a description to give people context.
- Tap “Go Live”.
You’ll get a quick countdown before you’re live. The icon turns red and shows how many viewers you have. Tap end when you’re done.
Share the Live Video
While broadcasting live, tap the Share icon to post the video to your Timeline, in a Group, on a friend’s Profile, or in a Facebook Story.
People will get notified as you begin sharing the live video to additional places. This helps you get more eyes on your broadcast.
Invite Friends to Watch
There are a couple ways to invite friends to tune into your live video:
- Share it ahead of time – When scheduling a live video, the upcoming post allows friends to set a reminder so they don’t forget to watch.
- Mention friends in your description – Tag friends by typing @ and their name when you create the live video.
- Invite friends to join you live – Tap the camera icon while broadcasting live and select a friend to add to the video.
- Share to friends directly – Tap the Send To button and select individual friends to notify.
The more friends you tag, share with directly, or add live, the more viewers you’ll get on your video.
Use Comments to Interact
Comments allow you to interact with friends and followers in real time as you’re broadcasting live:
- Viewers can leave comments and tap the Like button just like a regular video.
- You’ll see the comments come in while broadcasting so you can respond.
- Pin a comment to the top to highlight it for other viewers.
Replying to comments keeps people engaged and may encourage more participation.
Share After You Finish
Once your live video ends, it gets published to your Timeline like a regular video. You can continue sharing it with friends:
- Tag more friends who you want to see the replay by editing the post.
- Share it in a Group or to your Story if you didn’t already.
- Send the video directly to friends you think would find it interesting.
Your live video remains viewable for people to replay or watch later if they missed it originally.
Check Your Insights
To see statistics on your live videos:
- Go to your Page or Profile.
- Click “Videos” on the left menu.
- Select a live video.
- Scroll down to Insights to view metrics.
This shows you total views, average duration, peak concurrent viewers, and more. Use these stats to find out what content resonates with your audience.
Use Facebook Live Regularly
The more you broadcast, the more comfortable you’ll get using Facebook Live:
- Do weekly shows – Broadcast on a regular schedule so people know when to watch.
- Go live at events – Share what’s happening as it unfolds in real time.
- Try different video styles – Vlog, do an interview, stream a Q&A, and more.
- Engage your viewers – Interact with comments and add co-hosts.
Getting in the habit of live streaming helps build your audience. Plus it’s a great way to create content easily and spontaneously!
Best Practices For Facebook Live
Here are some tips to create great Facebook Live videos that viewers will love:
- Check your connection speed to ensure a smooth broadcast.
- Use good lighting so viewers can see you clearly.
- Hold your phone horizontally for widescreen viewing.
- Use a tripod or stabilizer for a steady shot.
- Engage with your audience by responding to comments.
- Have a plan for what you’ll talk about, but also interact naturally.
- Promote your live videos ahead of time so people know to watch.
- Rehearse first if you want your live stream to be polished and professional.
- Go live when your followers are most online to get more viewers.
- Keep broadcasts short and interesting to maintain engagement.
Following best practices will improve the quality of your live streams and make them more enjoyable for viewers.
Common Facebook Live Issues
Running into problems with Facebook Live? Here are some common issues and solutions:
Can’t go live
- Make sure Live Video is enabled in your settings.
- Update the Facebook app if you don’t see the Live icon.
- Check your internet connection and try on a different network.
Low viewership
- Promote your live videos ahead of time.
- Post at times when your audience is most active.
- Engage viewers by responding to comments.
- Share live videos in Groups and on friends’ timelines.
Video lags or buffers
- Improve your connection speed or move closer to your router.
- Ask others on your network to pause bandwidth-heavy tasks.
- Reduce video resolution in settings for a smoother feed.
Comments aren’t showing
- Swipe down on the video to refresh comments.
- Ensure you approved viewer comments in video settings.
- Check your internet connection.
Troubleshooting issues quickly helps provide a better viewing experience.
Live Video Ideas
Not sure what to broadcast live? Consider these engaging video ideas:
- Behind-the-scenes – Show your workflow, office, or creative process.
- Q&A or AMA – Answer viewer questions in real time.
- Tutorials – Teach viewers a skill like cooking, drawing, etc.
- Product launches and announcements – Share exciting company news.
- Event coverage – Stream from conferences, concerts, parties.
- Interviews – Host live podcast-style chats.
- “Day in the Life” – Document a typical day.
- Collaborations – Go live with interesting guests.
Think about what your audience would genuinely want to see and interact with. Live video works best when it’s engaging and adds value for viewers.
Grow Your Audience With Live Video
Some benefits of using Facebook Live include:
- Increased exposure and reach for your brand or business.
- Building stronger connections with your audience.
- Engaging fans with real-time interactions.
- More shares and comments than regular videos.
- Driving traffic to your website or offers.
- Capturing authentic, raw content.
- Ability to broadcast instantly from anywhere.
Leveraging live video can help you grow your following and create buzz around your content. Try these best practices for creating compelling broadcasts that keep viewers watching and engaging.
Conclusion
Facebook Live is a powerful platform for engaging your audience in real time. Schedule broadcasts ahead of time, invite friends directly, and interact with viewers’ comments to grow your live videos. Experiment with different types of content and broadcast regularly to build your audience. Use best practices for high-quality streams and troubleshoot issues so your viewers have a great experience. With compelling live content, you can connect with fans and followers on a deeper level.