Facebook Live is a powerful marketing tool that allows businesses to stream live videos to their Facebook followers. Going live allows you to engage with your audience in real-time and create more personalized connections. In fact, live videos often get more reach and engagement than regular pre-recorded videos.
With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook is too big of a platform to ignore for marketers. Facebook Live presents a huge opportunity to grow your brand’s presence and get in front of more of your target audience. But simply pressing the “Go Live” button isn’t enough. You need an effective Facebook Live marketing strategy to capitalize on this platform.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about running successful Facebook Live campaigns, including:
Why Use Facebook Live for Marketing?
There are several key benefits that make Facebook Live a valuable marketing channel:
Increased reach and engagement
Facebook’s algorithm favors live videos in News Feeds. So your broadcasts are more likely to be surfaced in your followers’ feeds during a livestream. Viewers also spend 3x more time watching a Facebook Live video compared to pre-recorded video.
More organic reach
The average organic reach of Facebook Live videos can be up to 10x higher than traditional video posts. And your live videos remain discoverable after the broadcast ends, continuing to attract new viewers.
Authentic content
Live video comes across as more authentic and raw. This can help you establish stronger connections with your audience. Viewers get to interact with real people from your team in an unscripted setting.
Drive website traffic
You can include clickable links, CTAs, landing pages, and other tools to drive traffic to your website directly from your Facebook Live streams.
Generate leads and sales
Facebook Live is a versatile channel that allows you to generate leads and drive conversions. You can promote offers, run lead gen campaigns, and more.
Lower cost
It’s free to broadcast on Facebook Live. You don’t need expensive video equipment either – just your smartphone. Compared to paid advertising and production costs of pre-recorded videos, it’s a very low-cost marketing tactic.
Step 1: Define Your Goals and KPIs
Like with any marketing initiative, the first step is to establish your goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).
This will allow you to measure performance and results from your Facebook Live marketing efforts. Align your goals to broader business objectives.
Some potential goals include:
Brand awareness
– Increase brand reach and exposure
– Get in front of more of your target audience
– Introduce your brand to new audiences
Engagement
– Increase post reactions, comments, and shares
– Boost overall follower engagement
– Build an engaged community around your brand
Lead generation
– Capture more leads or email subscribers
– Increase form fills and conversions
– Drive traffic to landing pages
Sales
– Generate more sales directly from live videos
– Promote offers, deals, and products
– Drive traffic to your online store
Once you identify your goals, define the KPIs you’ll use to track performance. Examples may include:
– Live views
– Comments
– Shares
– Link clicks
– Landing page visits
– Form fills
– Sales revenue
– Return on ad spend (ROAS)
Setting benchmarks for each metric will help you measure ROI and optimize your future live streams.
Step 2: Choose Your Live Video Content
Your content will make or break the success of your Facebook Live marketing. Selecting the right video topics and formats for your brand is crucial. Consider these factors when planning content:
Your audience’s interests
Research what types of content and live streams perform best with your target audience. You want topics that align with their interests and needs. Analyze competitors’ top-performing live videos for ideas too.
Video formats
Explore different formats like Q&As, behind-the-scenes, interviews, tutorials, product launches, event coverage, and more. Test what resonates best.
Video length
Facebook suggests optimal video length is 10-20 minutes. Longer videos see steep drop-offs. But you can experiment to see what works for your audience.
Current events and trends
Tie your live streams into major events, news, or viral trends related to your industry for more interest. But avoid controversial topics.
Product showcase
For ecommerce brands, product spotlights and “shoppable live” videos drive great engagement and sales. Give live demos and discounts.
Be consistent
Schedule live streams consistently on certain days/times. This trains fans to tune in and builds loyal viewership over time.
Step 3: Promote Your Live Streams
It’s not enough to simply create great live video content. You also need to promote your upcoming broadcasts to drive viewership.
Live Video notifications
Notify followers and existing fans about future live streams using Facebook notifications. You can set reminder notifications for events.
Facebook Events
Create a Facebook Event for each broadcast. Invite fans to set a reminder. Share the Event widely.
Facebook ads
Run video views or engagement ads promoting your live stream to target new audiences. Retarget website visitors.
Other social promo
Cross-promote on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn. Post on relevant Facebook Groups. Ask employees to share.
Email marketing
Alert your email subscriber list about upcoming live streams. Send reminder emails. Share past replays.
Website banners
Add banners or pop-ups promoting the live stream on your website to capture more viewers.
Influencer marketing
Partner with influencers in your niche to help promote your live videos to their audience.
Step 4: Engage Viewers During the Live Stream
Interacting with your audience in real-time is what makes Facebook Live so powerful. Use these engagement best practices:
Respond to comments
Reply to viewer comments and questions to have a two-way conversation. Assign someone to moderate comments.
Run polls and Q&As
Ask for audience input and feedback through polls and live Q&As to boost comments.
Add CTAs
Include clickable links and calls-to-action in your video description to drive traffic and conversions.
Pin critical links
Pin important links like offers or your website URL as a pinned comment to increase visibility.
Go behind the scenes
Give viewers a unique “access all areas” perspective of your office, event, etc. This creates a more raw, authentic vibe.
Avoid distractions
Mute notifications, close extra windows and tabs – minimize anything that can distract viewers.
Step 5: Repurpose Your Live Videos
Don’t let your hard work go to waste after the live stream ends. Extend the value by repurposing content:
Share the replay
Post the replay video natively on Facebook/YouTube. Share it again across other channels.
Turn it into short-form videos
Chop the full-length replay into shorter, snackable clips to share. Highlight key moments.
Post transcripts
Publish a text transcript on your blog or landing pages. This helps for SEO too.
Email subscribers
Send a replay video link to email subscribers and followers who missed the livestream.
Compile best moments
Edit together b-roll of reactions, behind the scenes footage, and best clips from multiple livestreams.
Convert to a podcast
Download the audio from your video and turn it into a podcast episode. Publish and promote.
Step 6: Analyze Results and Optimize
Analyzing performance data is key for improving your live video marketing strategy over time. Review metrics including:
Watch time
Aim for high average watch times. This signals you’re creating engaging content.
Peak concurrent viewers
When did you achieve max viewers? What type of content was resonating?
Audience retention
Look at drop off rates. Are people tuning out at certain points?
Traffic sources
See what promotion channels and ads are driving the most viewers. Double down on what works.
Ad performance
For boosted posts, assess cost per result and ROI. Kill underperforming ads.
Landing page visitors
How many people clicked your links? Optimize landing pages to convert more live viewers.
Regularly A/B testing your variables can help further increase your Facebook Live marketing results.
Conclusion
Facebook Live represents an enormous opportunity for brands looking to expand their reach, foster engagement, and drive business growth. But achieving success requires an effective strategy.
First, set clear goals and KPIs so you can properly track performance. Spend time nurturing quality live video content tailored to your audience’s needs. Use a mix of organic reach and paid advertising to maximizing viewership for each broadcast. Interact with viewers in real-time during streams. Then repurpose that content across other channels afterwards.
Finally, continually analyze metrics to identify what’s working well. Refine your targeting, content formats, engagement tactics, and promotion channels over time. This will ensure your Facebook Live marketing keeps driving impressive results.
| Goal | Example KPIs |
|---|---|
| Brand Awareness | Reach, Shares, Comments |
| Lead Generation | Landing Page Visits, Form Fills |
| Sales | Purchases, Revenue, ROAS |
| Promotion Channel | Examples |
|---|---|
| Owned Media | Website, Email, Social Media |
| Paid Media | Facebook Ads, Influencer Marketing |
| Earned Media | PR, Reviews, Word of Mouth |
Facebook Live can seem intimidating at first. But by following these steps, you’ll be ready to launch effective live video campaigns tailored for your brand. Treat Facebook Live as an ongoing process of testing and optimization. Stay consistent with streaming and promotion. And you’ll reap the benefits of higher reach, engagement, leads, and sales over time.