Facebook Live views are an important metric for measuring the success of live video content on the platform. But what exactly constitutes a view on Facebook Live? Here we’ll look at how Facebook counts Live views, what metrics matter most, and tips for getting more views on your live videos.
How Facebook Counts Live Views
When a Facebook user watches a Facebook Live video, it counts as a view after they’ve watched for 3 seconds or more. This is sometimes referred to as the “3-second video view” metric. Just opening a Live video doesn’t count as a view – the person has to actively watch for at least 3 seconds.
Here are some other key things to know about Facebook Live views:
- Views are counted from both desktop and mobile devices.
- Only individual people are counted as views, not multiple views from the same person.
- Views are counted if the video is watched for 3+ seconds, whether it’s the live broadcast or the recorded video after the fact.
- Views from bots or suspicious accounts are filtered out and not counted.
The 3-second minimum time avoids inflating view counts with accidental clicks or scrolling past the video in the feed. It means the metrics show real engagement with the content.
Unique vs. Total Live Views
Facebook provides metrics for both total Live views and unique Live views. The distinction is important:
- Total views – The total number of times a video was viewed for 3+ seconds. If the same person watches the video multiple times, they are counted each time.
- Unique views – The number of distinct people who viewed the video for 3+ seconds. Someone watching 3 times still counts as 1 unique view.
Unique views give you a sense of your real reach – how many individuals actually saw the content. Total views show repeat engagement and can help gauge people’s genuine interest.
Peak Concurrent Views
Another metric provided is peak concurrent viewers – the maximum number of people concurrently watching your Live video at any point. This metric gives insight into the level of immediate interest during the broadcast.
For example, you might have 1,000 unique views during a 30-minute video. But the peak concurrent number shows that at one point 200 people were actively engaged watching together.
Why Live View Count Matters
Tracking Facebook Live views helps you measure the performance of video content. Higher view counts and engagement metrics suggest the content resonates with your audience. Here are some of the key benefits of bigger view counts:
- Reach: More people are seeing your brand and message.
- Engagement: People are interested enough to watch for 3+ seconds.
- Social buzz: You can trigger conversation and viral sharing.
- Monetization: For Pages able to monetize, more views equal more potential ad revenue.
However, it’s important not to get caught up solely in the vanity metrics. The quality of views and audience retention also matter. Next we’ll look at ways to get more – and better – Facebook Live views.
How to Get More Facebook Live Views
Growing your Live view count requires both creativity and strategy. Here are 8 tips to get more eyeballs on your Facebook Live videos:
1. Choose compelling topics
Your topic needs to resonate with your audience and stand out. Look at their interests and what performs well with other content. Brainstorm creative ways to approach popular topics related to your brand or industry.
2. Promote in advance
Build anticipation by promoting your upcoming Live videos. Share the date, time and subject on your Page, in Facebook Groups, via email marketing, etc. Remind people right before you go live.
3. Optimize video title and description
Use keywords in your title and preview text to make it easily discoverable. Intrigue viewers with a compelling description of what you’ll cover.
4. Go live consistently
Schedule broadcasts at consistent times, like a weekly show or daily update. This trains people to tune in and builds your live viewership over time.
5. Interact with viewers in real time
Engage people in the live comments and respond in real time. This keeps them watching longer to join the conversation.
6. Promote as you broadcast
Share the live video on your Page and in Groups as you’re broadcasting. Ask people to invite others to watch too.
7. Repurpose content
Download and reuse clips or highlights from Live videos in other posts. This extends the reach and life of your content.
8. Analyze and improve
Check viewer drop-off rates in the Facebook Insights. Identify what content works and doesn’t to improve engagement.
Using Facebook Ad Tools
Facebook also provides paid tools to get more views of both your live broadcasts and replays:
- Live Video Ads: Run ads linking directly to your live broadcast.
- Crossposting: Simultaneously go live across Facebook and Instagram.
- Instant Replays: Immediately run video ads of your replay after broadcasting.
Combining organic best practices and paid promotion is key for maximizing your reach and views with Facebook Live.
Tracking Views and Engagement
Facebook Insights provides data on your Live videos under the “Videos” tab. Here you can see:
- Total and unique 3-second views
- Peak live viewers
- Average watch time
- Total minutes viewed
- Views by device, demographics, geography, etc.
Compare metrics on different broadcasts to see what content and approaches resonate best with your audience. Also track engagement metrics like comments, reactions and shares.
Using Third-Party Analytics
For more detailed analytics, use a third-party tool like Tubular or Sprout Social. Features may include:
- View tracking minute-by-minute
- Replay views and retention
- Demographics and audience segmentation
- Competitor benchmarking
- Sentiment analysis
Advanced analytics help optimize your video strategy and outperform competitors.
Best Practices for More Engaging Live Videos
While view count is important, you also want people to actually stay engaged. Here are some best practices for more engaging live videos that keep people watching longer:
Engage with comments in real time
Responding to viewer comments and having a back-and-forth conversation keeps them engaged longer. Even just liking their comments shows you’re listening.
Avoid long monologues
Have visuals, graphics, product demos, etc. to break up any long speeches. This provides more visual stimulation.
Incorporate interactive elements
Add polls, live quizzes, Q&As and calls-to-action to involve your audience during the video.
| Interactive Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Poll | Ask viewers to vote on different options in real time |
| Quiz/trivia | Post questions and have viewers submit answers live |
| Q&A | Invite viewers to ask questions and respond live |
| Call-to-action | Prompt viewers to take a specific action like sharing or clicking a link |
Have a co-host or guest
Featuring multiple people makes the conversation more dynamic and lively for viewers.
Rehearse and use an outline
Preparing a loose outline ensures your content is tight and engaging from start to finish.
Monitor analytics in real time
Facebook’s Creator Studio lets you see live viewer counts, comments and other metrics to track engagement.
Optimizing Your Replay Views
The views of your live recording after the broadcast ends are also important. Here are tips to maximize replay views:
- Edit and shorten your video to highlight the best parts after.
- Share clips and quotes natively on Facebook.
- Post your replay video on Instagram and YouTube.
- Run ads to the replay video.
- Analyze viewer drop-off and tweak the edit.
A well-edited replay video can continue attracting views long after your initial broadcast.
Conclusion
Facebook Live views are a key metric for measuring video performance. But it’s not just about racking up a big view count – you want real engagement that keeps people watching. Combine interesting topics, social promotion, and interactive elements for the best results. Analyze metrics to constantly improve. With the right strategy, you can build an audience for successful Facebook Live broadcasts.