Lights, Camera...Action! How Facebook Live Can Help Your Small Business

As we are all well aware, Facebook is a valuable place to be in today’s busy marketplace -- both as a consumer and a business professional. It’s increasingly difficult to even engage in a casual conversation where Facebook doesn’t come up.

The Facebook Live interface -- where viewers can interact with you via real-time video -- is making the social media platform even more appealing for small business owners. Reach potential customers in your network and beyond through a video broadcast...all while educating them on your business' goods and services. It’s a modern day, multi-tasking professional’s dream and the audience is literally just a smartphone away. According to Hyperfine Media, 96% of B2B organizations use video in some capacity in their marketing campaigns with 73% reporting positive results to their return on investment. Plus, ⅓ of all online activity is spent watching video!

Video content is highly valued on platforms like Facebook, so much so that Facebook Live videos are ranked higher in your newsfeed. Translation, it’s time to “go Live!” So, where do you sign up? If you have a Facebook account, you already did. That was easy, right? The best part is -- it’s free! I recently did my first Facebook Live broadcast for BBB and have the following take-aways to share:

FUN. First things first, have fun! Smile during your live broadcast. Steph says: I made a conscious effort to smile and actually thought I was smiling through most of the broadcast. In reality, I was smiling about 50%. Smiling is contagious and will put you more at ease. If you’re at ease, your audience will be, too.

AUDIENCE. That at-ease audience will be who you choose it to be (you can set each broadcast to reach your Facebook friends, their friends or the public -- similar to your daily posts). Select a time of day to broadcast when your typical viewers have proven to be online and draw more like-minded people to your brand. Steph says: I chose lunchtime for my broadcast because our posts typically perform well midday. There is a likelihood your audience will continue to grow as the video is shared and will remain in your newsfeed. In addition, you can "pin" the post on your Facebook newsfeed or embed it in a blog post/on your website as I've done below.

CONNECTION. This has a double meaning here. Not only is your WIFI connection very important -- a weak one will be susceptible to interruptions in service -- but a connection with your audience is also crucial. Pick a topic that will interest them. Steph says: Despite checking my WIFI settings, I failed to turn off popular notifications on the device I used. A co-worker commented part of the broadcast was “wavy.” I’m guessing this was the culprit.

EDUCATE. Your broadcast should provide the audience with something they wouldn’t know, without having watched your video. Maybe it’s a code for their next purchase or a new product announcement. Maybe it’s a fun fact about you, the face behind the business. Whatever it is, send them away with an education. Steph says: I hoped my small business social media tips and an introduction to who I am were valuable takeaways. Next time, I’ll go even “bigger.”

BEHIND THE SCENES. There is no “i” in Facebook (true story). Your broadcast can be a team effort, too. No one needs to know, you’ve asked your colleagues to help out! Steph says: recruit co-workers to participate on the broadcast with you from behind-the-curtain and incorporate a Q&A format. Colleagues could take notes for you to review post-broadcast and/or collect questions as they come in and feed them to you for answering while you are live. Alternatively, don’t worry too much about questions that come through while you are "live." You can let your audience know that you'll answer them after the broadcast. This also presents an opportunity for additional questions after your video airs.

ORGANIZE. Choose a title to name your live event that illustrates what you’ll be offering. Use this title to promote the event and consider boosting the corresponding Facebook post about your broadcast. It’s an opportunity to set the stage and attract viewers before going live. Prepare and practice before you go live. Especially, if you’ll be joined by guests or interact with the public i.e. at a trade show. Watch broadcasts from competitors and businesses you admire. Hubspot has collected seven examples as inspiration. Steph says: Start a new Facebook Live video BUT set your privacy to ‘only me’ under Who Should See This. This will keep it private and allow you to practice until your heart’s content. Have talking points and use strategically placed notes, if needed. When it comes to Facebook Live, perfect is overrated but prepared is preferred.

OFFER. Share something of value. Are you promoting something? Show it. Use it. How do people benefit from your product or service? They’ve tuned in, give them something to talk about. Steph says: It’s acceptable to suggest your product is better than the alternative. Just make sure to provide examples.

KEEP IT REAL. Keep your live broadcast real and relatable. Remember to introduce yourself to the viewers and share how they can reach you online. Oh -- and don’t be afraid to repeat those details periodically during the broadcast. Let your personality shine through. If all videos were the same there would be no reason to talk (or blog) about it. Steph says: You’ll notice there are areas for improvement in my broadcast but I was sincere and fingers crossed, some of you can relate to being a Facebook Live rookie.

LIGHTING. Like most productions, good lighting matters. This sounds a tiny bit Hollywood but make sure your setting is well-lit and (please) make sure your desk/office/space of choice is tidy. No one wants to see yesterday’s candy wrappers while you film. Steph says: Since you’ve got that good lighting in your favor, look into my eyes. Well, not exactly -- but use the lens of your smartphone to make optimal eye contact with your audience. While you’re wearing your Director’s hat, consider using a tripod like GorillaPod to stabilize your phone. Planning to speak to others on your broadcast or over background noise? Use a mic and do a test beforehand. Social Media Examiner offers some great suggestions for recording live from beginner to expert levels.

IMPROVISE. Feeling like you “messed up” in the moment? Keep going. Always keep going. You can flip the script at anytime. This is your broadcast after all. Own it. What you see as a mistake someone else will likely not notice. Steph says: Be aware there will be “eyeballs” and “thumbs up” emoticons floating through your broadcast -- but don’t let them distract you. This is a good thing. People are watching and interacting with you!

VARIETY. You can offer variety during the broadcast with a simple flip of the camera -- reveal the subject you’re discussing or other people participating. Steph says: I used this technique to show our social media channels which allowed me to shift the focus out of selfie-mode.

END IT. Know how to end your Facebook Live video. Have a closing statement prepared -- including reminding viewers who you are, what you do and how to find you. Use the FINISH button in the bottom right hand of the “Live” screen to disconnect the broadcast. Steph says: For your entertainment (and a what-not-to-do), watch my video until the end. Trust me, it’s worth it. And speaking of worth it, lengthier video content means more folks can join in and share/engage/watch while you stream. Mine was approximately 12 minutes in length and Facebook suggests a minimum of 5 minutes. Give the audience time to get involved but try not to overstay your welcome.

Life after Facebook Live. Once you’ve been live and survived -- I promise, you will -- you can repurpose the video on other social media platforms. Promoting after it airs will get you even more views and overall exposure. Steph says: Add a post-show comment under the video to thank people for joining you. On your completed video (click on the video followed by the arrow next to your business name) you can edit details such as what thumbnail shows in the newsfeed. Don’t forget to review your experience -- consider trying a different day of week, time of day, event title, or content next time. Maybe, invite a colleague to join you or your dog. People love dogs.

Have you tried Facebook Live yet for your business? Share this post on your social media accounts with your experience and tag us. I’ll re-post them on BBB’s social media! If you haven’t tried it, yet -- tell us why you’ve hesitated. I am confident, I’m not the only one who will be able to relate to your story! Ready to get started? Check out Facebook’s complete how-to guide on using Facebook Live.

Written by Stephanie Benz, Senior Social Media Associate for Better Business Bureau Serving E. Massachusetts, ME, RI & VT. For more information you can trust, visit BBB at bbb.org/boston, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.