Why Facebook’s live video is a powerful tool for marketers

As the world becomes more connected and more social, brands are increasingly looking to drive growth through transparent, scalable, and targeted interaction. In a recent set of surveys, Gallup discovered that fully engaged end users are 23% more profitable than average users. As brands push forward seeking new engagement opportunities, video has emerged as a dominant marketing tool. A great deal of research has been performed exploring the relationship between various content forms and audience engagement, with results conclusively showing that video content drives significantly improved engagement and recall versus written content.

Live video, then, is a logical result of the quest to drive deep engagement through video. Gone are the days when one needed high-end equipment and trained professionals to offer live video. Today’s technology allows us to stream and consume live video using the smartphone that most of us carry with us everywhere. This level of access has led to the proliferation of live video as a social engagement tool at scale. Facebook may have entered the live video fray after competitors Periscope and Meerkat, but their massive audience and more advanced social platform places them far ahead of the live video specialists when it comes to live video as a social engagement tool. Facebook affirmed the legitimacy of their live video platform for marketers when they revealed that engagement on live video is thrice that of recorded video content.

Facebook’s massive audience and global reach make them the de-facto leader in live video.

Facebook revolutionized social networking, and as a result enjoys the largest active user base of any social platform by a large margin. Over a billion people use Facebook each month, a colossal amount when contrasted with the fact that LinkedIn and Twitter combined don’t have half as many active users. If you’re building a brand in multiple countries, Facebook’s global reach can’t be beat. Half of the internet’s population is on Facebook, and Mark Zuckerberg has been particularly aggressive in pursuing developing markets in India, Asia, and South America.

Facebook is betting big on live video, and this focus creates an immense opportunity for brands looking to build an audience, drive conversions, or foster brand loyalty. The Facebook app has seen updates giving greater visibility to live video, and Facebook has stated that live video will be prioritized over other content in their profile feeds. Facebook’s live video has quickly become a powerful asset for both business and consumer focused brands.

Focus on accessibility, exclusivity, and consistency with live video.

As you consider how your brand can leverage Facebook’s live video as part of your overall marketing strategy, consider these guidelines to success:

1. Pull back the curtain: By taking your fans “behind the scenes”, you create an atmosphere of exclusivity that encourages longer view times and future engagement from your viewers.
2. Engage your audience: Respond to comments and questions during your broadcast to encourage active engagement from your audience, and build a personal connection with your most active viewers.
3. Develop a strategy: Just like any other marketing channel, you should plan how you’ll use Facebook live and develop a system for measuring success. Facebook lets you include a headline for your live stream as well as a CTA- two great ways to draw users in and send them deeper into your marketing funnel. Bravr’s digital content experts can work with you to integrate live video into your overall marketing strategy.

For more tips on using Facebook live video as a marketing tool, head on over to Facebook’s blog post “Tips for Using Facebook Live”.