Since videos generally receive more engagement than traditional posts or video sharing, Facebook Live is a must for any content creator or brand looking to expand their reach, interact with a specific audience, and advertise in a cost-effective way.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to live stream on Facebook like a pro.
Live Stream on Facebook Using a Phone/Tablet
Using a mobile device like a phone or tablet to live stream on Facebook gives you freedom of mobility to stream on the go. To create live streams from the Facebook app, all you have to do is follow these instructions:
- To start a Facebook stream, tap on the camera icon located on the left-hand side of your search bar.
- Once prompted, give Facebook access to your camera and microphone. You’ll be asked to provide permission for Facebook to use your phone’s camera content. This will allow you to switch between your forward-facing camera and selfie camera during the stream.
- Choose your privacy and posting settings. You can set your Facebook Live to “Only me”, “Public”, “Friends”, “Specific Friends”, or “Friends Except…” depending on who you want to see your live stream. You can also choose age restrictions or add a geo-gate to broadcast to specific locations.
- Tap on the “Live” button located at the bottom of your camera screen.
- You can add a description to your video, tag locations or friends, add a feeling or activity, or add a filter to let your audience know exactly what you’re doing or thinking.
- Tap “Start Live Video” to start streaming.
- When you’re finished streaming, tap “Finish” to end the broadcast. You can save the stream on your phone and post the stream on your feed so viewers can see it after you’ve finished broadcasting.
You can also start broadcasting a live stream using the Creator Studio app. The Creator Studio app allows you to better manage your Facebook profile and pages simultaneously and on the go. You can edit your posts, view performance analytics, and respond to your messages.
To start a live stream on Facebook using the Creator Studio app, follow these steps:
- Open the Creator Studio app on your phone or tablet.
- Click on the pen and paper icon located in the top right corner of the Home or Posts tab.
- Select “Live” from the post options.
- Add a description, tag friends, add a location or add a feeling or activity to your live stream so you can let your viewers know what your stream is about and attract the right audience.
- Choose your live stream settings.
- Tap “Start Live Video” to begin streaming.
- Once you’re done, tap “Finish” to end the broadcast.
Live Stream on Facebook Using a Computer
When you’re going live from a computer, you’ll automatically be redirected to Live Producer. Live producer allows you to stream using production equipment. You have access to your posts, manage and schedule your live stream settings, and select interactive features for your stream like polls.
To start a live stream on Facebook using a computer, follow these instructions:
- On the left-hand side of the screen, you can choose whether you want to start a live stream now or schedule one for later.
- Choose whether you want to start a live stream to your Page, Group, Event, or profile timeline.
- Add a title and description to your live stream post, tag friends and locations, and add a feeling or activity.
- Choose your posting and audience settings. You can restrict the permitted age of your viewers under the minimum age drop-down menu or add a restriction or geo-gate to your live stream if you want to broadcast only to a specific location.
- Go to “Get Started” on the right-hand side of your screen and select “Use Camera”. Make sure you have the right camera and audio configurations.
- To share your computer screen, select “Start Screen Share” located under “Setup”. If you’re sharing your screen, you cannot switch back to the camera during the live stream.
- Click the “Go Live” button on the lower left-hand side of your screen.
How To Go Live on Facebook Using Stage TEN
You can also live stream on Facebook using your computer through streaming software such as Stage TEN. Here’s how what you need to do:
- Open the Stage TEN Studio.
- Choose your feeds. The Stage TEN Studio will automatically provide the default local feed, but you can add or remove feeds such as remote web cams, mobile devices, or screen share feeds.
- Add your custom media such as images, graphics, video, and music that you want to use during your broadcast.
- Create a scene to start your live stream. You can choose from a variety of layouts with varying graphics, live feeds, and graphics.
- Connect to your Facebook and go live.
Tips for Live Streaming on Facebook like a Pro
Going live on Facebook is an important tool for creators and brands to present their best selves in front of their audience. Here are some tips to hosting an awesome live stream:
- Make your stream engaging. Whether it’s asking your audience questions, responding to comments in real-time, hosting a poll, or using filters and backgrounds, you want your stream to be visually interactive.
- Make sure you have a reliable network connection to prevent laggy streams or internet disruptions. No one likes a choppy experience.
- Test out your live stream using the “Only me” privacy setting before the real deal. Anything can happen once you’ve gone live, but taking the steps to ensure you’re properly set up can reduce the number of technical difficulties.
- If things happen that aren’t planned, don’t worry! Play it off and focus on the stream.
- Be careful of privacy and personal information.
- Ask viewers to share the stream and subscribe to Facebook Live notifications to be notified of your future streams.
- Mentioning your viewers by name is a great way to engage with commenters and speak more directly to them.
- Have someone else focus on responding to comments if possible so you can stay 100% focused on the people you’re talking to.
- Have fun! When you’re enjoying yourself, so will your viewers!