How to plan your first Facebook Live stream by Tereza Litza

Universities and non-profits are increasingly using #FacebookLive to live-stream #events, with Facebook Live videos being among the most discussed trends in #social #media during 2016. This post looks at what Facebook live is, examples of universities using it and some tips we picked up at Hubbub after live-streaming our conference!

Explaining Facebook Live

Facebook introduced live streaming to allow users to #broadcast their own videos and engage with their friends through them in real time. It is available to all Pages and profiles on Facebook for iOS and Android and it’s as easy to go live as to take a photo.

With 77% of millennials' consuming live content on mobile, it’s a great opportunity for universities to engage students. Notably:

1. Facebook live streams generate 10x more engagement than standard Facebook videos

2. 43% of Facebook live viewers watch a video because they found the content interesting

3. 81% of internet and mobile audiences watched more live video in 2016 than in 2015

4. Facebook live videos are watched 3x longer than regular videos

If you’re using it through a Facebook Page, here’s how to go live:

1. Go to your Page

2. Click on Publish

3. Select Live video

4. Add a description of your live streaming

5. Click on Go Live

Facebook live streaming can be used for:

Higher education can use Facebook live as a way to increase awareness and build a community of engaged students, alumni, and followers.

Facebook live streaming can be used for:

1. Streaming #alumni #events

2. #Announcements

3. Behind the scenes content

4. Q&As

5. Giving days (as a way to make the community feel involved)

Examples

• University of Essex used Facebook live in this case to provide a sneak peek of its #graduation, bringing the #ceremony closer to the rest of its audience in real time.

• Texas Christian University used Facebook live to stream its team’s preparation for the football game with Texas Tech and the engagement indicated that its Facebook followers were happy to feel part of the game.

• The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health used Facebook live to stream a Q&A on the future of the affordable care act. There was a problem with the orientation during the first minute, so they edited the description to acknowledge it.