Facebook Live has a lot of advantages for communicators: People are drawn to the medium out of curiosity, Facebook's algorithm privileges it above other forms of content and the medium prompts engagement probably more than any other. But can you take those advantages and turn them into a winning strategy for capturing audience attention?
Caitlin Angeloff, global social strategy & operations at DocuSign, has done that with what she calls a "newsroom mindset." This can be seen at work in DocuSign's Facebook Live videos, which bring viewers to events (both in front of the stage and behind the scenes) and to Q&A's with leading figures at the brand and related organizations. Angeloff will be delving into the finer points of her strategy at the PR News Digital Summit in Huntington Beach, Feb. 24, but today she brings us the tip of the proverbial iceberg in the form of these five key tips:
1. Socialize your social newsroom. Educate beyond the C-suite on the power of storytelling using live video. If your stakeholders believe we’re now living in a mobile-first world, it’s easier to help others see Facebook Live represents broadcast opportunities that only used to be offered on TV. Once you have your folks bought in internally, begin to help your fans and followers know what’s coming their way by promoting your planned live broadcasts. Just like a TV show, try running short commercials across other social media channels to promote your upcoming (or past) live broadcasts. And don’t forget to use the Facebook event reminder!
2. Look for intersections. Find the unseen stories in your business and marry them with what’s relevant in the world. Don’t force the dots to be connected. Be clear about the purpose of your brand and the audiences you’re trying to add value to by going live. Then, when the opportunity presents itself, seize it and paddle out to ride the wave of conversation. A perfect example of this is something we call a #SignatureMoment at DocuSign. From the #Oscars, to #NationalSigningDay, real lives are being changed when they virtually sign on the dotted line, and we aim to help them celebrate these moments.
Yelp, eHarmony, TOMS and many more will join DocuSign at the PR News Digital Summit & Crisis Management Boot Camp in Huntington Beach, California, Feb. 23 & 24. Register now!
3. Be tech ready. Know what type of production level you’re aiming for with each of your Facebook Live broadcasts. From low production value ($500 MEVO, two light boxes, lav mics, etc.) to high production value (two or three cameras, sound, graphics, leveraging the Facebook Live API, etc.) there is a time and place for varying levels of production. Your storyboarding should help you think through what’s best/possible and make tradeoffs based on the desired objectives and environments available for broadcasting.
4. Engage your audience. The beauty of live streaming is the ability to have a dialogue with fans from all over the world. And isn’t that what social media is all about? Not talking at people, but with people? If you agree, then think about broadcasting for longer periods of time. This allows your fans the opportunity to engage with you more on Facebook Live.
5. Appeal to your audience. Understand your audience and make sure that what you share on Facebook Live is important, interesting, relevant and timely to them. You must be authentic and genuine, otherwise your audience will see right through it and lose interest.
Follow Caitlin Angeloff on Twitter: @caitlinangeloff
Follow Ian: @ianwright0101