Planning a Facebook Live event for your executive?
Sure, it's possible to shoot a quick hand-held live-cast, waving a herky-jerky phone around as your Big Cheese stammers words of inspiration.
Still, even a spontaneous-looking live event will probably be more successful if it's well-planned and targeted.
"Understand your target audience," says Dave Magnia, director of broadcast event and production solutions at Wal-Mart. "Facebook Live is about engaging your audience where they are. You are reaching into their everyday life with a message that is engaging and relevant to them."
Here are a few tips for successfully hosting your Facebook Live event:
1. Know your message.
Figure out your message before you go live, and get to the point quickly, Magnia says. "If you take too much time during your live event, your audience may lose interest," he says.
This is important not just for the immediate event, but for your long-term success in building a fan base. Being long-winded could "burn your chances for success going forward," he says.
On the other hand, live video is different from highly produced and scripted production, and there's room to expand, adds Brad Parler, digital communications administrator at Blinds.com.
Ban.Do founder Jen Gotch drew 13,000 viewers for a 42-minute Facebook Live Q&A in October.
"Letting the content breathe a bit allows for more audience to build up," he says. "If people are resonating with what you are saying, they are likely to share your event and bring in their friends to watch with them."
Be sure to watch the comments during the broadcast and respond to them live, he adds.
2. Double up on the cameras.
Hamilton Health Sciences, a family of seven hospitals serving 2.3 million residents in south-central Ontario, often uses two cameras in Facebook Live broadcasts, says digital communications lead Scott Levely.
This allows for both wide-angle shots that include both the expert and a moderator, and tighter shots on the expert alone.
Hamilton uses Open Broadcaster Software as a switchboard to fade between the two cameras in a live event. "If it's pre-recorded, we'll use two cameras and edit the shots together later," Levely says.
The hospital also has purchased a stabilizer with an electronic gimbal so it can use an iPhone for Facebook Live events that require more nimble camerawork, such as a Facebook Live broadcast of an orthopedic surgery that is being planned.
3. Get the audio right.
If you use your cellphone for a live event or talking-head clip, do not rely on your built-in microphone, Parler says. An easy solution for single speaker is a Rode Smart Lav plus, he says. For better directional audio, try the Rode VideoMic Me.
For his part, Levely uses Sennheiser Lav mics to provide high-quality sound.
Adds Magnia, "At times, we have had multiple presenters in a Facebook Live event and we will utilize wireless microphones connected to a small audio mixer to give us the best audio possible."
4. Know your environment.
Before you rush into a live event, Magnia suggests that you answer several questions that will help you understand the environment and the tools you need for success.
- Where should you locate the camera?
- Is there adequate cellphone coverage or Wi-Fi service?
- How many other people will be near you during the time of your event? "Too many people in one area can limit your internet bandwidth," Magnia says. (Who knew?)
- Will you be able to clearly hear and see the person talking on camera?
- Can you do a test stream ahead of your live event?
5. Vary the locations.
Showcasing your executive? That doesn't mean you have produce a stuffed shirt sitting at a desk and blabbing on. Take a lesson from marketers, and find an interesting location for your broadcast.
"Add some variety by streaming from a location that allows you to demo your topic in the real world," says Abigail Sawyer, social media marketer at Blinds.com.
Last summer BarkBox, which produces dog toys and treats, broadcast from the back seat of a hot car in New York City to heighten awareness of the dangers of leaving dogs in vehicles in the summer, Sawyer says.
6. Get the tools you need.
Going live from event venues with thousands of attendees in the room can be challenging, as you can't always predict what the cell or Wi-Fi coverage will be, Magnia says. In such cases, you might need an external encoder, which will require a video camera to connect to that encoder as well.
"The encoder should be hard-wired to an internet circuit that is not in use by the masses to provide the best chance for success," he adds.
Wal-Mart uses a software-based encoder called Telestream Wirecast; the live stream passes through the computer, and Wirecast streams the event.
7. Stabilize your smartphone.
Given the small size of mobile phones, camera work can be very shaky, Magnia says. This might be fine if that's the look you want, but sometimes you may require a more stable camera shot. Wal-Mart has used a smartphone tripod adapter coupled with a monopod.
8. Have a moderator or a behind-the-scenes producer.
Many organizations have an on-camera moderator to field questions from the comments section, but it can be immensely helpful to have a staffer manning the phone and reading out viewer comments, Sawyer says.
"Unless you're doing a selfie-mode stream and holding the phone, you're not going to be able to read the comments easily," she says. "Plus you can focus on what you're trying to present and not get distracted or interrupt yourself to try to answer a question immediately."
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