To be interviewed live on TV is a massive opportunity to be seen and known as the go-to expert. Trouble is, getting interviewed takes time and effort to position yourself so the media want to talk to you.
That's why Facebook Live can be so much easier to use to create brand awareness for you and your business, because it is basically your own TV channel, if you use it right...
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The thing is, when you are live on TV, you need to ensure you are prepared and ready, focused and able to calmly deal with the interview.
Although Facebook Live has made it far easier to broadcast your message and be seen and heard, it doesn’t mean you should treat a FB Live any differently than you would if you were appearing on TV.
In fact, given you have a smaller audience than most TV channels and you don’t have a production team, lighting, make-up, sound recording and editing, Facebook Live can actually be quite daunting, and if done particularly poorly, can make your brand look very amateur online.
Here are some tips to help you use Facebook Live to really reach and resonate with your audience, grow your audience and leverage your Lives:
PURPOSE
Plan the outcome, consider what you want your views to do, feel, think, say as a result of your Live?
Are you creating brand awareness, sharing an opinion to enlighten people or change their perceptions?
Maybe you have an event or opportunity to share, a case study to testimonial to explain to gain credibility, perhaps it’s something that has riled you up, got your goat or impressed you?
Decide BEFORE you grab the phone and hit Go Live, what is the purpose of this?
Why am I doing this?
SAY WHAT?
TV interviews are planned and produced to cover a specific topic, usually with a script or at least a line of questioning.
So make sure you have chosen a topic or theme.
Write down the dot points, do your research or grab that quote or opinion piece that you are commenting on.
If you are referring to an article or statement that’s been said, make sure you have your facts straight - who, what, when, where how?
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
People will watch and engage for longer if the can see and hear you well. So face the light or sun (not directly squinting), and get out of the wind.
Use a lapel Mic (Rode) or your headphones (but don’t plug the earpieces in, just tuck them into your collar so you turn your headphones into a lapel mic). Consider what’s going on in the background and make it interesting or at least relevant to your content.
Shopping centres can be ideal places to record as they have great lighting and awesome seasonal displays - just make sure you use a mic.
If you are going to move, use a selfie stick (Smove) or have a tripod to keep things steady if you are stationary.
BREATHE
Don’t rush, allow 3-5 minutes for people to know you are live, pause between statements, allow gaps for emphasis and take your time to explain.
Just like a good story, start at the beginning, provide the information and then conclude with the ending.
You can use the 30/30/30/10 rule here too:
30% news (this is why I’m going live),
30% Info (and here’s what I think or things I suggest),
30% (about us) so that’s why we have this event/sale, program/offer,
then 10% fun, inspiration, motivation…
INTERACT
The best thing you can do to get engagement on a FB Live is to ask questions. Get your viewers engaged.
Ask them for their opinion, give them simple yes or no questions and encourage them to challenge you.
Invite viewers to like or share your message, provide a call to action e.g. “the link is in the comments” or “Message me if you want the link”.
REPURPOSE
The best thing about Facebook Live is that you get to save the recording and share it across into LinkedIn or on your own blog or YouTube Channel.
Post it on your own page, business page and in FB Groups if the topic is relevant and engaging and hosting a watch party.
You can also get the video transcribed (rev.com) and post as an article or blog and you can even edit your lie down into a teaser (like a video trailer) and use that to promote your blog.
So now you know how to make the most of Facebook Live, what’s stopping you?
Somethings the only thing that’s holding you back is a bit of confidence, other times it could be that you are unsure bout your presentation skills or are just now sure when to go on line or what topics to cover. So here are some tips:
TIMING
Check your own facebook page to see what day of the week and time you have the most engagement. Please note that this changes frequently, so go in and check. Then book it in like you would if you had a TV interview and set a time and date to go live. You might even want to let people know you are going live by posting a notification a day or two beforehand.
PRACTICE
Remember there is no such thing as perfect. Instead consider that you are perfecting it. Make sure you look Ok and take a deep breath, or a sip of water before you start.
Set up your space and even practice what you will say and have dot points to refer to in front of you. Most importantly, if you need help with your confidence find a coach, there are plenty of them who are speaker trainers and visibility mentors.
One big tip is to never watch a FB Live back once you’ve recorded it. Just hit post and don’t critique yourself!
Download the Infographic
Have this handy tool ready to remind you of the steps to go Live On Facebook like a PRO, use your time wisely and repurpose your awesome content so you get more eyeballs on your social media channels.
