How To Go Live On Social Media

With offline networking events off-limits for the foreseeable future, we’re predicting a rise in users ‘going Live’ across all possible Social Media Platforms. The ease of sitting in the comfort of your own space and yet reaching potentially thousands of people is incredibly desirable for businesses. 

With this in mind, we’re breaking down each simple step for going Live on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn – plus our four top tips! 

Facebook

You can go live on Facebook from your Facebook App or Desktop (as long as it has a camera) depending on what works best for you.

The following steps are based on going Live via a computer.

1. Visit facebook.com/live/producer and on the left-hand side, select whether you want to go live now, or schedule a live video for a future date and time.
2. Next, select whether you will be going live as a Page, Group, Event or Personal Profile.
3. Add your Title, Description, and Location then tag friends and add feelings or an activity if relevant. 
4.  Select your Audience Settings when needed. For example, you may be looking to define your age or geographic targeting for a more specific broadcast. 
5.  Select ‘Get Started’ and then ‘Use Camera’. If you’re looking to share your screen, you can do this under ‘Setup’ and ‘Start Screen Share’.
6.  Last but not least – Go Live!

Instagram

Going live on Instagram allows you to connect with your followers in real-time for up to one hour. Once your time is up, you can then share a replay of your live to IGTV.

The following steps are based on going Live from the Instagram app.

1. Launch your app and swipe across to open the ‘Stories’ section.
2. At the bottom of the screen, you will see ‘Live’
3. Add a title and, if relevant, select a charity your viewers could donate to.
4. If suitable, scroll along the bottom of the screen to add a filter.
5. Go Live!

You will see the number of viewers at the top of your screen and the comments at the bottom. Be sure to answer as many questions and monitor the comments as you go to maximise the opportunity to engage with your followers fully. 

Suppose you’d like to comment back to your audience, tap ‘Comment’ at the bottom of the screen and type as usual. You can ‘Pin’ a comment to help viewers see it more easily.

Once you have finished your live, select ‘End’ and then ‘Confirm’. 

Twitter

Twitter is seen to be something of a ‘News’ platform and where current events unravel. Twitter is a fast-paced environment, and one sure way to stand out is to go Live.

The following steps are based on going Live from the Twitter app.

1. Open Twitter and select the compose Tweet icon.
2. Click on the camera icon and then ‘Live’ on the right-hand side.
3. If you’d like to go Live with audio only, select the top right microphone icon. This will turn off the camera so your audience can hear you but not see you.

End your Live by pressing the ‘Stop’ button and confirming your action.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is often described as a professional networking platform, so by going Live, you’re more likely to reach like-minded individuals or business stakeholders more so than potential customers (depending on your industry). Nonetheless, without real-life networking opportunities, LinkedIn Live is a fantastic tool to utilise. 

However, unlike the others, you won’t instantly have access to go Live on the platform. If you’re looking to access the LinkedIn Live feature, then you need to apply to become a ‘LinkedIn Live Broadcaster’ by completing their application form. 

Once approved, you will need to choose one of their preferred partner streaming tools. Their top four partners are Restream, Socialive, StreamYard and Switcher Studio. Once you have been approved and selected your streaming partner, LinkedIn will guide you through their best practices and guides to going Live. 

Our Four Top Tips To Going Live

Don’t Use Pre-Recorded Content

The beauty of going Live is being able to interact instantly with your audience. Your followers can use this as an opportunity to engage and ask your questions. If you use pre-recorded content, you risk confusing them and causing them to become quickly unengaged.

Don’t Go Live Too Often

The majority of your followers will get a notification when you go Live so the more often you do so, the less invested they may become. Use going Live as an exclusive opportunity to engage directly with you for a good reason, not just as a common occurrence. 

Avoid Being Too ‘Salesy’

Social Selling is the future, but it doesn’t mean it should be all your Social Media platforms are about – especially not your Lives. If you want to promote a new product or service, then be subtle with your approach and focus on a soft sell.

For example, use your ‘Live’ time to do a product demonstration to educate your audience and show how you can add value. 

Keep It On Brand

The pressure is on when you’re going Live to potentially thousands across the internet, so be sure to have a rough guide to what you’re going to say or show. Even if you’re only Live for a short period, you are still representing your business and need to be professional.

This can also be said for the quality of your Lives, make sure your camera is still, and there is no background noise.