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>>Learn how to bring more viewers to your Facebook Live Videos<<

Now that Facebook allows anyone with a cellular phone and a Facebook profile go ON AIR from anywhere in the world, trying to stand out and getting relevant viewers is becoming harder. Read this article with the best Facebook Live tips and tricks, have something to add? Use the comment box!

>>Questions about Facebook Live/ Periscope? Join our Facebook Live Professionals community to get all your questions answered and much more!<<

If you are still not using professional equipment to go live, here are some tips and tricks I gathered to make your stream look and sound better:

• Use a tripod. Doesn’t matter if it’s a table tripod or a professional one, they all have ability to hold your cellular phone. Holding the phone with your hands while on air ends up in a shaky video, looking amateur and hard to watch- Here is my list of must have accessories.
• Shoot vertically. No other way to do it (unless it’s Periscope).
• Interviewing? Use a mic. You can actually connect a dynamic microphone to your cell to ignore the noises around you. I use this cable and connect it to my dynamic microphone, it lets you connect earphones as well.
• Write a good description of what you are broadcasting, people will mostly see an auto generated thumbnail (if they disabled the video auto-play on FB) but good text will make them press play and join the stream.
• Make sure to write the text for the live broadcast post in advance, so when the time comes and you have to go live in a matter of seconds you don’t need to start thinking about a good creative. You can use Notes app and copy-paste it.
• Once you go live your followers will be notified by Facebook, but make sure to do a small (or big) build-up to your broadcast: create a FB event (and then share the link inside) or just let people know about a very interesting event (teaser) they wouldn’t want to miss. Cross platform it on all social media platforms and websites you can to get exposure.
• Make sure to enable Plane Mode or use a call blocking app, if you don’t want every phone call to cut your stream.
• You need a strong and stable internet connection. A protected WIFI network is recommended, especially if many people in your area will use the same one at the same time you plan to go live. LTE/4G is also good if you are alone and signal is strong.
• Use a phone with a good camera for a better video, one that performs good in poor lighting.
• If you are shooting a conference with a big back-lit screen in the frame, the person speaking in front of it will look dark. Choose an angle with a wider angle so the camera will average the lighting optimally.
• Not all content is worth sharing. If you over share live videos that has no real value to your followers, they will probably disable live notifications and won’t watch your next video.
• Ask your viewers to subscribe to your live videos if they find you interesting, most people are not aware to this feature even if they do want to subscribe.
• Try to be creative and create specific content for your audience, listen to their needs and build a live video that will answer their requests for information and content. Hosting a public figure that has many followers is always a good start.
• Be friendly. When people comment with a question, try to respond by talking to them directly in the video (if possible) or answer their comment in the comment box. Viewers love to hear their name on the broadcast and will probably interact with you again.
• It takes some time until your video reaches people and your video gets traction. Don’t go live for a 5-minute session, try to make it at least 30 minutes so people can join your stream when they see their friends interacted with your post. The longer you are on-air the more people your post reaches while you are still broadcasting.
• If you want to test your FB live broadcast, make sure to create a new “test” page only you can see or use your profile with the privacy filter set to “only me”, so your followers won’t be disturbed by posts and notifications not relevant for them.
• When possible, try to fill-in the late joiners, talk about what’s showing, who is talking and encourage them to ask questions, this will decrease drop rate of viewers.
• Create in advance a list of links to FB groups you would like to share your broadcast to, it’s a good way to get some quick viewers to join. Make sure not to spam and be smart doing so.

Want to broadcast to Facebook Live from your computer? Read my guide and learn how to create amazing Q&A Live videos in just 2 clicks!