Facebook Live + 37 seconds = 224 views, 22 likes and 11 comments?!?!

October 19, 2016 / in Video / by Jason Terry

Post Author: Jason Terry

Hi friends! I just had to write about my recent experience with Facebook Live. You probably know that I don’t use Facebook very often. People usually assume that I would be on Facebook all the time because of the work I do, but we focus primarily on businesses storytelling through blogs that end up on LinkedIn and in email newsletters.

I check out Facebook to see what people are up to, but it’s once a week at best.

That might change.

A good friend and client of mine (hi Mark!) asked me recently about Facebook Live for their business. I watch a lot of YouTube, Twitch.tv and other streaming services so I understand some of the concepts and strategies around video, but I’ve never done much with it. Mic and I have been talking about opportunities to start using video as part of our content strategy as well.

So I thought I would give Facebook Live a try.

I had no idea how easy it was to start streaming live video from your phone.

You pull up the Facebook app, go to the section where you would post a status update, and above that area is a button labeled “Live.” You click that button, and the Facebook Live screen comes up. The app begins to use your device’s camera and microphone. You can see what you will be streaming (by default it’s the camera facing you, not the higher resolution camera on the back of your phone. You can switch with that little squiggly circle button at the top right of the screen.)

And then you click “Go Live.”

A countdown begins and you are LIVE!

That’s when the interesting things started to happen. I only did a 37 second live stream. In that short amount of time, 3 of my Facebook friends tuned in. Facebook posts a status to your friends that you are broadcasting Live with a link they can click on to tune in to watch.

Within a day, I had 224 views, 22 likes and 11 comments. I was a bit shocked.

I talked with my wife Trista about it. She uses Facebook all the time for Curious Compass. She said that part of the reason I got some fun feedback and views is that I rarely post anything on Facebook. There’s probably some truth to that. I don’t know if I would get that kind of response if I was broadcasting Live on a regular basis each week. Regardless, some cool things happened.

Interesting results:

• The first comment I got was from Mic (of course) giving me crap for actually logging into Facebook for a change.
• Michelle Keller, our friend and client asked if my gray hair was because of Mic.
• Chris Bloom, my brother-in-law and fellow techie commented about Facebook Live video aspect ratios with tips.
• Mitch Flesher, a life long friend who is the person responsible for me playing acoustic guitar asked if I would sing The Lion Sleeps Tonight. (For a 6’5″ guy, I can do a pretty good falsetto for that song… it’s kinda funny.)
• Likes and comments from other friends that I haven’t talked to in quite a while.
• I went to one of my favorite clients (Home Rental Services) the next morning and the first thing I heard from Derek was, “hello Facebook Live Star!” and later that morning Paul also commented about the video.

One of the most important things to me personally and professionally is relationship. Staying top of mind with my friends, family, clients, peers and prospects. Many of the strategies we use do this effectively, and Facebook Live is DEFINITELY on the list of ways to stay in touch with a bunch of people you care about. Give it a try! And let me know if you do… I would love to hear what happens.