Hello everyone! I hope you have all had a fantastic week!
This week, I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something new. I did a Facebook Live Event! This was not something I EVER thought that I would do. I especially never thought I would enjoy it to any degree.
In planning and implementing this event, I discovered a few things that helped make the process a bit easier. With social media becoming more and more important in branding and getting your company name out there, I though I would share a few of my tips and tricks that I discovered.
Make a Plan
Because you will be live, it is important to have a plan. What will you do to fill the silence? What will you do to entice viewers to watch? More importantly, what will you do to KEEP the viewers watching? For me, I chose to select and prepare a few songs that would be widely enjoyed by the adult population. I also selected a song for families for those who may have children watching. This allowed my to continue the flow and keep it fun!
Don’t Rely on Your Plan
With these event being live and real-time, you want to make sure that you are engaging with your audience. Depending on what your intent for the video is, you may engage and change your plan based on your viewers. While I used my prepared songs, I took time to answer viewer questions, as well as engaged with comments about the songs or events. The plan is there for only if you have little to no engagement from the audience.
Think of Your Set
An important aspect of your video is the set. The background should be visually pleasing and enticing. The background should add to your video without taking any attention from you. It can be difficult to find the balance. Important components include the lighting, background decor, and placement of your camera. What would you enjoy seeing in a video?
Invite Others!
Facebook Lives by nature are best when you have an active audience to engage with! The best way to ensure this is to invite others. Make a few posts or tell your family and/or friends. Encourage those you know will come to lead by example by asking questions or make comments. This will encourage others who join to follow and will in-turn, make your event much more exciting to watch.
Just Keep Talking
The most awkward part of a video is watching someone stand in silence. It is important to fill those moments with something, be that music, talking, or making jokes. If you can’t think of anything to say, reintroduce yourself and the event to those who joined later in the video! No matter what, just keep talking.
Have Fun!
The most important part of leading an event of any type is to just have fun. If you are smiling, moving, and have high energy, your viewers will be more engaged and likely to stay on. Find ways to include a bit of yourself in your events! It can be as simple as adding in jokes, common phrases, or briefly discussing something you enjoy. Just have fun!
Although I am in no rush to lead another Facebook Live event anytime soon, I am more open to it than I ever thought I would be. One of my goals for my intern-self was to try new things. In the past two weeks, I certainly have between my drum circle and my Facebook live events. I hope to continue trying new things and pushing myself to try new things in my professional life!
Thanks for reading! Stay safe and healthy this week.
Cicely McCain
