Facebook Live

What is Facebook live?

Facebook Live allows you to broadcast in real-time to your friends all over the word. It can be used online or through your mobile device and is now available on iOS and Android operating systems. Facebook have used a lot of resources to promote Facebook Live and it seems to be paying off, with many individuals and businesses going live.

How does Facebook Live work?

You can use the Facebook app on your mobile device to ‘Go Live’, simply look for the ‘new post’ area of your news feed, click ‘Go Live’ and then title your broadcast. You can select your device’s front or rear camera and when you click to connect you will be presented with a short countdown before you begin streaming. A good Internet connection is paramount for using Facebook Live, a poor or even slightly weak signal will lose your connection and quite swiftly end your fun. If you begin with a bad connection, the ‘Go Live’ button will be disabled on your device. If you want to ensure a seamless stream, sign-up to Wightfibre now, you could even stream live from the Isle of Wight Festival – on us. Find out more.

How long can I ‘Go Live’ for?

The length of live videos has been restricted by Facebook from at least four seconds up to ninety minutes, you may however re-connect after your ninety minutes should you wish to continue your broadcast. If you are streaming for hours at a time, make sure you are connected to the Island’s fastest broadband at home, rather than your mobile data allowance.

Can my friends engage with my video?

The beauty of Facebook live is that it has a live comments section, viewer count and reaction option. At the top of the screen when you’re live, you will see an eye with a number. This indicates the amount of people that are watching you stream live. In theory these will just be your friends, but that all depends on your privacy settings. Your viewers are able to react to what you are doing or saying with the usual Facebook reactions: ‘like’, ‘wow’, ‘sad’, ‘love’ and ‘angry’…

Reactions

They can also comment live, resulting in a fantastic opportunity to engage with your audience, so much so that many businesses are now using Facebook live for a range of purpose – competitions, surveys, Q&As and live action like these examples form Mark Zuckerberg and The Independent

Is your home connection fast enough to stream to the world on Facebook Live? Find out more about what Wightfibre can offer you.