Debbie Mayo-Smith: How to use the new Facebook Live video streaming for your business

Here's what you can use Facebook Live for. Photo / Getty Images

There was quite a media storm back in April following the Facebook F8 Developer Conference. Two items to note - Augmented reality and Facebook Live. While the potential of people sitting in their offices or homes virtually walking through your store or experiencing your business is years away; Facebook Live is on your phone right now.

What is Facebook Live?

It's simply live video streaming from your phone on the Facebook mobile app. It's available to Facebook profiles; pages, groups and events. You can record up to 90 minutes of live streaming. All videos can be saved to your phone (so you have a record of it); posted (or deleted) on Facebook and of course edited after recording. Like other postings, you can measure interactions. You'll find Facebook Live when you go to past. It is the new icon of a head with circles radiating out from it.

How can I use it?

I'm not going to write directions here on how to record the videos and top tips. You can find quite a lot of coverage about that online. I'd like to instead give you a few ideas on how to use it within your business.

Two important points to note.

First is how keen Facebook is on Live. They give live videos improved ranking giving you better reach to your fans, members.

Second, don't worry about negative comments. You can block them by tapping the individuals profile picture and hitting the 'Block' button.

1. If you are running an event - interviews with your speakers; exhibitors and behind the scenes to build excitement and market your event beforehand and share it during.

2. Create a live series - the world is your oyster here. Anything you do with recorded video, you can do with Live. It can be interviews with staff members or clients. How-to's such as hairstyles and makeup. Weekly educational tidbits. A message from your...

When your fans/friends/members watch your live video (or a video that was live) they can Subscribe to get notified the next time that you start a live broadcast. You can also notify them.

3. Income generation? Here's a thought. Because you can target the live videos visible only to members of certain groups you can create a closed group (which requires a membership fee). Then conduct a lesson, webinar or training

4. A deeper look at your business. Share how you create your café deserts or meals. How your team works and relaxes. Your pets behind the scene. People love watching everything that is unusual or entertaining.

5. Share 'events'. If you or staff are at a conference, a special place, installing a product, visiting a client in an interesting place - would you audience be interested? Facebook Live it.

6. Create and host a contest! You can think of a lot of ideas to create a buzz for people entering the contest. For example if you were a travel company and were to have a win a trip to contest you could walk down the street interviewing random people for their idea of a perfect getaway.

7. Preview sales, bring your store to them. Why not walk down the isles of your business using Facebook Live to show your customers what's going on sale and how much they could save to tempt them to come in and take advantage of your deal. Product how-to's.

Debbie Mayo-Smith aka Ms Effective, gives speeches, seminars and trains on sales and personal productivity. Debbie helps you get more done in less time and increase profitability. Sign up for her monthly quick tip newsletter here. www.successis.co.nz/newsletternzh.html To have Debbie speak at your next event or train your team call 64 27 575 5359 or visit her www.debbiespeaks.co.nz