Are you ready for our 5 top tips for your first Facebook 360˚ video livestream? If you are, read on!
The team at Blend Media have recently been working very closely with our partners over at Facebook to execute an exciting new project called, Weekend of Live 360° ! The project kicked off on Friday 28th July 2017 and ran right through to Sunday evening.
Before we launched the Weekend of Live 360, we chose 15 talented creators from our global Network to test out the incredible new features and improvements Facebook’s Live 360 tool now boasts. After setting up a variety of live 360° video streams over the weekend with our creators, we now have all the best tips and tricks you need to whip up your very own live 360° video stream on Facebook.
Ok, here we go!
5 Tips for your First Facebook 360˚ Video Livestream
1) Content Planning for the Perfect 360˚ Video Livestream
We’re all for spontaneous live streaming, however spending time thinking through the experience before switching on the camera will result in a richer experience for your viewers. Think about the total 360˚video frame, are there points of interest all around you? Could there be times in the livestream where not much is going on, how will you keep viewers engaged (see below for some ideas)? Also, check that you don’t need permission to livestream in a certain place and always be respectful of people’s privacy and personal space!
Be mindful if you 360˚ live stream from a concert or another music event – the music is often subject to copyright law which might result in the live stream being pulled down from Facebook. Facebook’s Help Center offers more insights on what types of content are protected but we recommend to be cautious and avoid any concerts for the livestream.
Any violent or aggressive content can also cause your 360˚ video livestream to be removed from Facebook. To make us feel safe whilst using Facebook, the company has developed a set of Community Standards which can be reviewed here.
2) Get your Audience Involved
Build anticipation and awareness for your 360˚ video livestream before the action begins – promote on your Facebook page and cross promote on your other social channels. During the 360˚ livestream encourage your viewers to get involved in your stream by asking them questions. Some ideas include asking them where they are watching from, whether anyone has been to the location you are live streaming from, or ask them a quiz question about your location. Your viewers can then answer in the comments section – it makes for a fun experience for everyone! Encourage viewers to react to the 360˚ video live stream by sending ‘likes’ or ‘love’ – it’s satisfying to see all those hearts rolling across the video! Facebook interactions give you great insights into how well your content is being received, more so than just relying on view count alone.
3) Technical Checks for the Optimal Experience
Invest time learning about your 360 degree video camera before you livestream and always run a couple of tests before the main event to minimise any technical hitches. Make sure you know how powerful the internet connection is and how will you access it for the stream. For the best 360˚ video live streaming experience Facebook recommends 4 Mbps. The maximum streaming time is four hours. You can also complement the livestream with spatial audio if your camera has spatial audio support. Be sure to check with your camera manufacturers on how to use it as every 360˚ video camera is different.
Consumer 360˚ cameras often come with an app which allows you to livestream. Download the app in advance and familiarize yourself with all the settings. Simple technical fixes like using the stabilization feature within the camera app can greatly improve the quality of the 360˚ video livestream. Ensure your camera is also well physically stabilized to prevent it from shaking during your livestream if it is exposed to wind or other adverse conditions. If you are walking while filming your 360˚ video livestream, it’s good to use a small tripod to help steady the stream.
For more technical information on how to get started with Live 360, please review Facebook 360’s guide.
4) Boosting Streams for Greater Reach & Engagement
Boosting your post will help you reach a greater audience and is the perfect way to get more people to like, share and comment on your stream.
The ‘Boost Post’ button enables you to create a Facebook ad with your post. Prior to your 360˚ video livestream consider who your target audience is. You can select your audience based on gender, location, age and interest. You can set the maximum budget for your ad as well as choosing how long you want the ad to run. All of these features help you hit the best audience to allow you to show your 360˚ video livestream to more people!
Set your desired audience and watch the view count go up and those likes roll in!
For more information, visit Facebook Business Page Promotion.
5) Account Settings
It’s a simple tip but make sure your profile is set to the public setting and not private otherwise no one will see your 360˚ live stream! Do this before you go live to avoid last minute panics! To change settings go to ‘Settings’ then ‘Privacy’ then ‘Who can see your future posts’ then change the dropdown to ‘Public’.
Get Started!
Here are some content suggestions from some our Blend Media 360° Creators to get you started:
A walking tour of famous city sights - see Ariel’s tour of the HighLine in New York for ideas
How about a magic trick or a circus performance - get magical inspiration from Experience 360’s livestream
A ride around a city in an interesting or unusual form of transport - Check out Al Caudullo’s tuk tuk ride through bustling Bangkok or Ideas Studio’s ride on top of a military tank
A tour of unique location - Project 360 went live from CERN the European Organization for Nuclear Research
See below for more Blend Media 360˚ video live streaming posts:
Helicopters, Beaches and Magic: Welcome to Blend Media and Facebook’s Weekend of Live 360˚
