There are so many social media options out there these days, you may feel overwhelmed about which ones to go for. One option that you should definitely be considering is to go on Facebook Live. This is a great tool which allows you to broadcast live and interact with your followers, with the broadcast remaining available to view after you finish filming. Why is it so great? We’ll explain here.
Why it Works
The great thing about Facebook Live is the immediacy which it provides. Your fans can log on and watch you working or chatting in real time. This allows you to really make it personal. If you are the face and voice of your brand as a solo photographer, this can be a really great opportunity to sell yourself.
You may be thinking that you only need to sell your photographs, not yourself, but this isn’t true. A lot of clients will be nervous about choosing a photographer and want to pick someone that will really work for them. Whether you are shooting a wedding and spending all day with the bride, or doing a family shoot for an hour, you will still need to interact pleasantly with your client. They need to know that this will go smoothly, and that they can trust you.
Another thing that Facebook Live can do is to establish you as an expert in your field. If you go Live to showcase a photoshoot that you are doing on air, or if you talk to your followers about the best lenses to use for portrait shoots, or if you let them in on your post-production process, they will see that you know what you are talking about. This translates in their head to the knowledge that you will be able to take some great photographs next time they need someone.
Followers love Facebook Live because they can be with you there, in real time, as if you were talking face to face. They can also add comments while they watch, which you can read and respond to. This makes it a conversation, not just a video that you film and upload.
While there are other live streaming services available, Facebook Live has a lot of benefits. Firstly, it doesn’t disappear after 24 hours, but you can actually save it and keep it. It also may be where your fans already hang out – if you have a big Facebook following, you will be targeting a lot of people.
It’s clear that Facebook Live is a great option for business owners. So, now that you know, how are you going to get started?
Setting up to Go Live
Before you go Live, first think about what you are intending to show to your followers. It could be that you are a great photographer, or that you are an expert in the field, or that you have special offers and packages available right now. Whatever it is, keep that top of mind while talking and make sure this message gets across.
Now let’s start the broadcast. Go to your Facebook page on the device you intend to use – it could be your laptop with a webcam, your phone, or your tablet. Now scroll down past the ‘Create Post’ section until you see the ‘Create’ module. Within that module you will see a ‘Live’ button, tap on that and you will be taken to the Live Production page which provides you the option of immediately going live or scheduling your live for another time. For education purposes, we will assume you’re going live now, so go ahead and tap the ‘Create live video’ option.
Now you will be asked to fill in some information about your video. Give viewers a hint about what they will see, and why they will want to tune in. This will help not only when you are live, but when people are browsing their timelines after the broadcast has been published as a video.
It’s time to go live! While you broadcast, check back on your screen regularly. You’ll be able to see who is watching you, how many people are watching in total, and what they are saying. This will help you to make it a conversation by responding and shouting out those who you see.
Ideas for Going Live
Now you know how to do it, you just need to figure out what to do. Here are a few ideas of how you can present your live broadcast in order to get people interested.
- Show behind the scenes: people always love to see what goes into your work. Take them behind the scenes on a photoshoot, show them your retouching process, and so on. Explain what you are doing while you do it, and let them in on the magic while it happens.
- Broadcast at events: if you go to a wedding fair, or a fashion show, or any kind of event related to your work, you can go on Facebook Live to show everyone what is happening. Remember to engage as well – don’t just stay silent unless you aren’t allowed to talk during the show.
- Host interviews: why not bring in a vendor that you work closely with to chat about your work and how your businesses interact? This is a great way to subtly advertise the extra services that you offer alongside your photography, such as makeover shoots or photo albums.
- Take questions: why not let the audience be the interviewers? Host an AMA (ask me anything) or chat generally about photography advice. Having answers for questions helps to establish you as an expert.
- Offer a tutorial: since the video will be available forever, making a tutorial in real time is a great idea. It means you can answer extra questions while you show everyone what to do, and get all of the information in one place.
Want to see how Facebook Live works in action? Check out Summerana’s very own Tog Talk Tuesday! You can tune in each Tuesday for our newest content, or review past lives in the video section of the Summerana Facebook page!
Facebook Live is a really great tool for marketing your photography business, and if you aren’t using it yet, you are missing out. Commit to broadcasting live this week and see what happens. Pick one of our ideas from above and just go for it – you won’t know the results until you try! Let us know how it goes in the comment section below, as we’d love to hear your experiences.