We’re Going Facebook Live with Sean Dent, Part 1, RNFM Radio EPS 243
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Episode 243 features Kevin and Elizabeth (sans Keith), and they’re joined once again by the inimitable Sean P. Dent! This time they’re diving into part 1 of a 2-art series about the use of Facebook Live!
And you know what? It may be simple, but ya gotta get ready before you record, folks! And here are the most important 8 tips you need to know before you give it a try!
Live or recorded? Will this be a scheduled Facebook Live event, or will it be spontaneous? Spontaneous is just a Facebook Live broadcast done raw, unscripted, and in the moment wherever you are.
If you’re planning and scheduling a Facebook Live event, you want to let your fan base/tribe know beforehand and promote the event before it happens. It’s more effective if your people are there! And you can choose to do a Facebook Live event every week at the same time, if you think that will work for your audience. The raw, unscheduled, and spontaneous thing is a great way to experiment with the medium without all the preparation and worry.
The orientation of your phone doesn’t matter anymore when you’re broadcasting on Facebook Live; your phone can be vertical or horizontal and it’ll work. You can also use Facebook Live from your desktop or laptop computer. And remember, no matter what device you’re using, you need to be able to see and respond to the live comments that are coming in as you broadcast. If you’re using a smart phone, consider using a tripod of some kind to hold your camera steady and hands-free. Meanwhile, make sure you’re looking directly into the camera!
A good wifi or cellular connection is going to be important for the quality of your broadcast. If you have bad cell service from where you want to do your live video, connect to wifi for the event. Listen to the episode for some great tips about testing your connection.
Is this going to be a single topic or something larger? Will this be a question-and-answer forum? Feel free to be real, vulnerable, and honest about what you do and don’t know. Saying that you’re hosting an “ask me anything” (AMA) event, be careful! You may get stumped by your audience.
Meanwhile, you can broadcast from a conference and tell your audience what you’re up to.
Just know what your message is before you go live!
Managing what you’re doing and responding to the live audience at the same time is a challenge.
Make sure you connect with and talk to your audience, calling out some members of the audience by name and thanking them for being there.
You can go back after the fact and rename the event once it’s occurred.
If you’re doing a broadcast from your smart phone, remember that there will be noise, notifications, and such happening during your broadcast. If you touch a notification banner during a broadcast, you run the risk of being taken out of the Facebook Live app when you do that. Also make sure you mute your phone’s notifications.
Just like in our previous episodes with Sean, just hit the record button. However, if you need a few things to help level up your video experience on Facebook, then we’ve put together a short list of some gear you might find useful.
Tripod and accessories:
JOBY GorillaPod Original Tripod for Point and Shoot Cameras ($14.90) This tripod will work for a camera that weighs 11.5 ounces (325 grams). Most importantly, it will work with a smartphone with a slight modification (below).
Vastar Universal Cell Phone Tripod Mount Adapter Holder ($6.99) This is an adaptor specifically for your smartphone that helps you connect it to the GorillaPod, or most any tabletop tripod.
CamKix Bluetooth Camera Shutter Remote Control ($7.49)
Level up the sound a bit with these options:
Lavalier/Lapel Microphone Omnidirectional Condenser Mic for Smartphones ($13.99)
Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smartphones ($59.99)
Wide angle lens option for your smartphone:
HD Camera Lens Kit 5 in 1 for smartphones ($19.99)
Amir 3 in 1 Smartphone Camera Lens Kit ($19.99)
Your time and attention is off the hook!
We want to thank each and every one of you for listening to the podcast!
Hey, did you know that there’s a Pulse Media Network listeners’ group on Facebook? That’s right; you can hang out, talk about your favorite podcasts, and even interact with podcasters from the network. Head on over there and enjoy!
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Thank you, RNFM Radio Community!
