Before I share this list of the Top 5 reasons you need to be using Facebook live to market your business, let me ask you a couple of questions:

  • Do you watch videos that come through your Facebook newsfeed?
  • Have you noticed that you will watch them even without sound?
  • Do you know that most of the major social media platforms have incorporated a live video streaming option? (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram)
  • Have you seen the new feature where Facebook allows you to continue watching video content while scrolling through your newsfeed?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these, you are starting to get an idea of how quickly video marketing is growing and how relevant it is to social media users.

At the 2017 Social Media Marketing World conference, industry experts predicted that by 2020, 75% off ALL content consumed on the internet will be in the form of video.  That statistic alone should inspire you to start integrating video into your marketing strategy. And Facebook Live is an easy, free and low-tech way to get started!

If you aren’t using Facebook Live yet as a way to connect with your followers and promote your business, here are five reasons that you should get started now:

1. Video content “breaks” the Facebook algorithm

If you are a business owner, I’m sure you’ve struggled with decreasing visibility of your content, and therefore you are getting less engagement and fewer leads.

Don’t feel alone, we’re all going through it because Facebook is truly a pay-to-play environment for businesses now. They throttle back your content and only show it to about 2-5% of your followers – unless you are paying to promote content.

However, when you are using Facebook Live, it is almost guaranteed that you will get more reach, and if your content is valuable to your audience, more engagement.

2. Facebook has enhanced ways to notify your followers that you are live

When you use the Facebook Live feature, your followers get a notification that you are live, unlike when you post text, an image or a link.

On the desktop version, the Facebook Live stream will display as a “pop up” that your followers can click to view.  They can even continue to watch your live stream while they continue to scroll through their newsfeed on the sidebar.

And, the longer you can keep your viewers watching, the more visibility Facebook will give to your video.

3. Using Facebook Live builds authority and credibility

This is your opportunity to share your knowledge, to educate your audience, to entertain them, convey your passion, answer questions and to add value to the relationship you are building with your audience.

All of these things position you as an authority in your industry, and build the credibility you need to continue to grow.

It’s not all that different from being a speaker. Once you take that stage and begin sharing valuable information that appeals to your audience, you immediately become the expert they look to for answers and solutions. By using Facebook Live, you can make the same impact as you would at the keynote of your own event.

4. Live video content helps you to stand out in a very crowded space

We’re all aware that Facebook is overloaded with content, and getting the attention of your desired audience is a massive challenge. You truly need to stand out from not just your competitors, but from all the other online content and distractions.

Live streaming allows you to show off your personality, to interact in real time and provide content in the way more and more people are choosing to consume it.

5. Valuable content grows relationships and builds loyal followers

This is my absolute favorite result of live streaming, and I’ve seen it happen to me, influencers and other business owners: Viewers feel as if they know you after watching you on live video.

And, knowing you is the first step in trusting you. And trusting you leads to all kinds of opportunities to sell your services or products.

Facebook live helps us connect with our audience in a very intimate and personal way. We’re able to share more of our personality and passion, and that helps build stronger relationships with people that are our perfect potential customers.

The more value you offer in your Facebook Live posts, the more loyal your audience will become.

I will tell you that I have heard every excuse you can imagine about why people aren’t getting started.  So, I challenge you to establish your own “No Excuses” policy and just do it!

If you have a smartphone, a laptop, a desktop with a camera or a tablet, you have all the technology you need to get started.

Maybe you hate being on camera? Welcome to the club! You’ll get over it, and you’ll get more comfortable the more you do it.

Afraid you’ll mess up here and there? Perfect! People will know you’re real and human.

Start taking Facebook Live video streaming seriously and start connecting with your audience in this new, more personal and more intimate way.