How to Post Live on Facebook

Going live on Facebook is one of the most powerful ways to connect with your audience in real-time, offering an unfiltered, authentic look at your brand, personality, or mission. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the technical steps of starting a broadcast to the strategies that turn a simple stream into an engaging event. We'll cover how to go live from your phone and computer, offer tips for a flawless broadcast, and show you how to get more mileage out of your content once the stream is over.

Why Go Live on Facebook? The Benefits Are Huge

In a world of highly polished, perfectly edited content, live video cuts through the noise. It feels authentic, immediate, and personal, which is why the Facebook algorithm often gives it preferential treatment in the News Feed. Going live isn't just about broadcasting, it's about starting a two-way conversation.

• Higher Engagement: Live videos generate, on average, 6 times as many interactions as regular videos. People are more likely to comment, react, and share when they feel like they're part of a real-time event.
• Builds Trust and Authenticity: There are no edits, no second takes. This raw format shows the human side of your brand, making you more relatable and trustworthy to your audience.
• Direct Connection: You can interact with your viewers instantly. Answering questions, shouting out commenters by name, and reacting to feedback on the fly creates a strong feeling of community and personal connection.
• Increased Visibility: Facebook often sends notifications to your followers when you go live, giving your content a direct push to get in front of people's eyes.

What You Need Before You Go Live

A great live stream doesn't require a Hollywood budget. In fact, you can get started with just your smartphone. However, paying attention to a few basics will dramatically improve the quality of your broadcast and your viewers' experience.

The Essentials:

• A Device: Your smartphone (iOS or Android) or a computer with a webcam and microphone.
• A Stable Internet Connection: This is non-negotiable. A poor connection leads to a pixelated, buffering, or dropped stream. A strong Wi-Fi signal is almost always better than cellular data. Run a speed test beforehand if you're unsure.
• An Idea and a Plan: Don't just hit "Go Live" with nothing to say. Know your topic, key talking points, and what you want to achieve with the broadcast.

The Nice-to-Haves (That Make a Big Difference):

• Good Lighting: You don't need professional studio lights. Simply facing a window for soft, natural light is a game-changer. Avoid having a bright light source (like a window) behind you, as it will turn you into a silhouette. A simple ring light is an inexpensive way to get consistent, flattering light.
• An External Microphone: Your phone's built-in microphone is decent, but background noise can easily drown you out. A simple lavalier (lapel) mic that plugs into your phone will make your audio sound crisp and professional. Clear audio is often more important than perfect video.
• A Tripod: Holding your phone for an entire broadcast is a good way to get a shaky, unwatchable video. A small tripod for your phone or desk keeps the shot stable, frees up your hands, and lets you focus on your content and your audience.

How to Post Live on Facebook: A Step-by-Step Guide (Mobile App)

Going live from your phone is the easiest and most common way to broadcast. It's perfect for on-the-go streams, casual Q&As, and behind-the-scenes content.

1. Open the Facebook App: Navigate to your personal profile, a Page you manage, or a Group you're an admin of. Tap the "What's on your mind?" box at the top, just like you would to create a regular post.
2. Select "Live Video": In the menu that appears at the bottom of the screen, tap the Live video option. This will open the live camera view.
3. Set Up Your Broadcast: Before you hit the start button, you have a few important options:
   • Add a Description: This is the title for your video. Make it compelling and descriptive so people know why they should tune in. Something like, "Live Q&A: Ask Me Anything About Organic Gardening!" is much better than "Going live."
   • Set Your Audience: Tap on the audience setting (it usually defaults to "Public" for Pages or "Friends" for profiles) to control who sees your stream. You can also switch it to Only Me if you want to do a test run first.
   • Tag, Check In, and Add More: You can tag other pages or people, add your location, or even add a feeling/activity, just like a normal post.
   • Explore Creative Tools: At the bottom of the screen, you'll see icons for effects, filters, and other tools. You can add silly hats or tweak the colors, but for professional broadcasts, it's often best to keep it simple. You can also find the button here to invite a guest to join your live stream.
4. Frame Your Shot: Use the camera switch icon to toggle between the front-facing and back-facing camera. Position your phone in a tripod and frame your shot nicely.
5. Start Your Live Video: When you're ready, tap the blue Start Live Video button. A countdown will appear (3, 2, 1), and then you'll be live!
6. Interact During the Stream: As people join, you'll see comments and reactions pop up on your screen. Acknowledge them! Say hello, answer questions, and respond to the conversation. This interactivity is what live video is all about.
7. End the Broadcast: When you're all done, tap the Finish button.
8. Post Your Replay: After you finish, you'll be given options to post the video to your page/profile, save the video to your camera roll, or delete it. Unless there was a huge technical issue, always post the replay. Many more people will see the replay than the live version. You can even edit the description before posting.

How to Go Live on Facebook from a Desktop Computer

Broadcasting from a desktop using Facebook's Live Producer is ideal for more planned-out content, like webinars, interviews, or presentations where you need a more controlled environment.

1. Go to Live Producer: On your Facebook Page, Profile, or in a Group, find the post composer and click the Live Video button. This will take you to the Facebook Live Producer dashboard.
2. Choose your Video Source: You'll be given two options: Webcam or Streaming Software. For a straightforward broadcast, choose Webcam. (Streaming software like OBS Studio or StreamYard is more advanced, allowing for screen sharing, multiple camera angles, and professional overlays.)
3. Set Up Your Camera and Mic: In the camera controls, use the dropdown menus to select the correct webcam and microphone you want to use. You'll see a preview of your video feed.
4. Add Your Post Details: On the left-hand column, add your Title (required) and Description. Just like on mobile, this text is what tells people why they should watch.
5. Configure Interactive Tools: The desktop version offers more features to engage your audience. Under the Interactivity tab, you can create Polls or Post Questions that you can display on-screen during your broadcast. This is a great way to guide the conversation and spark participation.
6. Go Live: Once you've checked your camera, mic, and settings, click the Go Live button at the bottom left of the screen. Just like on mobile, you'll see a countdown, and then you'll be on-air. You can see and respond to comments in a column on the right-hand side of your dashboard.
7. End Stream: When finished, click the red End Live Video button. You'll then have the choice to post the replay, which is key to extending the life of your stream.

Tips for a Knockout Facebook Live Broadcast

Just knowing how to push the button isn't enough. The quality of your content is what makes people stick around. Here's how you can improve yours.

1. Promote It in Advance

A surprise live broadcast can perform well, but if you know you're going live in a week, start spreading the word. Create eye-catching graphics and let people know the day, time, and topic. You can also schedule your broadcast ahead of time using Facebook's Live feature. This has the great advantage of allowing your audience to opt-in for a notification that reminds them about the stream ten minutes before you start.

2. Have a Plan (But Be Flexible)

You don't need a word-for-word script, but you should have a basic plan. Create a bulleted outline that includes your introduction, three main talking points, a moment to ask your audience questions, and your final call to action. This gives your stream structure, but allows for flexibility. The real value of going live is its spontaneity, so be prepared to go off-script to answer viewer questions and respond to their ideas without sounding robotic.

3. Hook Them in the First Few Seconds

Your live audience has a short attention span, you can lose half of your viewers in the first minute. You need to start with immediate engagement. Tell them exactly what the broadcast is about right in the intro. For example: "We'll be breaking down our 5 biggest marketing secrets that we've never shared before!"

4. Engage, Engage, Engage!

This cannot be overstated. Live video is a dialogue, not a monologue. To get your audience more invested and keep them watching longer, be sure to:

• Warmly greet viewers by name as they join ("Hey Sara, glad to see you joining!").
• Ask your viewers open-ended questions directly, like "Where is everyone tuning in from?" or "What questions do you have about this topic?" Use the polls feature in Live Producer to encourage interaction.
• Acknowledge comments by reading them aloud. For example: "Jen said that her strategy aligns with our goal. That's a great point, Jen."

5. Don't End Too Early

Give it time for people to join. Many will receive the notification and show up after the broadcast has already begun. During the first few minutes, you can keep the content light and casual, like saying hello to new viewers. It takes several minutes for the Facebook algorithm to start pushing your stream to a wider audience, so don't quit before you gain momentum.

Final Thoughts

Going live on Facebook breaks down barriers, creating a direct, two-way channel for brands and individuals to connect with their audience. It builds a space for personal interaction, trust, and a true sense of community. Now you have a simple, step-by-step plan and the strategies needed to turn a simple stream into a polished, interactive event.

When preparing the promotion for your live stream - and later scheduling clips of the replay - a lot of planning is required. Using a tool can save a significant amount of time and headaches. At Postbase, we built our visual content calendar to help us organize and schedule promotional posts for our own live broadcasts across Facebook and our other social media platforms. It simplifies the entire workflow so you can focus on creating great, engaging content. Postbase also makes it simple to schedule the best clips from your streams as replay posts after the broadcast is over.