We live in a world where content is perfected to a T. Blog posts are meticulously edited, sometimes losing the true voice of the brand. Instagram photos are scrubbing out the “realness” of life, using pretty filters and photo staging. And corporate videos are strategically cut, censoring out any and all imperfections.

So, when Facebook Live came into the picture just last year, brands found they could give their audience more of what they wanted: raw, up close and personal videos at the push of a button. The result? Customers see brands as more transparent and approachable, and find themselves hungry for more.

But, you’re probably thinking: “Is this worth my time and effort?” or “I’m a small business owner. You really think I can successfully reach my people like AirBNB and Dunkin’ Donuts?” or even “I’m not a professional vlogger, so what on earth will I talk about?” And that’s okay because I’m here to tell you it is worth it. You can find success with live streaming video. And, there’s plenty to talk about.

According to the social media platform itself, users comment 10x more on Facebook Live videos than on regular videos. If that doesn’t scream, “Jump on the Facebook Live train ASAP!” to connect with your audience, I don’t know what does.

In this Coaching Blog, I’m going to give you some inspiration to fire up a video of your own! I’m sharing five topics we’re seeing brands successfully talk about on Facebook Live. You’ll be hanging out with your audience where they feel most comfortable in no time—on their couch at home—sans retakes and edits. It can be the ace up your sleeve to climb to the top of the News Feed, free of charge.

5 Crowd-Pleasing Facebook Live Topics

1. Behind the curtain.

People love to get a behind-the-scenes peek into your business. Whether it’s about how your product is created, or even a tag along to get a feel for how you work hard and play hard, pull back that curtain and invite your audience in. Not only will this help build trust in your brand, but it will also increase a sense of loyalty and belonging—making them feel simpatico with you.

Take Dunkin’ Donuts’ Facebook Live video as an example. In celebration of National Donut Day, they gave fans a behind the scenes look into the top secret test kitchen. From frying to glazing, and sprinkling, the entire process of making their tasty cake donuts is revealed for all to know.

Viewers learn what goes into creating these glorious baked goods and become familiar with a special offer to help celebrate National Donut Day—free donuts. Say what?! No wonder Dunkin’ Donuts generated more than 33,000 views, 3,000 likes, and 500 shares on this live video alone. See the power of being candid with your followers?

2. Tease your latest and greatest offering.

Releasing a new product or service? Use Facebook Live to tease it! I say, “tease” because you want to avoid being overly promotional. Instead, be helpful and provide value while casually spreading the word of your launch. Offer a tutorial on how your latest and greatest offering works. That’ll allow you to take full advantage of your followers’ engagement.

Let’s take a look at Benefit Cosmetics’ Facebook Live video. They didn’t spend much time on talking about the new release. Instead, they spent more time on showcasing how customers can put this product to use. The biggest plus? They answered beauty questions in the comments section as they went along, keeping the audience involved in the conversation.

Benefit Cosmetics kills it with Facebook Live. They strategically get in front of their followers at a consistent time every week for Tipsy Tricks on Thursdays. On one of these videos alone, they garnered 17,000 views, more than 180 likes, and 100 comments. I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch a talk show-esque live video that includes rosé and other adults beverages?!

Expert Bonus Tip: capitalize on the time you’re in front of your followers; consider giving them a reward for watching in the form of a coupon code. They can put it towards purchasing your new product or service and help you obtain testimonials. It’s a win-win!

3. Broadcast live events.

Are you making an appearance at a conference, meet up, trade show, or business retreat? Take your audience along for the ride! Events used to be location-dependent. But, that’s no longer the case thanks to live streaming video. Pushing the button and firing up your Facebook Live platform once you arrive is a great way to get your at-home audience involved. They’ll no longer have to worry about coming down with some serious FOMO.

Jenna Kutcher, a female entrepreneur who wears many hats (podcaster, blogger, wedding photographer to name a few!), effectively makes use of this topic. Recently, she was speaking at a meet up for her hometown chapter as part of a society focused on uniting creative entrepreneurs and small business CEOs.
Instead of limiting her teaching session to those in the Madison, Wis. area, she extended her reach quickly and easily by turning to Facebook Live. Her fan base of more than 26,000 people from all over the world were able to listen in on her brilliant tips.

Her video generated more than 1,400 views and one viewer’s comment illustrates the benefit of utilizing this topic for your own personal brand: “Loved that I could “virtually” attend…with you speaking from my bed with the baby asleep in the next room. Social media = win!” So, tap into this opportunity and continue to provide value to your audience wherever they are—even from the comforts of their home.

4. Ask Me Anything’s (AMAs) with your fans.

Want to help humanize your brand even more? Set a topic for your live session and get ready to answer your audience’s burning questions. Let your audience in on who you are. What inspired you to start your own business? What are some fun and random facts about you? This is your time to share things that are typically off limits when it comes to your day-to-day content.

And it doesn’t always need to be a one-man or woman show! Switch it up and invite a person making waves in your industry to serve as a collaborator for your AMAs. It should be someone your fans consider a “person of interest.”

Take BaubleBar’s Facebook Live video as an example. Their real-time Q&A with the two female co-founders of this chic fashion jewelry line was not only timely as it surrounded Women’s History Month, but also valuable. They gave their followers insight into their background, how they met, and some facts people may not know about them and their business. Plus, they answered questions as they came in. After all—that is the power of live video!

The brand’s video generated more than 4,900 views and showcased the two people who started this trendy biz. Once you put this topic to use, not only will your audience become well educated on your offerings, but you too will become well educated on your fans and how they think!

5. Quick tips that relate to your business.

Let’s be real, some products and services are easier to grasp than others. You can make it so much easier on your fans, however, by offering live tips and tutorial sessions. And to avoid being overly salesy (*cringe*). You don’t need to focus the entire thing on what it is you’re serving up. Just be sure it relates to your business.

Is there a new platform in your industry that your audience would love to know about? Share it. Is there a quick tip you recently learned that isn’t well known and would save them some serious time and money? Spill the beans. You’ll set yourself up as an authority figure in your product or service realm, and your customers will keep coming back for more.

In Conclusion,

Be creative and go live often!
Try different types of broadcasts – and go live frequently – to keep your audience engaged.