Facebook launches live video service, but brands should remain ‘cautious’ | M&M Global

Facebook launches live video service, but brands should remain ‘cautious’

Facebook has confirmed plans to take on video streaming services such as Twitter’s Periscope with its own live video service.

Facebook live video

The technology rose to the fore at last year’s SXSW Interaction festival in Austin, Texas, with the arrival of hotly-tipped app Meerkat. Twitter was soon in on the act with Periscope, and brands have slowly begun to dabble with the concept of live video as an advertising tool.

Facebook has now seen enough potential to expand its own trial service, dubbed ‘Live’, by extending it to all US iPhone users, and a global roll-out to follow.

In a blog post, Facebook’s product manager Vadim Lavrusik writes: “Today, we’re excited to expand the ability to share live video to everyone in the US via iPhone, and we plan to start rolling this out to the rest of the world over the coming weeks.

“Live is also available to public figures and verified Pages, and we are working to bring live video to people using Android phones soon. Learn more about Live in our Help Centre.”

Jerry DaykinWe asked Carat Global’s digital partner Jerry Daykin (pictured, right) to offer us his view, and whether Facebook can take live video broadcasting and streaming to the next level.

“Facebook’s announcement that it will be expanding the availability of their ‘Live Video’ product, originally only made available to public figures, across the US will bring richer functionality to its users but brands should still approach with caution.

“Live Video’s advantage of competing apps has always been its ability to auto play directly in the newsfeed, immediately capturing users’ attention and making them want to find out more. Although Twitter recently introduced this, users wishing to share their own stream do still have to click out (and connect their account to) the separate Periscope app.

“Facebook’s initial focus on public figures made sense given that, outside of unusual moments, they have more interesting things to share with a large audience. It remains to be seen whether average users will make heavy use of such functionality but at the start of the year over half a million people tuned in to watch a live Periscope of a puddle in Newcastle, so you really never can tell.

“Brands will likely find that live video is only appropriate in select creative cases”

“Brands have been quick to jump on and experiment with the live video opportunity, first starting with Periscope and now with Facebook. Doritos carried out an epic 12-hour Periscope in which it collided objects to introduce a new flavour range; and GM livestreamed the launch of its new Chevy Bolt EV on Facebook before posting a 360 degree tour of the inside.

“Live streaming can certainly help brands get industry headlines but unless they have a truly powerful hook to grab an audience (like Red Bull’s famous Stratos stunt), their actual impact can often be limited, and people are still more likely to watch a summary promoted after the event. Just as many brands have found that trying to always be reactive and real time on Twitter can use more time and energy than it’s truly worth. Brands will likely find that live video is only appropriate in select creative cases.

“More users being able to stream their own video will help drive understanding of the functionality and, just as with the wider rise of video on the platform, this gives advertisers more of an opportunity to get their own messages across alongside. For Facebook that means a bigger slice of advertisers’ AV budgets and no doubt continued revenue increases.”

 

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