Live video on Facebook is proving to be popular medium for creating and sharing content. Since launching the feature in August 2015, the company quickly made the feature available to everyone earlier this year. Now there are new features designed to get more people in on the action.
Broadcast Live Video in Facebook Groups and Events
Previously, live video on Facebook was only able to be broadcast from a Page or personal profile. Now, video can be broadcast within groups and within event pages. Live video in event pages feels like a natural fit, with attendees being able to share the event to others who couldn’t be there in attendance.
A Slew of New Interactive Features
There’s a whole host of new features designed around interacting with live videos.
- Live Reactions: The new reactions Facebook recently launched can now be used to respond to live videos.
- Replay Comments: When watching a recorded broadcast of a live video, you miss you on all the comments made when the video was live. Now you’ll be able to watch replays with comments included, if you want.
- Live Filters: Facebook is testing five filters for people to manipulate their live videos with. Soon the company will add the ability to draw or doodle on their video.
Video Discovery
Facebook is making it easier for people to discover live videos by adding a video map, similar to what you may be familiar with through using Periscope. You’ll also be able to search for live and non-live videos by interest, creator, and topics. When you find a video you like, you’ll now have the option to send invitations to friends to watch it with you.
New Ways To Track Video Metrics
Along with these new features, Facebook has introduced new ways to track viewership: total live viewers during a broadcast, and a new chart showing the amount of live viewers tuned in over time during a broadcast. The new metrics are available now through Page Insights and your video library.
All of the features listed above will be rolled out to Android and iOS over the coming weeks.
