How to Live Stream an Event on Facebook Live (In 20 Steps or Less)

Why do you need to know how to live stream your event on Facebook Live? And what is it anyway?

Facebook Live is a feature that allows you to broadcast live video from your event.

You’ll be able to reach your existing online following plus attract new potential guests for future events.

Best of all, you’ll also be able to repurpose the video as content for your other social media accounts.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll go through how to set up your first Facebook Live stream. There are only a few required steps from start to finish, but you might want to go through the optional steps as well.

1. Check WiFi and equipment

Check that your camera and microphone work, and that you have a stable Internet connection. It’s a good idea to check WiFi connectivity with the event management before you book it. It will be a terrible look if you go live and your video suddenly cuts out.

2. Announce your live video

All your Facebook followers will be notified the moment you go live. But you should still announce your live stream well in advance. Email everyone on your event guest list as well as previous attendees. That way, you’ll maximise the number of viewers who tune in.

3. Open Facebook Live

There are two ways you can access Facebook Live. The first one is to start composing a new status by clicking “What’s on your mind?” in the News Feed. The second way is to click the camera icon in the top left corner next to the search bar.

4. Enable camera and microphone access

If you’ve never used your camera or microphone on the Facebook app, then it’ll request access. Click “OK” when prompted. Then you’ll be able to use Facebook Live on the app.

5. Choose the right phone camera

Your phone will most likely have a front- and a back-facing camera. Make sure you’ve selected the right one for your live stream. Click the camera icon in the top right corner to toggle between the two.

6. Switch your camera to Live

Your camera will automatically be set to “Normal”. Click on “Live” in the bottom left corner of the screen to enable Live mode. You’re almost ready to begin the live stream.

7. Choose who sees your live stream

Next to the lock icon in the top left corner, you’ll see “Only Me”. Leave it like that if you’re doing a test run. Otherwise, click and change the setting to “Public.” Now anyone on or off Facebook can see it.

It can be useful to set viewer restrictions if you’re organising a private event. That way, you can keep the event private while still enjoying the social media aspect.

8. Write a description for your video (optional)

You should write a bit of copy to accompany the video, just like a regular Facebook post. Your status will appear above the video, so here’s your chance to grab people’s attention.

Include all selling points for your event. What’s happening, who’s attending, where is it taking place, and what are people missing out on?

9. Use tags, location, and emotion (optional)

Next to the description box, you can choose to tag people, set a location, and add emotion. Use these features to drive extra attention to your live stream.

It’s a good idea to tag the venue you’re live streaming from. You should also tag anyone else involved, such as the catering company or performers.

10. Add filters, text, and graphics (optional)

Tap the magic wand in the bottom left corner of your screen to add additional effects. It can either be attention-grabbing or distracting depending on the context of your live stream. How much you add will depend on your audience and type of event.

11. Start the live stream

Tap the “Start Live Video” button…and off you go! You’ll get a countdown from Facebook, and then you’re live. Your live stream can last for up to 90 minutes. After that, Facebook cuts it off. So remember to wind down the broadcast before that happens.

12. Engage with your viewers

You should engage with your viewers both via video and text. Speak directly to them and encourage them to leave comments and share the video. Make sure you announce key event details, such as the food being served or the performer going on stage.

Reply to as many comments as you can. It’s a good idea to have a dedicated person to reply to comments. (You’re able to block any abusive comments if you need to.)

13. End the live stream

Once you’re closing in on the 90-minute streaming limit, it’s time to wind down. Thank all your viewers for watching, and give them a call to action.

That could, for example, be sharing the video or going to your website. If you have other events lined up, now is a good time to sell extra tickets for them.

14. Save your video and create a post (optional)

Click the button in the bottom right corner to save the video to your phone. You’ll also be able to post the live stream to people who missed, so they can watch the replay. You can edit this like any other Facebook post.

You should also use the video as a trailer for any future events you have planned. If you’re putting on a comedy show or a music concert, use the footage to build up hype around the next event.

15. Use a custom thumbnail (optional)

You can add a custom thumbnail to your replay video just like on YouTube. Take a screenshot from the video and some text to make it look more appealing to later viewers.

Tip: Use a website like Canva to easily format the thumbnail to Facebook’s specifications.

16. Pin the post to your News Feed (optional)

One of the ways you can maximise views on your Facebook Live video is to pin it to the top of your feed. That way, it’s the first thing new visitors see when they go to your Page.

17. Add captions to the video (optional)

Most Facebook videos, including live streams, are watched with the sound off. That’s why it’s a good idea to add captions to the video. Captions will also help if the music is a bit off in some places.

18. Make it a featured video (optional)

You also have the option to make your replay video Featured on your Facebook Page. That will make the replay of your last event the first video visitors see when they go to your Facebook video section.

19. Check Facebook insights (optional)

Once your live stream and promotion are over, it’s time to check out the stats. See how many people you reached and how many engagements you got.

This information will be invaluable when you promote your events with paid Facebook ads. You can more easily target potential attendees when you know if they’ve engaged with your stream.

20. Promote the video (optional)

If you really want to maximise your exposure, you should consider paid ads. You can click Boost Post to set up a Facebook ad for the replay video. Ads will give you even more detailed insights than you already have.

Facebook is one of the best social media platforms for targeted ads. Why? Because no other platform gathers as much information on their users. Now that you’ve live streamed your event, you’re in an event better position to sell tickets for future events.

You’re all done!

That’s it! You’ve successfully done your first live stream on Facebook. Now everyone can see what a roaring success your event was—and what they missed out on. Talk about fear of missing out.

Remember that you can chop up the video and post smaller segments on your Facebook, too. That way, you can make many pieces of content from just one live stream. It’s a good way to drip-feed potential event-goers some ads to generate interest in your future events.

Good luck, and happy live streaming!