Amid these changing times, many fitness facility operators and personal trainers are turning to creative ways to keep their members and audiences engaged. One of the most popular ways of doing this is streaming live video through Facebook Live. This is a fun and fairly easy way to connect with your audience and also build your brand.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro when it comes to using social media or have barely spent time on Facebook, we’re here to help you make the most of this cool feature so you can stay in touch with your followers and even gain some new ones. So, if you’re ready to live stream a series of workouts for your loyal members and their surrounding community, or want to have a Q&A session on nutritious eating with a personal trainer, or even just feel the need to have a casual sit-down chat as the owner of a local fitness establishment, we’ve got the info you need. 

How to Use Facebook Live

Great news: Facebook has made some improvements to Facebook Live over the years that have made it easier to use now more than ever. You can use either your mobile phone or a desktop computer to do a Live video. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Click “Create Post” at the top of your news feed, whether on mobile or desktop.

• Note: if you’re using your desktop, use the Google Chrome web browser.

Step 2: Select “Live Video”. You may need to click the … to expand your options.

• Note: You may need to give Facebook access to your microphone and camera in order to do a Live video.

Step 3: Choose your privacy settings.

• Do you want this video to be visible to only you, or to your entire follower base? Since you’re most likely a brand or personal trainer, you’ll probably want this video to be public so it’s discoverable by anyone who’s on Facebook.
• Also, you’ll need to select whether you want the video to post to your Facebook page and as a Story post, or just one of the above.

Step 4: Add an interesting description for what your Facebook Live video is.

• Note: Make it catchy to entice more viewers into watching. The description can anywhere from a few words to a few sentences long. It’s good to plan your description in advance.

Step 5: Click “Start Live Video”.

Step 6: When you’re ready to end your live video, click “Finish”. You’ll have the options to download the video (which we recommend) and post it to your Facebook page.

Tips for the Best Streaming Experience

Do a test Facebook Live session before going live to your followers. You can do this by selecting “Only Me” in your privacy settings when you go to start a new Live video. This will give you a chance to fine-tune the Facebook Live process and practice speaking on-camera.

Let your audience know ahead of time when you’ll be streaming. This will help generate excitement and get more viewers since people can plan ahead to watch your livestream. We recommend posting about upcoming Facebook Live events across all of your social media platforms.

Make sure you have a strong internet connection. We’ve all seen lackluster live videos where the visuals were distorted, and the audio was choppy. If you’re on a phone, use a dedicated and secure Wi-Fi connection to film with, or if you’re on a computer, hard wire into an internet connection. This will help your video be as clear and high-resolution as possible, delivering the best experience for your viewers. 

Engage with your viewers! Create a premium video experience by interacting with your audience through replying to specific comments and answering questions while you’re on-air. You can also encourage viewers to share things like their favorite exercises and fitness tips in the comments.

The longer you stay live, the more reach you’ll get. Longer Facebook Live videos give your viewers a chance to share and invite their friends to tune in to the video, and for your video to be discovered by people outside your normal audience. Facebook prioritizes Live videos that are longer than 3 minutes, so plan to stay live for 10 – 30 minutes at a minimum. Conveniently, this works out well if you are live streaming a workout!

Best of luck as you venture into the world of Facebook Live! If you’re interested in exploring other live streaming options, check out our resources on:

How To Use Instagram Live

How To Use IGTV