Facebook Updates for a Scheduled Live: What You Need to Know

Facebook is notorious for changing how features work–usually, without prior notice–creating confusion among its users. On September 11, 2020, there was another Facebook update when you go live.

If you tried to schedule a live and found no unique URL in your broadcasts list in BeLive, don’t worry. You’re not going crazy! Facebook’s most recent update got rid of the unique video URL generation prior to an actual show. And it’s throwing a lot of live streamers for a loop!

Previously, when a user schedules a live stream through a third-party tool like BeLive, Facebook will produce a unique URL. This URL is the post where it has the “Get Reminder” button. The URL will also show up on BeLive. 

However, with the recent updates that Facebook rolled out, you can no longer see the URL in the studio. It only shows the Facebook Page link. This creates confusion because: 

• It seems like the broadcast wasn’t created because a unique URL wasn’t generated. 
• Or it seems like the broadcast was created on Facebook but it’s not saved on BeLive. 

Why This Is Happening to a Scheduled Facebook Live?

This new Facebook update for a scheduled live happened because the system creates two links: 

• The scheduled post with the “Get Reminder” button is the first link that’s generated. After the live stream, the showcard preview will be blurred and display a message “The live broadcast has ended.” If you promoted the scheduled stream in your email and the person clicked the scheduled link, they’ll be redirected to the replay of the stream.
• Facebook generates a new link with the actual broadcast/replay. This is the link where you actually watch the stream, but it’s technically the same post/stream that you scheduled. 

Workaround for the New Facebook Update for a Scheduled Live

Will this update affect your current show promotion plans? Yes, it can, but thankfully, you can work around this issue. 

Here are some tips to follow to continue promoting your scheduled live show without problems.

Only Edit the Scheduled Stream using the Creator Studio

When you’ve published your scheduled live, make sure the details you provided in the description have been finalized when you save the stream on BeLive. That’s because if you edit the promotional post for your scheduled show created by Facebook, it will disappear. Once a follower clicks on the link you shared prior to editing, he will be redirected to a 404 error page instead of the supposed preview post. If you need to edit it, don’t go into BeLive. Go to the Creator Studio to edit. 

Use the Share Button on the Promotional Post

Since the BeLive studio doesn’t generate the actual live URL anymore,  you can click on the “Share” button on the post that Facebook created for the show instead.

To be able to share on other sites, you’ll need to click on the timestamp of the post to reveal its URL. Then, copy the link and use that to share the promotional post on other platforms.

Once you press the Start button, you will have to click on “Watch Live” to get the live video link for sharing to other groups, pages, or social media sites.

Since the BeLive studio doesn’t generate the actual live URL anymore,  you can click on the “Share” button on the post that Facebook created for the show instead. You have to remember though that you won’t be able to crosspost before going live. You can do this after your broadcast.

To be able to share on other sites, you’ll need to click on the timestamp of the post to reveal its URL. Then, copy the link and use that to share the promotional post on other platforms.

Once you press the Start button, you will have to click on “Watch Live” to get the live video link for sharing to other groups, pages, or social media sites.

Anticipate Your Audience’s Reaction

Since this is a new Facebook update, a lot of people may still not know about it. Give your audience a heads-up and assure them that they’ll still be able to watch the show once you go live. If needed, post a separate announcement for this update to avoid negative reactions.

Let them know that they should click on “Watch Live” on the Facebook post you shared once you go live to redirect them to the actual video. 

Here’s another workaround for a scheduled Facebook Live from Molly Mahoney, which involves using a tool called Rebrandly:

Temporary or Permanent Facebook Live Update?

It’s still unclear if this update is a permanent or temporary setup. After all, Facebook has been rolling out new developments quite frequently for the past few months. Whatever the case, it has thrown the majority of live streamers for a loop. 

Nevertheless, BeLive will continue to look for tips and workarounds for Facebook updates. You can also rely on us to update you about any developments about live streaming in general.

Did you encounter this update when you tried scheduling your show through BeLive? Share your experience with it in the comments section below! 

This post was originally published on Sept. 19, 2020, and has been updated on March 29, 2021.