Preparing for Your First Facebook Live Show: A Complete Guide

Planning your first Facebook live show can be nerve-wracking, especially if you have zero experience. You’re not alone. Even the most experienced streamers went through the same anxious feelings, too.

This guide will help you dot your i’s and cross your t’s for a professional-looking first show, especially if you’re using a third-party tool like BeLive. You don’t have to follow every single item on this list but we guarantee that these tips will help you be extra-ready before hitting that Start button.

1. Figure Out Your Show Type

There are several types of shows that you can do when you go live. And before going live, you need to figure what you want your show to be about. Think about the kinds of people you want to reach with your video and come up with topics that may interest them.

Some show types you may want to try:

• Questions and Answers
• Demonstration
• Live selling
• Interview

2. Create an Outline

You don’t need to write a script for your entire show. Creating an outline will help you organize your stream and remind you to stay on topic and avoid rambling when you’re live.

One thing you need to keep in mind is the length of your broadcast. Based on a recent survey BeLive did, 45.2% of viewers prefer 10-30-minute streams over hours-long broadcasts. So set a time limit and remind yourself of it. One way to do this is to put an actual timer on the screen.

Another way is to use the Online Agenda feature in the BeLive Studio. You’ll be able to check it while live and even flash subtopics on the screen to help your viewers know what you’re talking about as well.

3. Schedule Your Show

If you want more time to promote your show, scheduling it a week ahead would be a great idea. However, scheduling it a day before works well, too!

The point is, by setting a schedule for your planned video (even if it’s just a day earlier) you’re giving your audience time to prepare for it. They can share it to their friends or even ask questions in advance in the comments section.

How to Schedule Your Show

Here’s how to schedule your show in the BeLive studio.

Step1: Choose your destination (you can simulcast to up to 2 platforms).

• Your Timeline
• Facebook Page
• Public or Private Facebook Group
• YouTube Channel

Step 2: Choose the date and time you want to set.

Step 3: Add an image or showcard indicating the time, date, and other details of your upcoming live stream.

Step 4: Add the title of your show.

Step 5: Add the description of your show.

✅ Include relevant keywords

✅ Include important hashtags

✅ Include details of the show

Step 6: Schedule your show!

Watch this video tutorial on how to schedule your Facebook Live show to multiple destinations.

Because of recent Facebook updates, the actual video link will only be available once the show starts. But you can use the post link created on Facebook to promote your show on other pages and platforms. This brings us to the next step in preparing for your first Facebook Live show: promotions!

4. Promote Your Show

To let more people know about your live stream, you need to promote your show before you actually start. If you scheduled your live stream, use the scheduled post link to promote it everywhere. Take note, however, that Facebook doesn’t produce live video links until you actually go live; use the URL for the scheduled post instead. Learn more about it in this article.

TIP 1: If you’re using an image to promote your show, resize it to fit the platform you’re posting it on. For example, Facebook Live posts have different dimensions compared to an Instagram story post.

Tip 2: If the scheduled post URL is too long, use a link shortening tool like Rebrandly or Bitly to customize the link. It’s easier for viewers to remember the link that way.

5. Check Your Equipment

What do you need to check right before clicking on that start button? Here’s an insightful video from Kevin Kolbe on the equipment you need for your first livestream ever.

Check out this blog post for more details on how to go live for the first time with BeLive.