Facebook thinks that live streaming is going to be huge. The social network has rolled out live broadcast video for all users and verified Pages.
The new feature is currently available on the Facebook iOS app, which the company reckons will be useful for anyone wishing to make announcements, share breaking news and for live question and answer sessions.
To use “Live”, go to your verified Page on the iOS app, select Publish then choose Live Video. You can also add a description of the stream prior to starting the broadcast.
In live mode, it’s possible to view the number of live viewers, the names of other people or Pages who are tuned in, as well as comments shown as a real-time feed.
Once the streaming sessions has finished, Facebook will then publish the broadcast to your Page, so that followers can also view the session at a later date. The live stream also has a subscribe button for viewers, sending a notification the next time you’re running a live event.
With the new feature, Facebook is set to take on the likes of Twitter, which already has a live broadcast/streaming app called Periscope. Expanding the feature for Pages now means that companies and brands can steam their events and products to fans in a completely new way on the social networking site.
SOURCE: Facebook.
Larry Banks is a keen follower of technology and finance. He has worked for a variety of online publications, writing about a diverse range of topics including mobile networks, patents, and Internet video delivery technologies.