Ready, set, action! If your small business uses social media, you’ve probably heard about one of Facebook’s newest and most popular features: Facebook Live Video. Facebook Live allows individuals and pages with a Facebook account to livestream video, meaning it occurs in real time on followers’ newsfeeds.

Video has become increasingly prevalent online as the most shareable posts on Facebook and the fastest route to gaining a new follower. How can your small business get involved? Check out this step-by-step guide for setting up Facebook Live Video and some ideas to get started.

1. Set up a plan.
Before beginning Facebook Live Video, remember: Once you start broadcasting, you’re broadcasting. Keep in mind viewers expect live videos to have mistakes, so be light-hearted and show a more realistic side of the business. However, you should still have a purpose and plan for what content you cover in the video.

Pick a topic you think people will be interested in and build a storyline around it. Write compelling points for the video, though not necessarily an entire script. Establish objectives, who will be involved in the process and what to accomplish. Keep the livestream flexible and in-the-moment, but don’t go into it blind.

2. Generate ideas.
There are plenty of ways a small business can utilize Facebook Live Video to its advantage. Consider these simple ideas when developing your strategy for Facebook Live Video.

• Question & answer session. Facebook viewers can comment on livestreamed videos in real time, so use this opportunity for a real-life question and answer session. They submit their questions in the comments; you answer as they come.
• Staff interviews. Offer a Facebook Live series for viewers to meet the staff and upper management. Let them see the faces behind the business and they’ll be more likely to trust your product or service.
• Office tour. Give customers an insider’s glimpse of the company by offering an office tour of your location. Make it fun and interactive with staff, interns and management so consumers feel engaged.
• Crowdsourcing. Have an idea for a new logo? What about a new product or service? Feel out how consumers will respond by using Facebook Live as a crowdsourcing option for feedback and easy survey information.
• Celebrate announcements. Your small business can really have some fun with Facebook Live and use it to broadcast recent announcements. Do you have a big holiday sale coming up? Branch out to a new location? Let consumers know and celebrate with them.

3. Start broadcasting.
Once you have a plan in place and an idea for what to shoot, it’s time to start broadcasting! Computers do not offer Facebook Live, but mobile devices do. The feature works through the Facebook app, so no worries about downloading and learning a new social media platform. Here are a couple tips to consider for streaming your first broadcast:

• Tell people when you’re going live. Let consumers know beforehand when you’re livestreaming so they’ll make time to watch!
• Write a compelling video description. When uploading a live video to Facebook, you’ll need to supply a description, similar to a title. Keep this short, simple and catchy, but compelling for viewers to click on and watch.
• Take your time. Unlike regularly pre-recorded videos, Facebook recommends live broadcasts last anywhere from 5-20 minutes. Longer videos give followers a chance to log in and see what’s happening while the broadcast remains live.
• Have a strong CTA. Don’t forget to include a compelling call to action at the end of a livestream video. Ask for followers, shares and comments to encourage engagement from customers. Plus, take time to direct them to your website to learn more about your products or services.

Once the livestream closes, Facebook will automatically save the video to your business page for future viewings. You also have the option to save the video to the phone’s camera roll for other sharing options.

When it comes to storytelling on social media, Facebook Live takes marketing to a whole new level. Facebook Live Video offers fast, dynamic and real-life visual engagement for your company to appear transparent and trustworthy. By utilizing this key tool Facebook provides, your small business can gain followers and customers. So get out there, and get streaming!