Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) is bringing the power of collaboration to Facebook Live. A new feature called Live With allows you to invite a friend or colleague to join you on your livestream. Having the flexibility of adding other participants but the control of doing so at your convenience seems like a key feature.
If you’ve ever streamed a live event and glanced at the stream of comments, you know the potential of getting your audience involved. The only problem is the constant barrage of commentary and irrelevant messages could prove hard to control.
Still allowing users of Facebook Live to invite audience members or other participants join you on your livestream has clear advantages as far as engagement. Live videos receive 10 times more comments then pre-recorded videos already. And adding the potential for those commenting to join you on your livestream should only increase this engagement.
Business Uses for Facebook Live With
There are many potential uses for Facebook Live With at your business both internally and customer facing.
In an intra-office setting, live meetings can be streamed to relevant parties, while managing their interactions. Interviews, contests, interactive surveys and general broadcasts can become tools of engagement. Externally teams can create private member groups, and together they can tune into publicly broadcast live events.
Without the distraction of uninvited participants, Live With allows you to control the parameters of the experience. The private room feature makes it easy to invite members and track anyone who may already be watching.
Live With lets you post messages to the entire group or private notes to an individual; giving you the ability to privately share a message within the live stream.
The portrait mode with picture-in-picture, and landscape mode for side-by-side, will give your broadcast a conversational feel between those involved.
The Live With Tutorial shows you how the application works, so you can start adding members and collaborating right away.
Live With Roll Out and Launch
Initially Live With was rolled out to public figures. Currently Live With is limited to iOS, with release on other platforms expected this summer.
Image: Facebook
This article, “Facebook Live With: Now You Can Invite a Friend on Your Livestreaming Adventure” was first published on Small Business Trends