Live Video: Creative Ways to Do a Live Show on Facebook

Do you broadcast live video?

Have you considered hosting a regular show on Facebook Live?

To discover creative ways to use Facebook Live, I interview Lou Mongello.
More About This Show
The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from Social Media Examiner. It's designed to help busy marketers and business owners discover what works with social media marketing.

In this episode, I interview Disney expert Lou Mongello, author of multiple books and audio guides for visitors to Disney theme parks. He hosts the popular WDW Radio podcast and also broadcasts a live show on Facebook at Facebook.com/LouMongello.

Lou explores how to start a show using live video.

You'll discover easy ways to get creative with Facebook Live.

Share your feedback, read the show notes, and get the links mentioned in this episode below.
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Here are some of the things you'll discover in this show:
Live Video
How Lou got into live video

When Lou began his Disney blog and community in New Jersey, he realized everything he was doing, even his podcast, was a one-way conversation. In 2007, when Ustream became a lot more accessible, he decided to give it a try.

Lou recalls the first night he did a live stream. He'd told his wife he was going to try it out and would be back in 10 minutes. Six hours later, he was still online with a couple of hundred people who were watching, chatting, and engaging. Since then, he's been broadcasting live video every week.

Between his weekly shows and any ad hoc episodes, Lou believes he's done close to 1,000 shows to date.

Lou says he moved from Ustream to Livestream, then was a day-two Meerkat user and a day-one Periscope user.

He thought Periscope was the best of the bunch until he got his account verified by Facebook and received early access to Facebook Live. Lou simulcasted his show, using two different devices to compare the quality, engagement, and viewer experience of the two broadcasts. Very quickly, in late 2015, he let people know he was moving off of Periscope and going all-in on Facebook Live.

Listen to the show to discover what Lou loves about the growth of live video.

How Lou uses Facebook Live

Lou does a live broadcast show every week. Most episodes are done from his home studio, and topics range from the week's most recent Walt Disney World news and simple Ask Me Anythings (AMAs) and Q&As to showing off things in his collections.

He says his in-studio shows are more about the conversation, while the offsite shows (such as when he goes to a Disney park, on a cruise, etc.) are about conveying the experience.

Watch & chat with me LIVE! Let's talk Disney, and Ask Me Anything! #tw

Posted by Lou Mongello on Wednesday, June 29, 2016

For his Wednesday discussions of Walt Disney World news, Lou talks about what's going on, and also makes the audience part of the broadcast. If a new restaurant is opening, an attraction is coming, or something is changing, he flips it around to make it a question. For example, he'll ask, "What do you guys think?" or "What's your favorite place to eat on property?"

Whatever you talk about drives engagement, Lou continues. He always has questions in his head to initiate a conversation, and instead of asking a question, letting people respond, and moving on to the next question, he reads every response in the comments so he can further the conversation with people. Lou stresses that it's important to acknowledge individuals during a live broadcast, because when someone's name is called, it means a lot to them.

His AMA episodes allow the audience to ask him questions that are personal, business-related, or relate to an upcoming Disney trip. Lou tries to go through questions as quickly as possible, and normally does a lightning round at the end. He'll do two minutes of rapid-fire questions and answer as many as he can.