Once again Facebook's new live streaming features zoom past YouTube and Twitch

Does anyone remember waiting for their Facebook business page to have the live streaming feature enabled in 2016? Maybe I’m just a geek but I remember anxiously waiting for Facebook to roll out the live streaming feature for our business pages and then more importantly our Facebook groups. When Facebook put live streaming capabilities onto millions of Smartphones in 2016 and 2017 the world changed significantly. Facebook is the world's largest social media network and in many ways the platform delivers global connectivity like nothing else. Just recently, Facebook released “video premieres” and “watch parties” building in video streaming and collaboration features that are far ahead of their time.

Facebook “video premieres” is a new feature allowing users to upload a video and have a live countdown and video reveal for online audiences. Just like the early days of live streaming, Facebook is promoting video premieres and watch parties very aggressively with enhanced social reach. We noticed an immediate boost in our organic social reach with video premieres. We were also very impressed with the simultaneous live viewer growth throughout the event. It seems like video premieres are a genius way for Facebook to help the masses start to using live video.

During a Facebook video premiere, users can engage in a live chat room experience with their favorite creator or brand just like a live stream. This is an amazing way for brands to control the unpredictability of live streamed events and capitalize on the value of real time audience engagement. The applications for Facebook premieres are quite far reaching. Imagine the ability to host webinar replays giving additional value to on-demand and recorded content. This is the first step into a bridge between on-demand video content and real time engagement.

It’s worth noting that both YouTube and Twitch also support video premieres. YouTube is apparently doing a slow roll out of this future and we do not currently have access to it. Amazon’s Twitch platform was actually one of the first live streaming delivery networks with this feature. Video premieres may very well change the way that businesses release their video content in the future.

In the early stages of this new technology, we are seeing two emerging strategies being used. The first strategy uses a combination of live streaming and video premieres to front load audience excitement for an upcoming video release with an engaging live streaming. This strategy uses a live stream to hype up a scheduled video premier and build anticipation for a big event right before the video premieres. Big names in the YouTube industry are promoting this strategy as a way to increase the effectiveness the ever important YouTube algorithm statistics that occur in the first 24 hours of a video release.

The second strategy we have seen emerging surrounding video premiers is a follow-up live stream. This strategy is often used in educational scenarios as it provides an ideal Q&A session for viewers. In our businesses use-case, we are leveraging video premieres as a great way to release training videos. We can follow up these training videos with interactive and engaging real time Live Streams. This strategy works incredibly well when paired with Facebook watch parties.

Download our Facebook Premiere and Watch Time Strategy Guide here.

What are Facebook watch parties? This is perhaps the most innovative online video feature on social media today. This feature which is currently only available inside Facebook Groups, allows hosts and co-hosts of “the party” to curate a mix of live and on-demand video content in a shared space. To try this out we hosted a Facebook watch party in our private Facebook group which has over 3,000 members. The “Watch Party” is a space where viewers can suggest upcoming videos and collaborate in a shared chat room next to the live video window. Once again Facebook is far surpassing the competition with a feature set that is years ahead of its time. I can’t think of another live streaming or video on demand platform that features this level of engagement and control to every day social media users.

Consider joining our StreamGeeks Facebook User Group. It’s a great place to try out this new technology with like-minded video professionals.

My hat is 100% off to the Facebook team for delivering a tool so intuitive we could use it in seconds, but so powerful we are still dreaming up new ways we can use it. If you don’t already have a Facebook User Group, now is the time to jump on board! We have been building our Facebook groups for years and even without these interactive watch parties they are the best marketing tool in the business.

Download our Facebook Premiere and Watch Time Strategy Guide here.

Until Next Time,

Paul Richards

Chief Streaming Officer