Facebook Live

17+ Facebook Live Stats that Will Blow Your Mind

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Even if you’re not into creating live videos yourself, we bet you’ve seen everyone from your high school mate Kate to pop celebrities like Beyoncé use Facebook Live to communicate with their friends and followers. 

Are you ready to find out the most intriguing Facebook Live stats for 2021? Then don’t go anywhere.

First things first, though:

When did Facebook live launch? The answer is:

Ever since 2014, when Facebook rolled out the feature, it has kept millions of Facebook live users engaged and entertained. 

So, if you want to find out more about the power of live videos, check out some of the top  Facebook live video statistics below! 

You’ll also find out the answers to questions such as:  What happened to Facebook live, How long do Facebook live videos stay up or How to watch a Facebook live? 

Who knows, maybe we’ll even convince you that now is the time to stream live Facebook videos.

Let’s dive in and find out all about Facebook live.

Astonishing Facebook Live Statistics (Editor’s Picks)

  • Chewbacca Mom is one of the most popular and most viewed Facebook Live videos, with 174.8 million views. 
  • Facebook users are four times more likely to watch a live stream in Facebook rather than a recorded video. 
  • Mercedes Benz was one of the top publishers of Facebook Live streams in 2016.
  • Live videos get six times more interactions and engagement from users compared to recorded videos. The reactions are noted through the Facebook Live counter.
  • 20% of all videos uploaded on Facebook in 2017 were live videos.
  • Only 1% of companies use Facebook Live daily.
  • About 70% of Facebook Live usage comes from college students.
  • Facebook Live’s popularity has increased by 330% since 2014.

Live Video Statistics

As of 2020, around 1.62 billion people are active on Facebook daily. The increase in Facebook users, year by year, is 9%. We can see that Facebook keeps on growing every year, and features such as Facebook Live are getting more and more popular. 

1. Facebook Live analytics show that 82% of adults prefer live videos to social media posts. 

(Livestream)

The interest in live videos is higher than in other social media posts and even blogs. Over 80% of surveyed individuals will choose not to read content if there’s a live video on the same topic instead. 

The most-watched live videos are those that revolve around breaking news, concerts, and conferences.

What’s more:

Within the same survey, 67% of individuals said quality is one of the most critical factors for creating live videos. As a result, around 67% of those who watched a live stream bought a similar event ticket. 45% of the audience would even pay to watch a live video from their favourite speaker or performer. 

2. 34% of marketers have used Facebook Live, and about 81% of those who have, think it’s an effective strategy.  

(Wyzowl & Buffer)

According to Facebook Live stats 2018, 25% of businesses didn’t use live video content. However, in 2019, the percentage of the companies that didn’t use live videos was 14.5%, lower than the rate in 2018

Key takeaway:

Brands and marketers are beginning to appreciate the importance of Facebook Live and its effect on business growth. 

3. Facebook Live broadcasts grew four times over one year.

(Facebook)

This massive rise goes hand in hand with users’ preferences. As the vid stats show, the number of users who will choose to watch live videos over pre-recorded videos is four times higher. The engagement with Facebook Live videos is also more significant when compared to recorded videos.

4. In the last two years, about 3.5 billion Facebook live videos have been broadcast and received up to 150 billion reactions.

(Marketing Land & Media Kix)

Keeping in mind how long has Facebook Live been around, it’s a fact that its popularity has escalated in such a short time, which is proven by the Facebook live numbers. The popularity of Facebook Live broadcasts has increased by a mind-blowing 330% since 2014

Now:

Since so many users are watching live videos, publishers and influencers use this feature as their primary option for getting income. They have made up to $50 million just for going live. 

Facebook has paid publishers such as The New York Times, Buzzfeed, and CNN millions of dollars just to use the Facebook Live option as a way of communicating with their audience.

5. Live streaming will be an industry worth $70.5 billion by 2021.

(Neil Patel & Statista)

According to Facebook Live stats, about 63% of people aged 18 and 34 watch live streams regularly. Live streaming statistics reveal the number one platform for live streaming is Facebook Live, followed by Twitter and Youtube. 

What’s more: 

Live streams are outpacing other forms of online content, contributing to the meteoric rise of the industry.

6. The average total of Facebook Live data usage is 16.285 MB per minute.

(Krishna Me)

For all those who might be asking themselves how much data does Facebook Live use, the answer is 16.285 MB per minute. Compared to other live-streaming apps, such as Periscope (which equates to 5.765 MB per minute), the Facebook Live app uses more data.

7. In 2020, Facebook announced launching a new feature letting up to 50 Facebook Live maximum participants in a live video.

(CNBC)

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the total shift to all conferences and events online, Facebook has expanded its live video options. Now, up to 50 participants can take part in a particular live video. 

It goes hand in hand with the threat that Facebook poses to Zoom due to the expansion of its live services. This new feature is available through the Messenger Room product in combination with Facebook Live.

8. Birchbox made the number one of the top 13 live Facebook videos ever created.

(Hubspot Blog)

Even though it has no editing, celebrities, or influencers, the video has been a significant success. So, Birchbox has set a great example of how you can create a fantastic video while being on a budget. 

Among the other companies and individuals that have made the best Facebook Live videos are: Tomcat, Anderson Cooper: Full Circle, Red Table Talk, Stanley Cup Live, Tough Mudder, Benefit, Jason Carr, Grazia UK, Tiny Kitchen from Tastemade, BuzzFeed, Callaway Golf, and Purple Mattress.

9. Live videos receive 10x more comments and engagement than recorded ones.

(Saas Scout)

Live videos are an excellent way to interact with your audience. According to one study, Facebook Live comments are ten times more frequent in live videos than in traditional videos. On average, one live video gets around 28,239 comments, while the traditional videos get only 10,652. 

One question that comes up a lot is: 

Can you see who views your facebook live videos? 

The answer is that it depends. 

If the live stream is over, you can’t see who’s viewed the video. The only way you can see if someone is watching your stream is if the person interacts with the video with a comment or emoji.

Watch Facebook Live

10. The best time to do Facebook Live is between 1 pm to 3 pm on a workday. 

(Search Engine Journal)

When it comes to the best time for Facebook Live, you have to be mindful to catch your audience’s attention. The early afternoon is the most convenient on workdays because this is when employees have their lunch break. 

And during this time, they’ll scroll through their social network feeds and see what’s new. So, it’s an excellent time for business to pop up with a live video during that time.

The after-work hours from 6 pm until 9 pm are when people usually watch videos and scroll through their Facebook feed. It is also another great slot to gather potential viewers and customers. 

Businesses should avoid broadcasting live on national holidays or when their live broadcast is at the same time as another significant event. 

11. Facebook live videos should be 10 minutes or longer, Facebook Live stats confirm.

(Social Media Today)

The ideal length of a Facebook live video should be 10 minutes or longer. But businesses or individuals should not overdo it because it might have a lower engagement effect. 

Also, short, one or two minute live videos will not make your stream as easy to discover as it should be.

12. Vertical videos have the highest engagement rate, with 0.39%. 

(Social Insider)

According to the latest Facebook Live stats for 2020, vertical videos generate the highest engagement rates. 

However, landscape videos are the most common and widespread, making up 52% of all videos posted on Facebook. The second most popular format is square video, with 33%, and vertical ones are third with 15%.

13. One of five shared Facebook videos are live videos.

(Writersblok Live & Sprout Social)

According to Facebook Live stats for 2021, one of five posted videos on the platform is a live video. Overall, video accounted for 15% of all content posted on Facebook. Understanding Facebook Live stats and what brings the most engagement can make your business grow and get more customers. 

Facebook Live Viewers

14. The total number of daily Facebook Live video views is 64 billion.

(Blogging X)

About 78% of marketers are taking advantage of this enormous number and using Facebook Live. Also, the discussions and interactions closely tied to the feature of Facebook Live videos are the leading cause for the growing number of businesses that use live daily. 

15. Facebook Live is the leading platform for live streaming.

(Statista)

Did you know that people will watch live videos longer than they will native videos? 

People are four times more likely to choose a live video than a recorded one. 

However, the $64,000 question is: 

What is the leading online platform for live videos? 

The answers are in, and Facebook leads with 17%, followed closely by YouTube with 16%. Other popular platforms used for live streaming include Snapchat (12%), Periscope (9%), Twitter (9%), and Younow (8%), with all others at 5%.

16. Facebook Live video streams surpassed two billion in 2019. 

(SaaS Scout)

Facebook Live stream stats show people are quite interested in creating and watching Facebook Live video streams. The highest number of live streams was reached in 2018, with up to 3.5 billion feeds. 

Also, it has to be noted that even though anyone can go live on Facebook, marketers make most of the live stream – up to 70%.

17. People who view Facebook Live have a low tolerance for a spotty stream. The maximum tolerance time is 90 seconds. 

(Tech Radar & Many Cam)

According to the latest Facebook Live stats, user expectations are high, and they won’t tolerate buffering and platform crashes. 

That being said:

The overload of the platform with users and live streams is responsible for the inability to deliver a HD quality of the live video. So, platforms are doing their best to overcome these challenges and stay ahead of their competitors. 

Some of the recommendations for how to get the best Facebook Live resolution are: 

  • Maximum Facebook bitrate of 4 Mbps
  • Titles with no more than 255 characters
  • 1080p (1920×1080) resolution, at 60 fps
  • An encoded video H264 and encoded audio AAC
  • Sending of the keyframe every 2 seconds throughout the stream

Next:

18. The Facebook Live map lets users discover live streams based on their geographical location. 

(GEO Awesomeness)

In February 2016, Facebook Live launched a new feature called FB live map. Through the live map with blue dots pointing live videos, users can explore live videos according to the location of their broadcasting. 

The larger the blue dots the more viewers the live video has. This is an amazing Facebook Live search option. 

The Top Questions Concerning Facebook Live Statistics

Q: On what device do the majority of people watch Facebook videos?

Up to 78% of Facebook video content is viewed on mobile devices. This fact goes hand in hand with the amount of time that people usually spend on their mobile phones –  an average of 3 hours and 15 minutes a day. So, businesses should optimize their video content for mobile devices, the latest social commerce statistics confirm. 

Q: How do I see my live stats on Facebook?

If you’re a content creator, you have probably realized how important the live stats on Facebook are. With the right marketing strategy, the stats can determine your viewership, which will affect your income. If you want to understand how your Facebook Live videos are doing and how to see who viewed your facebook live, first you will need to analyze some key metrics. 

Luckily, you can check that with the built-in Facebook analytics platform called Page Insights. This platform lets you track the statistics on your posts, videos, audiences, and campaigns. You can access the statistics on your main page in the tab named Insights.

Q: How do I see video statistics on Facebook?

Facebook has made it very easy for content creators to access and see their latest video statistics. They’re available on the tab Posts within the Page Insights. From there, you need to scroll down on “All Post Published” and click on the video camera icon, which will present the latest available stats. There, you’ll find the video’s 28-day engagement and a breakdown of the comments, likes, and shares. 

Q: How does Facebook count live video views?

Facebook considers a view every video that is played three seconds or more. The detailed video metrics are available on the Post tab in the section of the video post. There’s an engagement section, which shows what percentage of the viewers took some sort of action with your video. 

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to watch live on Facebook, you’re probably going to explore the variety of alternatives that the platform offers you – in case you haven’t already – and watch a live stream of six.

Watch out, though, because they can be extremely addictive! 

And while you’re watching, keep in mind that it’s extremely important to be aware of the latest Facebook Live stats in order to see how businesses can gain a competitive advantage ahead of their competitors.

Sources: