What if You Cock up on Facebook Live?

Are you filled with fear at the very thought of going live on your business page?

Don’t worry, it’s a VERY common fear and you are not alone. In fact, fear of something going wrong is the number one reason why many business owners don’t hit the Facebook live button.

If you are looking for some reassurance, you’re reading the right blog.

What I want to say to you is DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU! (that doesn’t just apply to Facebook live either)…

As you read this blog and the comments below, you’ll realise that people DON’T CARE about mistakes. What they care about is authenticity. They care that you are human. They care that you’ve created an online space to interact with them…

I asked a question in various Facebook women’s business groups and the answers may surprise (and reassure) you.

This is the question I asked…

If you watched a Facebook live and the broadcaster made a mistake (forgot what they were saying, repeated themselves etc.) OR something unplanned happened (a phone rang, a dog barked etc.), what would you think and why?

Here are some of the many replies I received…

I think these things cannot be avoided. Since it’s live, there’s a big possibility of everything. So, I think I’ll just be more considerate ?

It depends on how they deal with it – usually though I like the authentic nature of it. Ultimately it’s “live” so you can’t contain real life

I love all the real ness ? live means live … so that includes kids, pets, phones… whatever

For me it would also depend who the person was. If I knew it was someone who normally runs a one man band business from home then I would expect a home based video and be tolerant of normal life intrusions. If somebody was marketing a higher quality service, then I would expect higher production values from the video

Life’s too short

For me, losing your thread or repeating yourself is not a deal-breaker. However, the barking dog, the front doorbell or the ringing phone are big no-no’s. When I speak to clients on Skype people never hear my dog, there’s a note over the doorbell and my phone is on silent…I don’t want to be distracted by your undies on the radiator (yes I have seen it) and I don’t want you to draw my attention to a noise you can hear in your environment then go off at a tangent talking about it. I saw someone do this recently; I couldn’t hear the noise, I was trying to focus on what they were saying, but they chatted about it for quite a while. Given the nature of their session (meditative), they lost me

Personally it wouldn’t bother me. It’s real life. Stuff like this happens. Just shows you are a ‘real’ person. I don’t think it makes you any less professional. Although I wouldn’t leave my undies in full view. That’s a definite no, no!

You watch (and post) Facebook live because it’s real- it’s not a recording or edited, just the reality that we are all people and life happens!

You’re human and it’s real life!

I would not mind and appreciate they are real

They are only human, life happens

I’ve had the cat wander across the screen and the window cleaner turn up and do the windows – his reflection is visible in my specs…I laugh a lot on my live streams, they are for ‘real’ and it’s all good!

I think it’s fine. It can build more of a connection. Have you noticed that a lot of people that used to have really smooth, professional videos before are now hopping on lives? It’s because we see it as more authentic and trust them more. It builds a connection. So I think it’s fine. Even better if they point it out and laugh about it

Losing thread or forgetting what you say doesn’t really bother me if you ‘own’ it – you’re human, this shit happens to us all. Dog/doorbell/phone though – complete and utter turnoff. Those are predictable and avoidable distractions and suggest to me you don’t care about creating space just for us

It makes it real, but it depends upon how the speaker handles it as to what I would think

I wouldn’t class those things as wrong, in fact they would be so right, Live is live and all that comes with it!

It’s all about planning. Even with notes there are going to be hiccups. The most seasoned professionals will make mistakes. The planning makes you’re recovery easier. A couple of practice sessions in front if the mirror always helps

I would prob laugh, life doesn’t stop, at least it shows you’re real

For myself, I don’t sweat the small stuff

I wouldn’t think about it

I think it great they repeat themselves so what they were saying isn’t lost in the moment of what happen.

Totally fine! It’s live! Anything goes

To me, it shows that you are a human being with a real life. I’m a mum, working from home and if my 2 year old monkey wants to join in my ‘live’ and say hi, then who am I to stop him! He is the reason I do this!

Stuff happens, no big deal

Love authenticity. The more people who show up as real the less people are made to feel inadequate in my book

I would think it was ‘live’

I expect those things to happen on live broadcasts

It makes no difference. Life is real. I want real. We all want real. People don’t do lives from a TV studio. I do a lot of lives and the key to success with them is be yourself, have fun, treat it like your own morning telly program, along with all the bloopers

It means your human, and it is not as scary as other people think. Perfection is intimidating, so I say keep all the bleepers in

I like it better actually. Seems more real… Because it is

It’s real life. It shows a level of authenticity I can relate to

It doesn’t make a difference…life happens. I was doing a live last week and my 6 yr old son came into tell me he found a bone in his fish finger. Just had to roll with it (the live, not the bone!)

That I know they were normal human beings and that’s fine .. even brilliant as it would make me realise they’re just like me

I think live means live so whatever’s happens is fine. I often say the wrong thing and then correct myself. I feel about it like I’m having a conversation with someone and so if I’m at home having coffee with you and the dogs bark, doorbell rings etc you wouldn’t be bothered!! What’s key with live is the intention in which it is done

People actually relate… I’ve had an upset baby and it started more interaction than the live topic itself

I’ve spilt a glass of water, smashed said glass then been chased by a wasp on a live stream – yes all the same live stream! And people still stayed to the end!

It’s real life… I don’t want plastic ‘perfection’!

Surprised by these answers?

So the general opinion is – KEEP IT REAL and don’t let the fear of something going wrong put you off going live…people don’t actually care!

Create a quiet space for your broadcast, recover quickly from any unplanned disturbances/mistakes and most of all, be yourself.

So, NOW what’s your excuse?!

Have you experienced any hiccups during your Facebook live? Or maybe you’ve got a funny story to share? I’d love to hear your stories and tips – comment below.