Live Streaming exploded in growth as a result of the 2020 pandemic. Facebook benefited hugely from this surge, and the social media network has become one of the most popular platforms to watch and stream live video content. If you’re an individual content creator, entrepreneur, large business, church, or other organization looking to expand its reach with live video on Facebook, how can you make yourself stand out? By customizing your live stream, you can distinguish your live content from the millions of other streamers out there.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to level up your live streaming game on Facebook Live using customization options like overlays, titles, logos, backgrounds, and more. If you want a beginner’s guide to streaming on Facebook, check out our ultimate guide to live streaming on Facebook first.

👀 What are Facebook Live and its use cases?

Facebook Live is a live streaming platform that allows you to broadcast live video with your Facebook account. You can live stream from your personal account, as well as to a page or a group on Facebook. Live streaming on Facebook is 100% free; all you need is an account and live streaming equipment.

One reason why Facebook Live is so popular among streamers is because you can go live from the Facebook app or a browser on your desktop. Live streamers also like Facebook because it’s a social network with 2.38 billion active monthly users; the potential to find an audience for live video is greater, especially if you’ve already built up a network.

Just having followers on Facebook isn’t enough to make it as a live streamer on the platform, however. You need polished content that’s professional and appealing to your target audience. If you want to capitalize on your existing Facebook network to spark engagement for your live videos, there are tried and true use cases that can help you achieve your goal. The most common Facebook live streaming use cases are:

• Live event streaming. Conferences, product launches, webinars, and expos all make great live-streamed events, and you can broadcast them without encroaching on the overall purpose of your event. Live streaming also contributes to your event’s goal of reaching a wider audience and promoting your brand or organization.
• Interviews and Q&As. An interview or Q&A session is a great way to establish authority for your brand. An interview with an industry thought leader can lend credence to your brand, and a Q&A with your own employees can educate your target audience about who you are and what you do. This format is also engaging for live video because you can ask viewers to submit their questions for your interview guest too.
• Behind-the-scenes. Behind-the-scenes videos come in several forms. You can give viewers a live tour of your company headquarters, show them the process for creating your products, or do a live “day in the life” profile of your CEO. A behind-the-scenes live stream breaks down a barrier between you and your target audience. They’re a chance to offer exclusive looks at your business or organization that are reserved for your most loyal customers and followers.

All these types of content do well on Facebook Live, but they attract more audiences and look more professional when they’re customized.

👉 How to customize your Facebook Live stream

You can customize your live stream and make it more engaging using overlays, split screens, background music, animated backgrounds, graphics, and more. Let’s take a closer look at how these features make your stream more interactive and eye-catching.

• Split screen. A split-screen format allows both you and your guest to appear on-screen at the same time. This feature is ideal for interviews, panel discussions, podcast recording sessions, press conferences, business meetings, and any live stream with multiple participants.
• Overlays. A live stream overlay is a graphic that sits on top of your video feed. Overlays come in many sizes and shapes, with some animated and others static. You can use an overlay to show messages from the Facebook Live chat, provide the names of your stream participants to viewers, add calls to action with your social handles, and much more. An overlay makes your stream look more professional and enticing to viewers.
• Lower thirds. Lower thirds take up the bottom portion of your screen (sometimes one-third of the screen, sometimes less) and allow you to introduce guests, speakers, or hosts of your live stream on Facebook. Titles can be simple with a single line of text or more complex with graphics. Lower thirds are also a good place to promote your social media accounts, website, or other contact info.
• Animated background. An animated background is more captivating than a static one and makes your stream engaging for viewers. If your background is moving, remember to keep it simple, however. You want it to be dynamic, not distracting!

• Screen sharing. When you share your screen on a live stream, you can show viewers what’s on your computer monitor in real time. If you have a presentation to show or are doing a tutorial, sharing your screen is an important feature. Formatting your live stream so viewers can see your screen and still view your video feed keeps the live stream engaging as well.
• Background music. Music can help change the entire tone of your Facebook Live stream. It’s also a useful tool for boosting engagement and keeping viewers interested. But if you play music, it has to be legal to use. It must either be your original track, music you have a license to play, or copyright-free music. When you use Restream Studio to go live on Facebook, you have access to free background music you can legally use, and the tracks are infinite.
• Titles. Giving your Facebook Live stream a specific title and description will make it easier for viewers to find you. You can update the title, description, and game you’re streaming (if you are streaming a game) with Restream’s Titles.

There are many options that let you enhance your live stream on Facebook. You can modify all the features listed above with Restream Studio, an all-in-one live streaming solution.

🔥 How to easily stream to Facebook Live and other platforms (with customizations)

Streaming to Facebook has several advantages for live streamers, but what if you could stream to Facebook Live and other major platforms simultaneously?

With Restream, you can.

Restream is a professional multistreaming tool that allows you to broadcast your stream to multiple platforms at the same time. You can go live on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more than thirty other platforms — all at once. Once you have a free Restream account, connecting it to your Facebook, Twitter, and other profiles is simple:

1. From your Restream dashboard, click on “Add channel.” You’ll see a list of our supported services. Click on the one you want to stream to, such as Facebook.
2. You can then choose automatic setup or manual setup to connect your channel to Restream, although we recommend automatic unless there’s a problem. You’ll be redirected to Facebook and must enter your account credentials.
3. Make sure you read through the permissions carefully, then click “Allow.” Your Facebook is now connected to Restream!
4. Repeat the three previous steps for every channel you want to connect to Restream.

To customize your live stream with overlays, logos, animated backgrounds, and more, you’ll need to enter the Restream Studio. Click on the “Live Studio” icon on the left sidebar of your Restream dashboard. Once you’re in the Studio, you can add destinations for live streaming, upload and select your graphics, toggle your split-screen options, invite guests, and access all the customization features your stream needs!

Let’s wrap up

Customization options will help take your Facebook Live broadcast to the next level. Make your live stream professional and engaging, and stand out from the millions of other live streamers on Facebook. Restream Studio makes customizing your stream easy. Add stream graphics, titles, guests, and more in just a few clicks. To make your next Facebook Live stream a success, broadcast with the all-in-one, browser-based Restream Studio.