Compared to other platforms, Facebook Live came a little late to the live streaming scene—in 2016, to be more specific. However, these facts and figures show you how far Facebook Live has come since then.
Top Facebook Live Stats: Editor’s Choice
- Facebook users spend three times longer watching a live video than the standard one.
- One-fifth of the videos shared on Facebook are live videos.
- Facebook Live videos have six times more interactions than traditional ones.
- 92% of all videos on the platform are Facebook-native videos.
- Facebook paid news outlets and celebrities a total of $50 million to create live videos.
- Search interest for facebook livestream has increased by 330% since the launch of Facebook Live.
Facebook Live Statistics: Users and Engagement
Facebook Live isn’t just another fantastic feature on Facebook. So buckle up because these statistics will show you just how important Facebook Live has become to live streaming and videos.
1. Live streaming topped 1.1 billion hours per month in 2019.
Live streaming continues to bloom at a 12% growth in 2019, compared to 2018. The number of hours watched comes somewhere around 1.1 billion.
Twitch dominates the streaming world, with 9.34 billion hours streamed. Video streaming statistics show that Facebook Live is third, right behind YouTube, with over one billion hours.
2. 93.7% of businesses use Facebook.
A survey back in 2019 revealed that Facebook is the favorite social media platform for business. The survey found that 93.7% of companies are using Facebook Live for business.
Twitter is second at 84.4%, and Instagram comes third at 80.9%. Instagram Stories statistics show that this feature can be incredibly effective.
3. Facebook Live videos get ten times more comments than regular videos.
This feature provides the perfect framework to connect, and this is why it’s ideal for facilitating interaction.
Facebook Live metrics for 2021 show that users comment on Facebook Live videos ten times the rate of commenting on regular videos.
4. The daily watch time for Facebook Live quadrupled in a year.
This stat alone is proof enough that Facebook users have embraced this new video format. Facebook Live numbers show that, in 2017, one out of every five Facebook videos was a live broadcast. By 2018, there were 3.85 billion of them.
5. Facebook users spend three times longer watching a live video than the standard one.
Video content marketing boasts decent engagement rates, and yet, live videos seem to push the numbers even further.
Consumers seem to be more patient with live videos on Facebook and stick to the content longer than they would watch pre-recorded content on their timeline.
6. Half of all online consumers in the US watch a live stream every week.
According to Facebook Live statistics provided by the Magid research consultancy group, 48% of users watch a live streaming video on Facebook, and 44% watch one live on YouTube.
That goes to show how much Facebook Live has grown in these couple of years. Another interesting fact is that breaking news is the most popular category for live videos.
7. One-fifth of the videos shared on Facebook are live videos, stats show.
This shows that Facebook’s intention to own the very idea of Live is paying off.
According to Facebook’s head of video, Fidji Simo, Facebook Live videos accounted for 20% of all Facebook videos, and one in every five videos is a live video.
8. Engagement rates for Facebook Live videos are six times higher than for traditional ones.
Facebook Live interaction stats aren’t entirely surprising if you consider that engaging with a live stream through commenting and reactions is a unique way of having immediate conversations with creators and businesses.
It’s a powerful and dynamic tool that can bring significant engagement and conversions when used correctly.
9. The average donation on Facebook Live is $38.
One of the most potent Facebook Live trends is the donation button during live streaming. We’ve all seen how capable Facebook Live can be when it comes to connecting people and communities during moments of crisis.
During the hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria, using the donate button on Facebook Live helped people worldwide raise $2 million for relief efforts, the average donation being $38.
Facebook Live Information—Company Facts and Figures
10. The first Facebook Live video was by Mark Zuckerberg.
On September 15, 2015, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg broadcasted the very first Facebook Live video.
During the live video, he gave a short tour of the Facebook headquarters and explained the new features of Facebook Live to his audience.
11. In 2017, Facebook Live was the most popular live-streaming platform.
Facebook Live has become a dominant live-streaming platform in recent years. Facebook Live usage statistics show that 80% of online audiences prefer Facebook Live videos over YouTube.
Furthermore, Facebook Live engagement stats show that Facebook Live offers its viewers more engagement because they can watch videos three times longer than pre-recorded ones and comment on them ten times faster.
12. Facebook Live leads in event live-streaming.
Facebook’s video-streaming feature is a popular broadcasting tool for various types of events around the world.
Facebook Live stats for 2021 show 76% of users stream live events like concerts and sports, 23% are Q&A interviews, while 22% use Facebook Live for Press events.
The platform is also very much involved in reporting live breaking news, at 20%.
13. 92% of all videos on the platform are Facebook-native videos.
Thousands of videos are posted on Facebook’s news feed every day. Facebook Live benchmarks highlight that out of 7.5 million Facebook posts, 92% of Facebook Live users used the platform’s native video format.
Approximately one-quarter of Facebook accounts used YouTube, while 6% of accounts used different video formats.
14. The most important aspect of Facebook Live is video quality.
On average, people watch more live videos than videos on demand. Among the interesting Facebook Live facts is that 90% of online users think that a video’s quality is the most crucial aspect of Facebook Live videos.
15. 60% of Americans watch digital videos on Facebook.
Facebook live stream viewership stats say that only YouTube has a higher reach, with 90% of online users choosing that platform, according to YouTube demographics. Instagram comes in third with 35%, and Twitter is fourth at 21%.
16. Facebook could be all video and no text by the end of 2021.
Nicola Mendelsohn is in charge of Facebook’s operations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. According to him, the written word is becoming outmoded and will be replaced by speech and moving images in the future.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg already gave his opinion on this matter, saying that video would be more and more critical for the platform in the future.
Meanwhile, Facebook Live stats display that Nicola Mendelsohn’s claim is not that far off.
17. More people are watching Facebook Live videos amid the Coronavirus crisis.
According to Facebook live stream stats, as more and more people socially distance themselves from family and friends because of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of Facebook Live viewers in the US increased by up to 50% from February to March.
18. Facebook paid news outlets and celebrities a total of $50 million to create live videos.
It’s a well-known fact that Facebook pays media companies and celebrities for Facebook Live usage. According to a Wall Street Journal document, Facebook has signed as many as 140 contracts, worth a total of $50 million.
Among the media companies paid by Facebook are channels like CNN and The New York Times, while celebrities involved include comedian Kevin Hart and chef Gordon Ramsey.
19. Facebook Live added extra reality filters to the platform in 2016.
Facebook has changed a lot since 2016. But a fascinating fact is that Facebook Live added the Snapchat-like filters back in 2016.
With these filters, you can put on Live Masks and other special effects during your Facebook Live broadcast. These filters are available on Facebook’s IOS mobile app and Android mobiles.
20. Facebook Live was the primary channel for 35% of video marketers in 2019.
85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. In 2019, 35% of video marketers claimed to have used Facebook as their go-to social media platform, a 1% rise compared to 2018.
Facebook Live for marketing stats show that 28% of video marketers plan to include Facebook in their 2021 video marketing strategy—a 4% drop from 2020.
Fun Facts and Statistics about Facebook Live
21. The Facebook Live maximum viewers honor belongs to Chewbacca Mom, with 179 million views.
With 179 million views, Candace Payne’s Chewbacca Mom is the most-viewed Live video on Facebook.
Tears for Fears cover by Ted Yoder is in the number two spot, with a total of 107 million views, while Buzzfeed’s 2020 Election Countdown had the third most-viewed among Facebook Live videos (56 million views).
22. Facebook Live was launched in 2016.
More than 3.5 billion broadcasts have been sent from the platform since Facebook Live was launched in 2016.
Facebook Live stats show that more than a quarter of the world’s population, around two billion people that is, have watched a Facebook Live video once in their lives.
23. The perfect Facebook Live video lasts between 15 to 20 minutes.
According to recent analyses for Facebook Live videos, the longer the video lasts, the more the interactions increase.
Yet this happens until the 15th or 16th minute. After this time, interactions seem to be relatively stable.
Facebook Live growth statistics show that the top 10,000 Facebook Live videos last an average of 20 minutes.
24. Facebook Watch had over 400 million monthly users.
Facebook video views statistics display that in December 2018, Facebook Watch had up to 400 million monthly users and 75 million daily users, yet those metrics have grown 80% and 87%, respectively.
Therefore, Facebook Watch’s daily audience is now 140 million people.
25. 85% of videos are watched with the sound off.
The platform hosts about eight billion views per day on its platform. Still, Facebook Live stats on viewership show that the vast majority of the live video viewers watch in silence.
The reasons why people said they watched videos with no sound include that they were in a quiet place, didn’t have headphones or were multitasking. According to Facebook Live video statistics, 85% of users watch videos with the sound off.
26. Search interest for facebook livestream has increased by 330% since the launch of Facebook Live.
After it was initially only available to significant publishers and celebrities (handpicked by Facebook), the live stream feature has been launched to the public.
The strategy of paying a total of $50 million to influential publications and personalities has paid off, as Google Trends showed a massive spike in interest.
Facebook Live Stats: The Takeaway
After reviewing all the facts and figures, it’s pretty clear that Facebook Live has emerged as one of the most useful tools in video content marketing efforts.
With more and more social media platforms relying on video content, we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for live streaming and Facebook Live.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much data does Facebook Live use?
Video quality usually determines the data your phone absorbs. When you’re streaming a Facebook Live video with a good Wi-Fi connection, the video quality is close to 480p. Facebook Live recommendations are 720p, 30fps, and 4mbps. At 4mbps, you’ll need 0.5MB per second or 30MB per minute, which is 1.8GB per hour and 3.6GB for two hours.
According to Facebook Live mobile stats, if you plan to stream in HD resolution, you need to enter a Level Up program, and then you can access premium HD streaming.
How long has Facebook Live been around?
Facebook Live is a video streaming service launched in 2016. On April 06, 2016, CEO Mark Zuckerberg started the first live stream via Facebook. He introduced a new feature, which was no other than the ability to broadcast live video streams. Six months later, that feature was Facebook Live as we know it today.
Facebook Live was the most popular platform for live streaming concerts, sports games, breaking news, Q&A interviews, and press events in 2020.
How long are Facebook Live videos available?
As soon as you’re done streaming, Facebook finishes recording the stream and, after some processing time, makes it available as a post on your page.
This post will work and act precisely the same as if you had uploaded a video. All chat that went on during the stream is recorded and left as comments on the video post.
Is there a limit on Facebook Live?
The longer your Facebook Live broadcasting, the more people will likely discover you and invite their friends on Facebook to watch the video. Depending on what you are recording, time varies.
For example, if you are recording from a desktop, Facebook Live videos can be up to eight hours long, but if you’re recording from a mobile device, Facebook Live stream length can be no more than four hours.
However, numbers show that shorter videos have higher engagement and more views.
How do long live streams on Facebook impact stats?
Integrating live video streaming into social media platforms is one of the most exciting technological advancements. Facebook released its own live-streaming option, and the ability to watch and interact with live videos in real-time has proven to be very popular among users.
The latest Facebook Live stats show that people spend three times longer watching a live video than a video that’s been pre-recorded. Although stats show that shorter videos have higher engagement, if you plan to stream a longer video, make sure you make it as fun and exciting as it can be.
Sources
BBC, Bold Content, Buffer, BuzzSumo, Clickz, Cnet, Digiday, eMarketer, Facebook, Facebook, Facebook, Fortune, Fortune, Hootsuite, Louise M, Mediakix, Musically, Quintly, Qz, Stream Elements, Streaming Media, Telescope, Wowza, Wowza, WyzOwl