Brands Start Hosting Real-Time Video Chats on Facebook

Media brands were quick to adopt video apps Periscope and Meerkat (link is external) to broadcast live streams, and now Facebook marketers want in on that action.

Social platform BumeBox started hosting live Facebook chats (link is external) for brands like VH1 and Discovery Channel back in October, as an alternative to the Twitter Q&As (link is external) that brands typically organize. For example, Sony Masterworks set up a real-time chat on Facebook to promote a new album from artist Jackie Evancho last fall.

Now, MTV and iHeartRadio are plugging video into those virtual meet and greets.

Late Thursday afternoon, MTV set up a Facebook chat with Teen Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry to talk about her show. And last week, iHeartRadio ran a Facebook Q&A (link is external) with YouTube singer Max Schneider. He responded to eight questions from fans in one hour with short video clips.

It’s all part of Facebook’s plan (link is external) to turn the site into a video platform for brands, publishers and creators. Clips are uploaded straight to Facebook through BumeBox’s platform with a branded logo at the top of the screen, similar to what Periscope streams look like.

The social videos aren’t technically streamed since they are uploaded, but the idea is to crank out responses through clips quickly, similar to how brands use Periscope and Meerkat to answer questions in real time.

Full article available at http://bit.ly/1KaHk75 (link is external)