Facebook Now Lets You Target Specific Audiences for Live Broadcasts

For many broadcasters and publishers, using Facebook Live presents an opportunity to reach and engage with anybody who sees your broadcast. Last Thursday, however, Facebook quietly introduced a new feature that allows Live broadcasters to limit who can tune into their broadcast, announcing the new feature on the company’s developer site.

The feature isn’t available to everyone, just those who are currently using Facebook’s API (application programming interface). The API allows media publishers, professional creators and brands to stream broadcasts through fancy cameras and casting tools. This means that those who are just using their phone to do Live broadcasts won’t see these advanced features.

According to the announcement, broadcasters may limit broadcast audience by location, time zone, age, and gender. For location, broadcasters can add up to 25 countries where users will or won’t be able to see the Live broadcast. Broadcasters then have the ability to narrow further, targeting by region (US states for example) and zip codes. For age, broadcasters can set a minimum and maximum age.

Longer Live Streams

Among these new targeting options, Facebook is also loosening the time limits of Live streams so that broadcasters can post for days or weeks at a time. Broadcasters will have to choose if they want to do one of these never-ending broadcasts, which will not notify people when they start to air and will not be available on demand after the stream.

Have you begun Live streaming to followers as a brand or business? Check out our 101 guide on how to get started with Facebook Live for your business here.