14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook is now allowing desktop users to broadcast live videos too, a decision that will certainly impact the platform quite a bit.
It's been about a year since Facebook introduced its ability to broadcast live videos for mobile users. It looks like the company had been working on bringing the feature to other platforms, most likely following the success the mobile version had.
Truthfully, the feature had been around for a while, but only a few select desktop users had the ability to actually broadcast live video. Now, everyone will have the same powers.
What does this mean for Facebook? Well, it just turned the platform into a major competitor for the likes of Twitch and YouTube Gaming. That's because desktop streamers will be able to broadcast video from external hardware, as well as streaming software.
In short, live Facebook videos will now include gameplay footage and on-screen graphics, as well as picture-in-picture videos for those who like this particular feature.
Easy peasy to go live
Streaming content from your desktop is just as easy as it is to do from your mobile device. You just have to select Live Video from the posting area on top of the News Feed or Timeline, hit "next" and start broadcasting immediately.
One thing people are grumbling about online is the fact that Facebook live videos don't bring users any money, unlike, let's say, Twitch. It looks, however, that Facebook is working on making this happen. Whenever it does, it will be more than welcome, especially considering the massive user base the platform has and the increased reach this type of videos can have.
This is an interesting step to take for Facebook and one that will certainly make a difference for a very large number of users. On that note, beware of the increased influx of live videos on your feed.