How Facebook Live Saved The Day

From the Sorgatron Media Creators Newsletter List for October 6, 2016.  You can Subscribe to it here or read the archive.
These days, we have so many tools for communication and broadcasting.  Utilizing them is a challenge.

The number of people who use thunderclap proves the relevance of social media platforms today. This week, we endeavored to use Facebook Live for a client to cover the in office going ons during their biggest day: Registration.  In this instance, for events that span March through June in 2017, most sell out within the first hour, if not minutes, from going online.  This is day where their servers get taxed to the point of shut down because the flux like a late night Apple iPhone pre-order.

The first day: We had a good number of live viewers for the Aero competition.  Students were interacting, sharing what was and wasn’t working on the registration page, and and even touch base to confirm their registration since they couldn’t see the list with the slammed servers.

Day two was a little different.  We started having web site problems a whole hour before registration even opened. An odd event that early.  In the end, there was a major server issue and the registration didn’t happen.  With over 500 streamers watching, we were able to have a dialog with the waiting signups to explain the situation, and let them in on the ride as decisions were being made as to what would happen next. The responses were overwhelmingly positive.  Even more so than the day before when things were working (if slowly).  After, we considered what the response could have been if we weren’t talking directly with all of those people out there left with a 404 page.

Day three was smooth.  And quick. The first of two events usually sells out quickly.  We were able to capture that happen with a smashing record of just over 2 minutes for 120 teams to be signed up.  An exciting way to end the week’s signups.

In the end, the staff was able to have unprecedented communication during the most tense time of their entire season.

You can find the results and interaction yourself by following the pages here, here, and here.