Facebook has made it easier for public figures, such as celebrities, with Android devices to gain access to its Mentions app.
Facebook made the announcement in a blog post it just pushed out.
"Since we introduced Facebook Mentions for iOS, thousands of public figures have used the app to connect with millions of fans," says Facebook. "With the addition of Live, many musicians, athletes, actors, journalists and other influencers have used mentions to share live video with their fans."
How To Use Facebook Mentions For Android
There exists a plethora of ways public figures can use Facebook Mentions for Android. Specifically, they can use the app to:
Talk with followers.
Users of the app can check out what fans are saying about them, plus the topics they wish to learn more about.
Go live.
Public figures can even share a live video so the fans can have an exclusive look at what makes them busy behind the scenes.
Tell a story.
Fans want to know every update about the public figures they are following. With this particular functionality, users can share videos or photos and even host a live Q&A to have more interaction with the fans.
Stay in the loop.
Users can still be in the know about the people they follow through their posts. They can even get to see popular stories through the app.
Facebook said it has been testing the app with some public figures across the globe. It also said that the app is built to provide a venue for public figures to establish their deep connection with their fans on the social networking site.
How To Use Live For Facebook Mentions
Starting a live broadcast is as easy as ABC. Here is how:
1. First off, tap the Post option, then tap the Live Video button.
2. Before tapping the Go Live button, make sure to first add a description to your broadcast.
3. While you are doing your broadcast, you can have the chance to respond to comments live and check out how many viewers you have. You are also allowed to switch between using the back and front cameras of your smartphone. If you wish, you can also hide comments.
4. Press the Stop button when you want to end the broadcast.
5. The video can then be saved on your Facebook Page, but you can also pull it out anytime.
Originally Exclusive For Celebrities
When the app was unveiled in July 2014, this can only be accessed by celebrities with "verified public figure" accounts.
"From cheering on World Cup players to checking out updates from your favorite celebrities, there are more than a billion interactions between public figures and their fans on Facebook every week," said Allison Swope, who was then Facebook's Product Manager during the initial release of the app. "We want to make these interactions even better."
Among the first celebrities who used Mentions was singer Tyrese Gibson. He posted a video celebrating Apple's acquisition of Beats. The video, however, was pulled out hours after Gibson posted it on the platform.
During that time, a Facebook executive said that the app was only set to be released to "tens of thousands of users." The company also expects that the list of users could grow even further once the app is rolled out to other parts of the globe.
