The Business of Facebook Video Calls

Did you know that Facebook now lets you video call right from the instant messaging chat frame? This cool new feature will be great for your business, because you will no longer have to navigate away from Facebook’s social platform if you need to make a video call. Let’s say that you send a quick instant message to a client or colleague, but for some reason it becomes hard to get the point across via text or the subject becomes broader than it was initially and you need to get on an actual call to make some clarifications. Instead of going through the hassle of opening up Skype or Google Hangouts, you can now simply start a video call on Facebook with the press of a button!

You can video call directly within Facebook, and you don’t have to download any additional plugins or programs. The feature works with Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera, so either make sure you’re using one of those browsers or that you install one. All you need to do is click on the video camera icon in the upper right hand corner of a Facebook conversation (see pictured above) and start your video call! You can even enjoy all of Facebook’s other features, including the regular chat, while you’re on the call.

As with all online video modules, you and your partner will need to have webcams and microphones. If the camera isn’t wanted, you can simply disable it at any time and switch to a voice-only call. The video call records the time and date of your call, which is listed conveniently in your ongoing message history. The call itself, however, does not record nor is it saved. If you want to record or save the video call, you will have to use additional software. An important thing to note with Facebook video calls is that there is not yet a group call feature – it will only work if the call is one-on-one.

As Facebook continues to grow and expand its features, we think it’s safe to say that you should look out for even more from the behemoth social media network in the future.