Social Snacks Episode 22: How to Use Facebook 360 Photos

Chances are, you’ve started to see Facebook 360 photos in your Facebook news feed.

If not, here is an example of what they look like.

 

So what exactly are Facebook 360 photos and how can you create your own to use on your Facebook Page, Profile, or Group?

On this episode of Social Snacks, you’ll learn how to use Facebook 360 photos on mobile as well as on the desktop.

This way you can take advantage of this new technology to create an immersive experience that you can share with your fans and friends.

 

What are Facebook 360 photos?

According to Facebook, “we’re improving photos on Facebook so that people can share more immersive views of their world.”

As you can see from the sample Facebook 360 photo, you can take a flat, boring photo, lifeless photo and create a stunning 360 experience for fans, customers and friends.

The great thing about creating 360 photos is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to get started either.

Here’s what you’ll need.

 

Recipe for success with Facebook 360 photos

In order to take your own Facebook 360 photos, here are the tools you will need to get started.

• A mobile device (iOS or Android)
• A camera app such as the iOS camera app, Google Street View, Google Camera or Cardboard Camera
• The Facebook mobile app (iOS | Android)

You can also use software such as PTGui to stitch together photos and turn them into a panoramic image.

If you want to improve the quality of your Facebook 360 photos, you can also purchase a dedicated camera for taking 360 photos and 360 videos, but it's not required.

Some recommendations for dedicated 360 cameras are:

• Ricoh Theta S
• Giroptic 360 Cam
• Samsung Gear 360
• LG 360 Cam
• IC Realtech ALLie
• 360Fly
• Panono

Remember, you don’t need a dedicated 360 camera right now, these are optional.

Now that you know what equipment you will need, let's show you how to take and share Facebook 360 photos using your mobile device and also on your desktop.

 

How to use Facebook 360 photos

To begin taking Facebook 360 photos, here's a short 5-minute video tutorial that shows you how to take and share your first Facebook 360 photo to a Facebook Page, Profile or Group from either your mobile device or your desktop.

 

 

 Transcription Services by GMR Transcription

 

To take your first 360 photo, follow these instructions.

 

1. Launch the camera app on your mobile device

 

2. Take a panoramic photo

In your camera app, be sure you have the panoramic setting turned on.

Take a panoramic photo.

 

3. Launch the Facebook mobile app

Once you’ve taken your panoramic photo, you need to launch the Facebook mobile app (iOS | Android).

Right now, this is the tool you’ll use if you want to share 360 photos and videos.

 

4. Decide where you want to post your Facebook 360 photo

Within the Facebook app, decided where you want to share your Facebook 360 photo at.

Will you post it to a page, a group? Maybe you’ll share it on your profile with friends?

 

5. Upload your photo

Select the photos option.

In your photos, navigate to a photo that has the Facebook 360 icon next to it (it looks like a globe).

If a photo does not have the globe icon on it, this means it isn’t available as a Facebook 360 photo.

At the moment, you can only upload one Facebook 360 photo at a time.

If you have other photos you want to share, you’ll have to upload them individually.

 

6. Share your photos with the world!

The last step is to share your photo.

At this point, it will appear on your Facebook news feed as a Facebook 360 photo.

 

Viewing Facebook 360 photos on mobile

Facebook 360 photos are available on both the desktop and on mobile.

On mobile, when you see a Facebook 360 photo, you can tilt your mobile device to immerse yourself in the photo.

If you want to pan around the photo, you can drag from side-to-side using your fingers to look around in a Facebook 360 photo.

You can also tap into the photo and rotate your device sideways to get a larger view of the photo.

 

Viewing Facebook 360 photos on the desktop

On the desktop, the process is nearly the same.

Facebook 360 photos on the desktop have an icon to the side.

This indicates the position you’re at in the 360 photo.

You can click and drag around the photo.

Alternatively, you can click into the photo to expand it and see more of the 360 experience.

 

Over to You

In just a few simple steps, you’ve learned how to use Facebook 360 photos on both your mobile device as well as on your desktop!

Remember, you can post Facebook 360 photos to your profile, page or even a Facebook Group, so get creative!

Some of the industries where 360 photos will work extremely well are real estate, restaurants, and in sports.

Do you have questions about using Facebook 360 photos,

Maybe you’ve been experimenting with 360 photography already and want to share some examples of the photos that you’ve taken?

Please share them with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or in the comments below, we would love to see how you are using them to help market your business on Facebook.