Tech Trend 247

First there was YouTube stars, then came Vine fame. Now, the new wave of Internet-born celebrity is by way of Facebook Live.

While a lot of big brands and publishers are focused on creating content for Facebook’s livestreaming platform, some of the best broadcasts we’ve seen are made by regular people.

Whether it’s a lifestyle blogger sharing style tips or a World Champion bodyboarder taking you inside waves in real time, Facebook Live is emerging as the hot new platform for users to show what's happening in their world. We’ve seen some pretty important broadcasts around job training workshops and events for Syrian refugees, too.

Let’s take a look at some of the most compelling Facebook Live storytellers headed toward web-celeb fame:

1. Liz Cook, tattoo artist

There’s something mesmerizing about watching Dallas-based tattoo artist Liz Cook, 33, ink customers in real time on Facebook Live. With more than 1 million followers, it’s impossible not to be entranced by her live tattooing sessions, which range in creativity from an intricate lion to a portrait of Marilyn Monroe. Her Facebook Live videos bring in tens of thousands of views each time.

2. Barkbox, pet goods company

Who doesn't want to take a break from the workday to watch some adorable pups? The small pet goods e-commerce startup puts dogs in the spotlight as a part of a larger effort to get them adopted. While Barkbox teams up with local shelters to introduce them to its Facebook followers, the real stars, of course, are the dogs themselves — like this 11-week old puppy named Luc playing with tennis balls in the video above. 

3. Brian Barczyk, Venom Hunter

Brian Barcyzyk isn't exactly a nobody — you may recognize him from Discovery Channel's show Venom Hunters. His job is to find, capture and extract venom from all types of snake species. Once a week, he'll take you behind the scenes of his fascinating work on Facebook Live. You'll squirm, you'll gasp, you won't want to look away. 

4. Kara Andretta, baking blogger

Baking blogger Kara Andretta goes live on her Kara's Couture Cakes Facebook page to walk fans through creative baking recipes and tutorials. She teases upcoming "bake along" broadcasts too, so you can make pastries and cakes with her in real time. She's as charming as the food looks delicious.

5. Jordan Roth, Broadway producer

We can only assume the life of a Broadway producer is pretty fabulous, and Jordan Roth proves this theory correct. Roth is the president and majority owner of Jujamcyn Theaters, which presents some of the most popular musicals and plays on Broadway right now, including The Book of Mormon, Jersey Boys and Kinky Boots. You never quite know what to expect from his broadcasts: he takes you to VIP-only spots that often feature surprise cameos and musical performances.

6. Melissa and Lavanya Jawaharlal, robotics company founders

Learning to code is one of the biggest trends in tech, and startup founders Melissa and Lavanya Jawaharlal want to help. The duo behind Stem Center USA, a robotics company that teaches kids to code, were most recently featured (and funded) on Shark Tank. But to bring more attention to the brand, the Jawaharials use Facebook Live to teach people how to code, program and work with their students at their Claremont, Calif-based creativity center. 

7. Holly Homer, family lifestyle blogger

Full-time blogger Holly Homer runs Kids Activities Blog and the Quirky Momma Facebook page, which has a dedicated fan base of more than 2.4 million followers. Homer discusses a variety of parenting topics (like how to keep hair healthy after giving birth), DIY crafting tips from guests (as seen above) and answers questions from viewers.

8. Val Castor, storm chaser

Oklahoma-based newscaster Val Castor from local news station News9 takes his wife — and Facebook followers — on storm chases. The footage is fascinating (and terrifying), and his play-by-play of what you're seeing keeps you on the edge of your seat. Castor isn't the only storm chaser gaining traction on Facebook Live: James Spann, a scientist and meteorologist in Alabama, brings his followers weather updates from the South ahead of big storms.

9. Lee Jeffries, performance artist

Lee Jeffries is a performance artist known for his hula hoops routines. While his reach isn't as large as some of the other Facebook Live users on this list, he gives hula-hooping tutorials and preps for workshops he holds around the country. If you need a breather, there's nothing a little hula hoop choreography set to pop songs to your day.

10. Mike Stewart, bodyboarding champion

It's not everyday you can go bodyboarding in real time from the comforts of your computer chair. 51-year-old Mike Stewart, a nine-time World Champion bodyboarder, takes you inside the waves from competitions. His broadcasts are invigorating, but you can't help but feel exhausted after he takes you along for a ride. Most recently, he did a Facebook Live broadcast at Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii — a competition he's won 11 times.

BONUS: Bob Draws, Mashable illustrator

Mashable illustrator Bob Al-Greene hosts Bob Draws every Friday afternoon, drawing fun pop-culture mashups like this bionic panda version of Ted Cruz. Previous masterworks include Lego Beyonce and Adele riding a hoverboard. Besides Bob's obvious talent and humor, what makes the show special is the wild-card factor — he takes the best suggestions directly from commenters on what to draw and makes them all too real.

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