Why & How Businesses Should Use Periscope, The Newest Live-Streaming Mobile App
Live streaming is the next big focus for social media, and Periscope is becoming a dominant platform. Periscope is a mobile app available for Android and iOS, that lets users live broadcast video in real time right from their smart devices. Purchased by Twitter for $100 million, Periscope is skyrocketing in popularity with no signs of slowing down. Since its launch in March 2015, Periscope has reached over 10 million subscribers, with 2 million active daily users.
The technology is nothing new, but Periscope has simplified the ability to live stream video from a mobile device, and the world is catching on fast. According to Twitter, Periscope users are viewing over 40 years of video per day. Periscope’s integration with Twitter makes the app even more powerful, since every live broadcast or scope simultaneously reaches a user’s Twitter followers. Twitter also generates a link for every scope that allows followers to access a broadcast either directly through the Periscope app or the web browser counterpart, Persicope.tv.
The app also provides a way to share your video to other social platforms and stores a replay of the video for a 24-hour period. Using a third party service such as Katch.me, you can save these replays online and repurpose the content in the future. Viewers can comment in real-time during a scope, as well as give hearts, which is the way Periscope users show love to the broadcaster. Periscope users are able to follow each other and receive alerts when someone they follow is live streaming a broadcast. This provides opportunities for Periscope subscribers to build relationships within the community.
Periscope is providing a new form of communication that differs from other social media channels. While YouTube, Facebook, Vine and Instagram also allow users to share video through mobile devices, the real-time immediacy of Periscope enables businesses to provide a more authentic, personal touch to their visual content. Dunkin Donuts, Adidas, Red Bull, Ralph Lauren, T-Mobile, EA Sports, Doritos, Benefit Cosmetics and Adobe are some of the brands that have broadcast scopes to introduce new products to fans, promote social media contests, provide tutorials and showcase employees and senior executives.
Brands that were quick to embrace Periscope are already providing compelling content that engages their fans. These early adopters are taking advantage of this new platform before it becomes crowded and are using innovative content to improve their visibility. Here are 10 ways professionals, small businesses and established brands use Periscope to generate visibility and sales with new and existing customers.
10 Ways Businesses Use Periscope to Attract Customers
- Showcase Live Events
Do you regularly speak or attend events as part of your business? With Periscope, you can bring a whole new audience to your next live event and allow them to experience it as if they were there in person. Live stream your next speaking engagement, trade show, company event or conference. Periscope will expand your reach to a global audience that may be packed with potential leads. Below is an example of a mobile marketing class lecture in the Digital and Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate Program at Fordham University.
- Introduce New Products
Periscope offers the perfect opportunity to give potential buyers a way to experience a new product. Electronic Arts (EA) Sports streamed their newest game, Madden 15, on Periscope and offered fans an opportunity to ask questions of several NFL stars featured in the game. This generated a great deal of interest for the game on the part of new and existing fans.
- Promote Announcements & Exclusive Offers
Give your customers the inside scoop by highlighting breaking news or launching a special promotion on Periscope. By being the first to know, a customer will feel important and eager to stay informed. Exclusive offers and promotions shared through Periscope will keep your followers eagerly anticipating every scope you broadcast. Taco Bell, an early adopter of all social media sites and apps, jumped on Periscope to launch a biscuit taco giveaway for Cinco de Mayo. Taco Bell was thrilled with the reach of the platform and its ability to support their “Breakfast Defector Day” campaign.
- Host a Q&A, “Ask Me Anything”
Give your audience a chance to ask questions relating to your products or services. Hosting an “Ask Me Anything” scope creates valuable content that can be educational while building an audience’s trust with authentic responses. This is an ideal forum for gathering data on your audience and their preferences. Answering your viewer’s questions enhances your credibility and helps you build authority in your space. A “Q&A” provides an opportunity to foster one-on-one engagement with your followers, customers and fans and increase your authority and reputation.
Uber turned to Periscope to broadcast a presentation it made to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce on its operations and consumer protection policies. The broadcast allowed Uber to collect real time questions and reactions from business owners and customers that were presented for consideration to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
- Reveal a Behind-the-Scenes Look at What Makes Your Business Special
Behind-the-scenes footage of a business operation provides transparency, which enhances a brand’s image and often increases consumer trust in the enterprise. For example, you can give your customers a look into how a product is made and the employees who support the business. This builds confidence that your brand is authentic and has relatable people working on producing excellent products or services. Your customers will become emotionally invested in your business and will be more likely to stay loyal.
BarkBox, a monthly subscription service for pet treats and products, uses Periscope to broadcast pet antics around the office, which gives personality to their brand. Turkish Airlines is the first company to create a scope during a flight. They used the scope which showcased the crew and safety features of the plane as an innovative way to connect with current and future travelers.
- Build Buzz for Social Media Contests
Doritos was one of the initial brands to use Periscope to promote a contest. Doritos launched a game called #DoritosRoulette across Twitter, Vine and Periscope in order to generate attention and demand for its new hot and spicy chip, “Roulette.” The contest involved games of chance and giveaways for fans that tagged their social media friends. The contest helped generate buzz for their new product launch among millennials.
- Offer Live Training
Periscope is an excellent platform for giving product demos, live training or explanations of your services. While YouTube is a source of video tutorials, there are an overwhelming number of options to review within its search engine. Broadcasting a training scope is an excellent opportunity to reach an audience organically by providing valuable content that they can share instantly with their followers. Benefit Cosmetics has taken to live streaming make-up tutorials on Periscope that has generated positive feedback each and every time.
- Encourage Relationships Between Customers and the Founders of a Business Over the last decade, many senior executives adopted blogging as a means of sharing their business passion, vision and expertise with customers and clients. Now Periscope can be used to give customers direct access to founders and key administrators. Nascar legend, Dale Earnhart Jr., recently turned to Periscope to give people a closer view of his new restaurant, Whiskey River, and a chance to interact with him. T-Mobile’s CEO, John Legere, hosts regular scopes to update customers and followers on new company developments. He even created a scope titled “5 Ways T-Mobile CEO @JohnLegere’s Use of Periscope is changing the Game and Why Other Leaders Need to Take Notice.”
- Support Customer Service
Twitter has become the primary social media site for brands to handle customer service issues quickly. However, the character limitation of tweets has made the process difficult. A company can now create a scope demonstrating the solutions to frequently asked questions. The video broadcast can be saved, shared and even emailed to a confused customer. Adobe took the process one step further and hosted a day long interactive event where 24 different employees answered questions related to the functionality and features of their new product, the #CreativeCloud on Periscope.
- Connect with Journalists
Periscope is an ideal platform to reach a wider audience of journalists for a press announcement. Shortly after the launch of Periscope, Adidas live streamed an event at their headquarters in Germany where the Real Madrid soccer star, James Rodriguez, signed a sponsorship deal with them.
Humanize Your Brand with Periscope
Brand humanization is essential for building lasting customer relationships. Periscope gives brands an opportunity to connect personally with their customers. Live streaming can outshine the scripted, rehearsed and polished content we are exposed to constantly on YouTube and traditional media. Adopting this platform into your social media strategy will bring your business a whole new audience while enhancing your Twitter following. Take advantage of Periscope now and become an early adopter of social media’s next great channel.
Are you ready to begin leveraging Periscope for your business? What are your ideas for scopes that you can use to promote your business?
Be on the lookout for my step-by-step guide to creating a live broadcast on Periscope.
