Social Media Marketing Tips: Periscope and Live Streaming

If you pay attention to the tech world at all, you may have heard that Twitter recently acquired social media startup, Periscope. Periscope is a mobile app that lets you live stream video from your mobile device to your followers. HouseParty is a similar app that is also allows you to live stream video from your mobile device.

Like Facebook acquiring Instagram, Twitter acquiring Periscope should make you sit up and pay attention!

First you will need to download the Periscope app for iOS or Android. Once you sign up, you can either start live streaming yourself, or you can search for live streams currently broadcasting from around the world. People who are watching are able to comment and interact with the broadcaster, who usually answers questions as they appear in real-time.

Periscope links with your Twitter account, and will post there any time you begin a broadcast. This means that all your Twitter followers can watch your broadcasts, even if they don’t have the Periscope app.

Live streaming is another way to interact with your audience, build your brand, and tell the story of who you are and what your company does. Just like you can use Twitter to share thoughts and links relevant to your business, you can use Periscope to share experiences relevant to your business.

Unlike YouTube, you don’t need to worry about production costs or making your live stream look slick. Every user is capturing video with their mobile device, and the raw nature of live video is part of the appeal. The bar is extremely low to get started, all you need are a few ideas to get started…

Q+A Session

This is an incredibly easy way to get started. You can answer commonly asked questions about your product, or you can take questions from your audience that pertain to your area of expertise. Keep in mind that these broadcasts don’t need to be long. A 5-10 minute Q+A session is fine! What’s important is that you engage with the audience, and keep it personal. This is a chance for the audience to get to know you, and this will build trust in your brand as well.

Behind-the-Scenes

Give your customers a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Maybe you can show them a bit of the manufacturing process of a product. Or you can show them what it’s like a convention you are attending. What’s routine for you may be interesting to your audience who aren’t familiar with your what goes on at your business. Find something novel to show and pull back the curtain a little!

Showcase a Product

If you run an online store or manufacture a product, do a broadcast showing your product. You can unbox it, and show your audience everything that comes with it. You can also do some demonstrations of the product. Remember, live streaming is a personal way of broadcasting. Resist the urge to sound like a salesman, and present the product the way you would to a friend.

Now that I’ve explained the basics, go download the app and give it a try! Periscope is still a relatively new platform, so by being an early adopter your can learn the ropes and build an established presence before your competitors even sign up!

This post is based on an article by Corey Ferreira — How To Use Periscope To Grow Your Ecommerce Business