Video was backed by most as a hot trend for 2016. Currently we have some really interesting apps in the market making streaming live from your mobile easy – they are used by the technology and entertainment industries, citizen broadcasters and even politicians.
If you are looking for an interesting way of reaching new and existing customers alike, have a look at three emerging video apps Periscope, Meerkat, MyEye available on Android and iOS. These mobile video apps can be used for webinars, awards, conferences and simple webcasts providing an engaging insight into what you do.
Meerkat launched first - around 2 million subscribers joined soon after. Twitter operated Periscope had 1 million users within the first ten days and the app was downloaded over 10 million times in the first six months. Supported by David Beckham MyEye is going to be popular too. We are going to focus mostly on periscope as it seems to be most popular.
So what does Periscope it do?
Periscope allows you to live-stream video from your mobile and can be used in conjunction with Twitter, enabling other users to see links tweeted in order to view live-streams.
Periscope offers similar services to Meerkat, but also gives users the option to let anyone play back the video stream.
A few noteworthy things to remember;
- Meerkat streams are watched live and then disappear.
- Periscope videos last for 24 hours before they vanish and can be accessed via the web.
- MyEye streams last for 72 hours and appear to be geared to individuals with better controls over privacy and location.
- You can save video streams to your phone for future use
- Katch is a service that helps archive and share your broadcasts (For Periscope and Meerkat).
- Any content you post to Periscope remains owned by you, but you grant the service permission to use it.
- The app, developed by friends Kayvon Beykpour and Joseph Bernstein, was purchased by Twitter in March this year for $100m (£67m).
Any live video marketing needs a clear strategy and some sort of a script or plan of what you’ll be talking about. As with any publishing you do will need to be aware of privacy, copyright and defamation.
The best way is to start is to start following interesting accounts to discover how other broadcasters are using the service. When you are ready to start with a practice broadcast and make sure the lighting and sound levels are good. Your broadcasts can be promoted elsewhere on your website and social media.
The expectation for live video is different, the real-time reality is compensated for by the used and don’t expect perfect quality. It all adds to the appeal of this media.
Who is using the apps?
The app has become the talk of the technology world, attracting the attention of broadcasters and media companies. Musicians are also using it and even the Prime Minister is a fan but who’s been using:
- Christopher Riopelle curator National Gallery
- Museo Picasso Malaga
- Sky News presenter Kay Burley used Periscope to show viewers behind the scenes of ITV’s Leader Debates in the build-up to the general election.
- David Cameron used Periscope to broadcast his first post-election address from Number 10.
- CNN's Max Foster also used of the app during his coverage of the birth of Princess Charlotte.
- Orange used an integrated Periscope broadcast along with a TV campaign, allowing users to help the star of the advert through a romantic date.
- Doritos have run a campaign featuring nacho corn chips as roulette wheels, with random winners selected from those viewing the Periscope live.
- The likes of Adobe have used live video to demonstrate new products
- For small and medium-sized business, product demonstrations and tutorials which will allow you to show how to use your products or services, and field questions in real time.