How to create a content strategy with Periscope

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Social Media Strategy

How to Generate Content on Periscope

7 minute read

Launchmetrics Content Team

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In early March 2015, Kevin Weil, Twitter Product VP, made a very enthusiastic announcement:

Periscope was launched on the market as the video streaming feature created to share and watch live video content from smartphones, without geographical restrictions. And although Periscope isn’t a pioneer in the video content market (Meerkat pre-dated it), it was one of the applications with most user interaction.

Just as the creators stated on their blog, Periscope represented 40 years of video watched in one day. We’re talking about over 10 million people sharing video live, for free and from anywhere in the world. One of the most powerful and sophisticated interactive tools for communication available today. Periscope offers audiences, brands, businesses, and the media the chance to broadcast their message in real time with unimaginable reach.

The HuffPost Live account showed a side view of behind the scenes footage of the actor Mira Sorvino preparing for an interview. Then I switched and saw a young man filming the Kinder chocolate filled doughnut from his favorite café. I asked him through a comment how much they cost, and he automatically replied and told me how much. So, I switched again and saw the Expedia travel spokesperson talking about the Food and wine Festival in Orlando, Florida. I have to say that Periscope is just amazing. It’s such an adrenaline rush, and is an obvious source of engagement for three main reasons:

  • The fascination created by real-life stories that are happening now.
  • The global connectedness because you are able to watch stories from all over the world.
  • The chance to interact with any of the stories on Periscope and be a part of them.

How does Periscope work?

Once you’ve signed in using your Twitter account, its features allow you to:

  • Follow people or businesses that you already follow on Twitter to see their live streams and recordings.
  • Find new accounts and active users from around the world through a suggestion map featured on the application.
  • Stream open or public content that you can tweet to your community.
  • Interact with other users by allowing comments and liking other content.

Periscope is simple, and that’s its major selling point. So what are the opportunities for PR and marketing professional? There are so many! However, a new channel is a new challenge. Just like any online platform, a new media channel has its own rules — it should be used strategically.

Hello world!

There are already articles explaining to businesses “why they should be on Periscope” to share live content. One reason is to stay up-to-date to catch your audience’s attention using the most innovative platforms. Another is that Periscope can reach audiences in a fairly private way, and deliver messages directly and without filters. This is how brands can include online audiences, by combining the offline with the online.

Events with millions of guests

At the 2015 New York and Madrid Fashion Weeks, millions of people participated on Periscope. Potential consumers could see the work of their favorite designers who got live feedback about their creations in return. Ralph Lauren combined the brand’s live Periscope stream and projected it on a massive screen in London’s crowded Picadilly Circus. Obviously, that was huge and gave everyone a front row seat to their show.

Trading with influencers

Apparently Nestlé was the first brand to publicize on Periscope. Using the accounts of 100 influencers — including Youtuber Keaton Keller — the brand told stories featuring the star ice cream using the hashtag #ad to label sponsored content broadcasts. This is one of the many examples of how Periscope can be a strategic channel for launching or showcasing products and a way of marketing in real time by collaborating with influencers.

Red Bull uses Periscope to stream festivals, concerts and sporting events — a cross-marketing strategy while they sponsor the event. Apart from their physical presence, the livestream is extremely popular online as well. Red Bull also uses Periscope to talk to fans. This is an ideal strategy to boost brand image through engagement.

What else can you do with Periscope?

  • Present relevant news and information on your brand, business and industry with greater impact.
  • Offer more “live” content, such as conferences and webinars, which on the app can go from simple PowerPoint presentations to more creative exhibits and featuring participants’ feedback.
  • Carry out live polls and monitoring to see what is and isn’t popular.
  • Bolster digital reputations by using the channel to show the less-known side of companies. For example back-stage insights of creative meetings at agencies, the manufacturing of a product, introducing new employees, how the star chef at a restaurant puts together a dish…
  • You can use the platform to strengthen the personal brand of a specific influencer and take his/her message to new audiences. Jay Baer, social media guru, uses it in his talks. In the world of politics, Barack Obama, has used it on several occasions.

Periscope is particularly amazing to distribute live content and contribute to your global content strategy. However, it is important to note that the application does have its risks — say the wrong thing on a livestream and your brand’s reputation could be at risk. You also have to remember to stay on brand and be relevant, your community follows your brand for specific reasons, zero in on them.

Will Periscope and applications that follow overcome the hype and become a trend? Share your thoughts in our comments section! 😉

social media strategy 

By Launchmetrics Content Team

The Launchmetrics content team is always on the lookout for new trends in the fashion and technology sector. We are geeks with style and lovers of good stories!

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