7 Ways that Periscope Can Work For You
Since it's launch last Thursday, Periscope has already made waves. Here are 7 ways you can make Twitter's $100m acquisition work for you.
1. Reviews
With the emergence of blogging platforms and YouTube videos we saw a flurry of hands-on pieces with titles like "iPhone 6 unboxing", "Call of Duty first play" - users rushing to be the first people to unveil the newest, coolest bits of tech. The value of being "first" on the internet is crucial. Being "the best" requires prestige, hard work and skill, being "first" is all about speed. Periscope gives you that.
Imagine seeing a Periscope of Macworld reviewing the Apple Watch - forget having to wait until the video is edited and uploaded, or just having to rely on twitpic. The excitement that you could generate in the build up to the event could be carefully tailored. Build up followers, build a message, tease the viewers and then boom - watch them scramble to your Periscope.
Only today I was invited by a friend to watch The Verge do a question and answer session - but I was too late, the session was full. The feeling that I was missing out on something was enormous, and next time I'll be trying to get there even sooner!
2. Behind the Scenes
The world loves finding out how viral videos are made or how professionals prepare for something. Tie that in with a genuine celebrity appearance and your session will reach full capacity before you know it.
I've watched Mario Gotze playing Playstation in Germany, David Collier (a News Anchor in Texas) asking us which tie to choose for the news. He chose the blue polka dots. And then showed off his fridge.
This voyeurism, which is fundamentally what Periscope is all about, can be used in so many avenues, from film, to music to live sport. Audiences will come.
3. The Nightcrawler
You might not be familiar with Jake Gyllenhall's recent feature, but there is an opportunity here for you to become the news reporter. Never before has anything given us the ability of being the news - individuals will be able to give us instant access to a riot in the far corner of the planet, or interview the mundane queue of the Apple store. Freedom of information is in your hands.
It'll be the early adopters of this medium who flourish - so get out there now, tell me a story.
4. The Artist
Are you an artist, or a creative individual? If you're a secret musician or budding band, get out there - play your songs (or ideally covers as they resonate strongest) and take requests. I Periscoped with some American tweens who took suggested words and rapped them into verses, the connection between viewer and performer is instant.
Can you draw, or paint? Take requests for the silliest concepts - David Lanham (a wonderful illustrator) did exactly that. Share the results on Twitter and Instagram and let everyone know they missed out!
Or you could simply show people what you're up to and get genuine live feedback.
Getting yourself out there can be tough on social media, but be creative and get engaged, because someone is getting famous off of Periscope. It could be you.
5. Tourism
What's the hardest part to convey about any destination? How it feels to actually be there. I've seen a jaw dropping sunset in Stellenbosch, and the morning waves of Oahu. The feeling of being there was unlike anything I've ever experienced - just talking about it makes me want to pick up my phone right now!
Tourist agencies, or local tourism groups can take advantage of this medium - show us around, take us to the secret little locations. As a session can be private, invites can be subject to payment elsewhere - if your content is worth it, people will pay.
6. Make it Personal
What does your brand have access to that no one else's does? If you're a florist, show me how to craft a bouquet which will sweep my girlfriend off her feet, if you're a chef show me how to make a rice cake in 5 minutes. If you're Samsung, show me the engineers who made the Galaxy playing table fussbal, or if you have a team lunch on Friday where everyone eats fish and chips, share it with us.
Every brand does something that's specific to them, it doesn't matter how mundane, what matters is that its personal. Humanising your brand can deliver big gains - like the Betfair Poker account on twitter which doesn't tweet a thing about poker , yet I engage with them and follow them and I don't play poker.
If you can make the human connection on Periscope you will see engagement, and you will see people sharing your content.
7. Make it Private
Periscope allows private sessions. By choosing your select few and filming for them alone, you can generate exclusivity. There's no reason you couldn't host a competition, giving the winners the opportunity to be a part of an exclusive Periscope broadcast. If you have content worth paying for, you could charge for access to private broadcasts. I haven't come across this yet, presumably because the value of Periscope needs to be established first before content generators take that step.
It may be early days for Periscope, but the signs are encouraging. If there's something we know about social media it's that people love to over share, and Periscope gives you a way into other people's lives in a very visceral "being-John-Malkovich" sort of way. You or your brand could be the next big thing, there are no rules. Yet.