Disappointed by the big match up that wasn’t?
No, I am not talking about a Kentucky versus Duke matchup in the NCAA men’s basketball final that never happened after Wisconsin beat the unbeatable Kentucky in the semi-final game, and then later lost to Duke in the final (Go Duke!).
I am talking about the Battle Royale that supposedly was happening between the new-ish live-streaming video apps Meerkat and Periscope. Seems the Twitter-owned Periscope has gotten the early and definitive edge so far.
But you and I don’t particular care who becomes the next Silicon Valley billionaire. What we want to know is:
- As a small business owner or decision maker, should I care about live-streaming apps?
- If yes, which of these apps should I choose to use?
- And what do I need to know?
This post is intended to give you five tips for how to use Periscope and Meerkat for business, as well as other live-streaming applications.
Did you catch that “other live-streaming applications” bit there? If so, that is because in all this chatter about Periscope and Meerkat, we have been overlooking the 800-pound gorilla that is Google Hangouts.
What is great about Google Hangouts is that in addition to being live, you can select who sees them, you can get folks to register to see it (lead development, yay!), and can be immediately saved to YouTube. Seems like I need to write a post about Google Hangouts, so be on the lookout for that. :o)
Regarding Meerkat and Periscope, both are intended to send live-streamed videos.
They were not the first live-streaming apps; Ustream and Justin.tv have also been around for years. But a renewed interest in live streaming has arose with more and more people shooting video with smartphones and sharing their experiences on Facebook, Twitter, and other social channels.
The two apps have many similarities. But two big differences suggest you pick Periscope over Meerkat. The first is that Periscope automatically links to your Twitter followers, letting them know you are broadcasting live. The second is that Periscope currently has a better user interface.
Among the other differences is that Meerkat streams are public-only and live-only. Periscope lets users limit who can see their broadcasts and offers viewers the opportunity to send emoticons (heart icons) to the broadcaster, effectively giving it a thumbs up or Like. Periscope’s video streams can be saved to replay later.
The apps don’t require any special training or instructions on how to get set up and start streaming. Start at whichever app store you use to download apps, and go from there.
Our general recommendations for shooting video apply here, too.
- If you can, mount your smartphone to a tripod to avoid shaky camera syndrome.
- Consider using an external microphone that is located on or near the subject being recorded.
- Consider your lighting source and avoid shooting at a subject where they will be backlit.
- And for smartphones, consider shooting in landscape mode.
- You may also want to consider plugging your phone into its power source because this is going to drain your battery.
My recommendation is to use Periscope because it is the market leader, it has the better UI, and you can connect directly with your Twitter followers. But when should you use it? I think five best use cases for live-streaming apps are going to be:
- Product Demonstrations/How-to Tutorials: Any videos you produce that are product demonstrations, or how-to tutorials are going to earn you money back in increased sales and avoided customer service calls. Using the live-streaming app is just one additional way to do this. You should plan and rehearse what you plan to do before going live with it. You risk losing credibility if the demonstration doesn’t work, or you don’t know how to do the tutorial yourself. I think the nature of theses apps are better suited for demonstrations out of the office, and for events that are more spontaneous.
- AMA/Customer Service: AMA is Ask Me Anything. Whether an AMA or customer service, this is a great way to address questions from your customers and prospects as they arise. You may want to do something like this on a regular basis.
- Company News or Product Launches: Already, Tim Armstrong, CEO of AOL, has used Periscope to do a company update to AOL employees (it was intentionally broadcast publically). These apps also could help play into the hype of making a big announcement, whether a new product, merger or acquisition and so forth.
- Behind-the-Scenes/Walk Thrus: I think these live-streaming apps would be perfect for Realtors who are always carrying their smartphones and could easily walk thru a new listing or open house. Restaurants, manufacturing, breweries … the list is endless on who could do this, too. Basically, people love to see what happens behind the scenes. If your business hires summer interns, this could be a great tool for your recruiters to show prospects “inside” an organization.
- Video blogs/podcasts: I am a board member of the Search Engine Marketers of Portland (SEMpdx) and a bunch of us are headed to a conference in early June. This would be a great way to quickly, and easily share highlights from the show. Same, too, if you are exhibiting at an event. Attorneys can schedule quick live-streaming broadcasts following news of a big legal decision.
Legalese
It is important to remember that live-streaming video apps, which are portable and easy to use, can quickly put you and your brand into legal hot water if you don’t have a strategy and plan on how to use them.
Keep in mind you will need to consider other’s intellectual property and privacy before shooting (so avoid filming the Garth Brooks concert). Understand that other people may accidentally or intentionally interfere with your shoot so you will want to understand and control your environment.
And while temporary in its nature, this is still your brand. You can look at plenty of recent examples of where someone paid a dear price for saying something inappropriate or worse. So be empowered to shoot these videos, but also be alert to avoid defamation, slander, racial slurs, or sexist comments. This is the same for your employees and other brand ambassadors, too.