How Periscope & Meerkat Can Liven Up Your Marketing

With the rise of innovative apps like Periscope and Meerkat, it’s now a lot easier to incorporate live video broadcasting into your social media marketing.

Using short videos in your marketing strategy is nothing new – and with apps such as Vine and Instagram, it’s easy to do even if you have no multimedia experience. You shoot a quick video, maybe add a few edits and effects and post for your followers to enjoy.

But live streaming video is different: it allows you to broadcast a video feed of what you’re doing right now, in real time. This capability opens up a world of possibilities for your marketing strategy. From live streaming a helpful DIY tutorial or a behind-the-scenes look at new product you’re releasing, you can use Periscope and Meerkat in creative and engaging ways for your brand.

Let’s take a closer look at these two apps:

Periscope (iOS and Android, free)

• Recently acquired by Twitter
• Broadcasts live video and lets you post the link to Twitter so followers to join, comment and “send hearts” in real time
• Viewers can replay the broadcast with comments and hearts for up to 24 hours
• Private, invitation-only broadcasts are available
• In their own words:

“Broadcasters on Periscope are directly connected to their audience, able to feel their presence and interact…

For viewers, Periscope gives you a new set of eyes and ears. Travel the world and step into someone else’s shoes. See what they see, hear what they hear, and hopefully feel what they feel. Watching a broadcast isn’t a passive experience like television. On Periscope, viewers influence the broadcaster by sending messages, and expressing their love by tapping the screen to send hearts…”

Meerkat (iOS, free)

• Broadcasts a live video stream to all of your followers
• Viewers can comment and interact with the stream, as well as retweet it, in real time
• The stream is only available live – replays are not available
• In their own words:

“Life is unpredictable, and so is Meerkat. We want you to stream all of life’s special moments, from the cute, to the crazy, to the beautiful. There is an honesty in live video that isn’t offered by any other medium. We want you to embrace this candor, and use it to interact with your favorite people, unlike you do with any other product.

One of the best parts about streaming on Meerkat is the conversation you have with thousands of people in real time. Go ahead, ask questions, give answers, learn something.”

Brands are just starting to experiment with these live streaming tools, and the results are playful and inspiring. For example:

• Jimmy Fallon used Meerkat to live stream a video of him practicing his monologue and playing Mario Kart
• DKNY gave viewers a Periscope sneak peek into its fashion closet
• Spotify used Periscope to broadcast a behind-the-scenes video with the lead singer of the band the Villagers

How could your brand use live streaming video to boost its marketing?