Periscope is a live steaming video app that came out earlier
this year with the support of its parent company, Twitter. Plenty of people
took notice of the new app; some called it yet another flavor of the month
social app. But others of us dove in and discovered what marketers could use
the new technology for. Periscope boasts over 10,000,000 users, more than that
many individual posts, and impressions of well over 100 billion (as of August 19, 2015) according to
Salesforce.
It’s been a
few months since Periscope’s debut so here are some of the brands that are
using the new app to its full potential and what we can learn from them.
Red Bull
Red Bull is
known for pushing the limits of their content marketing and they are utilizing
Periscope exactly for that. They are bringing together the kind of
thrill-seeking, sports-loving, adrenaline junkies who make up their core
audience to engage in their entertaining community through live streaming of
their live events that they host around the world.
Spotify
Spotify, the
popular music-streaming service has also joined the live-streaming video
app. Shortly after joining Periscope, Spotify streamed a behind-the-scenes
video with Conor O’Brien from the Villagers. Josh Karph, Spotify’s Global
Director of Social Marketing, said, “We had 380 or so live viewers and about
1,500 hearts on the stream," Karph says. "On the replay we had
another 200 or so. We’re still looking at how the replay streams work and how
quickly they get updated, but it looks like the total is about 450 or 500
people who viewed it.”
Since then they have broadcasted exclusive performances of
guest artists they have visiting on a regular basis. People have also tuned in
for product updates, such as the announcement of Spotify’s mood-based playlists
and automatic song selection in May.
DKNY and Target
We’re combining these two retail giants to show how
Periscope can be used in the fashion industry. DKNY offered a glimpse behind
the runways and into the closets of their models through their DKNY PR Girl
Periscope account. While Target offers new product line teasers with interviews
from designers and other connected to popular products.
How Can Your Business
Use Periscope?
While big brands will always get more attention, there is
plenty of opportunity for small to medium businesses to create your own niche
and drive engagement by using Periscope. Here are some ideas:
1. New Product Release – People are always drawn to
novelty. Showcase a product in anticipation of a release date, do a live
unboxing or provide a firsthand look at beta testing and prototypes.
2. Live Q&A – This type of Q&A would be
perfect for more complex fields where people may not have the full
understanding of your products of services. You can use these opportunities to
humanize your brand, address pertinent issues and solve problems. Having a
regular Q&A session can lead to regular engagement and feedback from your
customers.
3. Celebrity Takeover – Even though your business
may not have access to a celebrity, you can use a local celebrity such as a
mayor or local expert to come on and speak. You could even create your own
“guru” for your business to do a Periscope Takeover and show customers some
tips and tricks for your products or services.
4. Behind the Scenes – As you may have been able to
tell from the big brands, behind-the-scenes streaming is very popular. Give a
factory or office tour, show some teasers of your process, and get people
engaged with your business.
5. Build Your Twitter – One of the biggest
advantages of using Periscope over other streaming apps is the ability to grow
your Twitter following. While Periscope may not stay forever, growing your
audience on multiple channels can help you communicate with your audience
better down the line.
Now is the time to start experimenting with Periscope if you
want to test if it’s a good fit for your business. Make sure you’re not doing
it just to do it. But at the same time, don’t assume live streaming isn’t right
for your brand. Consider how Periscope could humanize your brand through fun,
interesting, and entertaining glimpses into your world.
Need help with your Digital marketing or social media
strategy? Contact Sales & Marketing Technologies to discover new
possibilities to promote your brand and increase revenue through online
marketing channels.