Introducing Periscope Live Streaming
Today, I am introducing Periscope live streaming. Periscope is a live streaming social media app that runs right off of your cell phone. Now, you can broadcast yourself around the globe. In this post, I am going to share my own first experience with Periscope, how to use periscope, and then talk about the benefits of using live streaming as a blogger, brand, or influencer.
Below is a picture of what Periscope looks like when you are using it. I added some word swag to the top so I could use this screen shot as a cover image for another post (by the way, if you like all the little graphics I have, get this app. It’s the best $4 you will ever spend on stylized typography). In Periscope if you like what a person is saying, you are able to tap on the screen and give them hearts, which in turn is added to their total hearts on their profile. You can also type in messages that pop up on boxes on the bottom of the screen to interact with the broadcaster too.
If you are interested in the app, download the app for your device on Periscope’s home page. After you download the app, you can use your twitter credentials to log in. Your twitter handle will also become your Periscope handle. Make sure to follow me @ChrisAshbach, and follow my blog @dan330msp.
My first experience
I can’t say I was one of the first users of Periscope, but I was within the first 10 million. I think I can honestly say that makes me an early adapter, especially because I am teaching so many other users about it. The first time I saw Periscope was when my wife was following someone at a Young Living conference who was using it. My first reaction was “No! Not another media!” But that quickly changed for me as I started to understand it. (By the way, here’s a little aside: Young Living sells essential oils and the FDA requires they can not make any claims about their product. Because of this, they ramble on and on about nothing. DO NOT adopt this strategy. It’s like watching the Kardashians without being able to see any of the train wreck that is their lives. I found their periscopes to be dreadfully boring. This, coming from a guy who is happy to pick up an 800 page book and slog through it over 4 months.)
How To Use Periscope
Periscope is another tool for content creation. Like all social medias, you only have a license to use their platform. You don’t own anything there. So, make sure you save all that content you make and get it on your own site!!!!! The default method for saving this content is to save it to your camera roll after the ‘scope is done. However, I have not always had that option on long ‘scopes. This will only download the audio anyway. A better way to download the entire video including the live comments is to use a program like quicktime and record a screencast of it. I’ll write a post on how to do that coming up.
As a content creator, you already know how to make great content. But the style of Periscope is generally relaxed and informal. Some flexibility in your own systems is probably very helpful in figuring out your best way to use periscope. Think about one idea though: As you live stream, your face and voice become your brand, not just your content. This makes for a much richer and personal experience for readers and customers. I am going to write a post on this later too. But as you are just getting started, just consider how this could change your blog in a rich and effective way.
Here’s what I do: I have two strategies when creating content with Periscope live streaming:
- Anything I think is interesting, entertaining, or funny, I ‘scope. The users will let you know if it actually is. For example, I did a periscope of three deer rutting around in my yard and the 13 minute Periscope had 325 live viewers and nearly 6 hours of viewing by the end. I recorded this one and turned it into a blog post linked in the previous sentence. Other times, I will go for a couple minutes and have three viewers. I just delete those. Clearly people didn’t care so I am not going to put it on my site.
- I also have the “Sometimes Nearly Daily Social Media and Blogging Tips Periscope Show.” When I have a great social media or blogging idea, I share it on periscope and answer my viewer’s questions live. Then I transcribe it, record the scope, and put it all together on my blog. I organized these into a series and BAM! Now I have a whole series on social media and blogging tips. Each post has pictures, videos, and text.
I get some flak from older people about constantly being on my phone. To them I say: Here’s a random picture of me Periscoping some deer in my yard that will drive you crazy.
and … This is picture of me Periscoping the Tower of Terror during IZEAFest 2015: Guess which one I am … (front row center on left side).
Let’s face it, Periscope lives streaming and social media is a wonderful thing for users and for businesses. Some people just need to come around on the idea a little bit more. The other day, I actually found a restaurant that does not allow cameras. Can you guess who will never ever ever ever ever be on my blog or on a Periscope? Them. I’d tell you their name, but I am protesting them and I don’t want to even give them that. If you are a restaurant owner and you don’t think your food is picture worthy, why are you serving it to customers? I digress…
What to do with this content?
Any time you make content, it should support your brand or blog. Have an idea of what kind of things work for you. Then, when the opportunity arises, or you organize your ‘scope show, you can start the creation. But then what? Here’s a step-by-step flow of what I do:
- I am looking for things that are funny, entertaining, or interesting so that I am always ready to record them. Or, I have organized a Periscope show and have notes on what I want to say. Either way, this content has the potential of making it onto my blog so I take it seriously.
- Record your Periscope. If the subject is not under my control, I start immediately. If it is my show where I am talking, I will say “Hi” and ask people to share for 3-4 minutes to pick up viewers. Then I start the show.
- After the Periscope, I record the video from my phone.
- I edit out all of the boring stuff before and after my real message or the subject. You can add music to the back if you like. I use Final Cut Pro. But iMovie or other programs can work too.
- Upload your video to YouTube where you can monetize it on their platform. Add a card pointing people to the blog giving you a link back and traffic.
- Write your blog post. Give a 1-2 paragraph introduction to what readers are looking at so they know what the heck is going on. Then Embed the video from YouTube into your blog post. This will help make the post rich and keep people on your page longer. Plus, it is great for SEO purposes. Finally, transcribe the text from the video and make it a block quote at the end so you have lots of searchable text.
- Days later, upload the video to Facebook, where it can also point traffic and links to your blog.
- Days later, upload the video to Twitter for the same reasons.
- Declare Victory.
Why It This So Cool?
It lets you have some personality. How many blogs do you go to that are so technically clean and pretty that it almost looses it’s flavor? You don’t have to worry about that. Social media and blogging should be about real people sharing real ideas and experiences together. Live streaming offers a great tool to do that.
Periscope live streaming quickly makes content. Rather than taking hours to write out a formal blog post, I can Periscope a message in 5 minutes and have it into a blog within half an hour. I just find some freelancer to transcribe for me.
Not all bloggers will adopt this and will create a huge opportunity for those who do. The fact is that of the pool of bloggers out there, many will not take the big step toward video or live streaming setting us apart.
Our personality becomes our brand. Anyone can hire a writer and a photographer to make a great blog post. But nobody can hire someone else to make a good video of themselves live. This protects your brand as people associate with you as a person, not an account on social media, and it ads a depth and richness that you otherwise couldn’t have.
So there you have it. Periscope because it adds richness, makes blogging easier, and helps you connect in much deeper, more meaningful ways with your readers. Until next time, see you on Periscope!
