If you are looking for expert advice on Periscope, I am not your woman. I am an entrepreneur contemplating whether I should join Periscope. After all, you always hear that you should not be on every social media platform, and I am already active on quite a few. If I am joining a new platform, it should definitely help make me more successful.
As I do keep hearing positive sounds about Periscope, I have done some research about this platform, and I wish to share it with you. Experts generally seem to agree that you (and I) should be on Periscope, especially if you are an entrepreneur or small business owner. I have created a list of the 11 most common reasons that I have come across.
What is Periscope?
Steve Olenski explains the background of Periscope. It was purchased by Twitter in February 2015 before the system had even been launched. Periscope is a live-streaming app that makes it easy to broadcast messages or have video conversations using your iPhone or Android.
You can make messages public or private, serving as your personal broadcasting station. That means you can go live “on the go” anytime and anywhere. If you have made your station public, anyone who joins your broadcast can see your live video. There is also an interactive element; users can click hearts, comment live, and share stations on Twitter.
Once the broadcast is over, others can replay it for 24 hours before it is removed from the Periscope app. Your videos are saved to your phone automatically, so you can publish them online, send them through email, watch them again, etc.
Kim Garst says that Periscope took only ten days to hit 1 million users and that four months after its launch date, the app was enjoying 10 million users. What is more, 40 years of content is viewed on Periscope every day.
11 Reasons Why Experts Believe an Entrepreneur Should Be on Periscope
Experts seem to agree on the following reasons why you and I should be on Periscope.
1. Periscope is an unsaturated market
Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Periscope is still growing, and at a rapid rate. According to Garst, businesses that have already recognized the potential inherent in interacting with their followers live are ahead of the game and proving that there is a lot of business application to the app.
The majority of brands have yet to embrace it, and Garst believes that this leaves an untapped opportunity for many small business owners to fill the gap and offer nuggets of value to Periscope users.
2. Periscope offers real-time engagement
Responding quickly on Facebook and Twitter feels the same, but Garst argues that nothing compares to customers being able to ask questions live on a Periscope broadcast and get an immediate response, or you being able to answer questions your viewers just asked in real time.
We want things now; otherwise, we move on to find them someplace else. Periscope allows for real-time engagement with viewers who are there in the moment, actively engaging with your live scope.
3. Periscope allows you to showcase the real you
Your viewers are seeing and connecting with a real person, not just the brand behind a page or account. According to Garst, this personal connection builds the “know, like, and trust” factor at an accelerated rate. People buy from those people they know, like, and trust.
According to Sara Angeles, Periscope is a creative way for customers to see other faces behind the products. If you do not have an office, home-based business owners can get in on the fun too, she claims. Showing your children, pets or other parts of your daily life is also a good way to showcase the real you.
4. Periscope offers unlimited business opportunities
Apparently, there are many ways for businesses to use Periscope in order to market their brand, products, and services. These ways include a:
- Behind-the-scenes look into how your product is made or what your offices look like
- Live Q & A
- Live tutorial
- Showcase of a new product launch
- Special promo code or coupon
- Live report of an event
5. Periscope enables you to have a whole new follower base
Garst says that one of the most surprising things she has discovered on Periscope is the new follower base. You may think that the people who follow you on other social platforms will be the same ones who follow you on Periscope, but Garst has found that most of her Periscope community is brand new. That means you can be in touch with a whole new set of business owners, marketers, bloggers, etc.
6. Periscope allows you to give product demonstrations
According to Angeles, Periscope is a great way to market your product more effectively, because you can give a live demo of how it works.
A photo sometimes just does not explain how the product works. By demonstrating your product on a Periscope broadcast, viewers can see exactly how it works. It also makes the product demonstrations feel more real and unrehearsed, giving the impression that your product really is easy to use.
If you are looking for more tips on how to demonstrate your product, the blog ‘The Simple Why and How of Product Demonstration Videos’ lists 5 reasons why videos should be an important part of your marketing mix, and reveals how you can simply create product demonstration videos in 6 steps.
7. Periscope allows people who cannot attend your live event to enjoy it still
If your company is hosting an event, Periscope lets audiences watch from all over the world, even if they cannot attend in person. That means you can reach a wider audience by broadcasting your event via Periscope.
8. Periscope is a great way to receive feedback
Because Periscope allows you to interact with viewers in real time, Angeles thinks it is one of the fastest and easiest ways to crowdsource feedback and other types of information. The simplest way to do so, she believes, is by conducting a survey.
9. Periscope takes customer service to the next level
Periscope allows your company to provide a personalized experience for customers that is interactive, informative, and fun. The video does not have to be perfect; it just has to be real. You can answer questions immediately and even use the moment as a cost-effective way to provide tech support.
10. Periscope is another spot where you can connect with influencers in your industry
To get noticed, Cas McCullough advises you to show up regularly to their broadcasts, make insightful comments, ask intelligent questions, and share their broadcasts on your social channels.
11. Periscope enables you to build your mailing list
McCullough says that Periscope broadcasts can also be an opportunity to build your mailing list. During your broadcast, ask viewers to leave their email addresses in the comments to sign up. Then enter the addresses into your database later. This may create a little extra work for you, but the signup process removes a barrier for viewers to join your mailing list.
McCullough does warn you to turn on opt-in confirmation emails, because you want to be certain you are complying with international email marketing regulations.
Am I Joining Periscope?
As the experts make good points, I am inclined to join Periscope. As it is just me in the office, I am a little worried about what to broadcast. The examples given do not always apply to my situation. I am moving to another office in a few weeks, so that could be a good start. I have already set up my account, using my Twitter account so I am ready to go. Who knows, Periscope might make me even more successful.
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