Steve Jobs once said, "Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future." That's the sense I have about Twitter's Periscope app.
From my personal experience using the app as a therapist and entrepreneur, I would like to suggest that it has the power to change the world for the better--a pretty hefty claim.
But consider this:
What if you could help emergency response organizations communicate vital information to the public, helping maintain calm and providing the best course of action to protect and save lives? What if you could connect with someone across the globe who is experiencing devastating emotional pain and doesn't know where to turn for help?
What if you could network with other entrepreneurs around the world, learn from their experiences and help one another build a stronger business and economy? What if you could do all of these things in real time from your phone?
Now you can.
Periscope is owned by Twitter and offers live, one-way streaming from any location to anywhere else in the world. No set, no studio, no video crew required, just you and your phone wherever and whenever you want to open the app and stream.
Through Periscope, I have watched the sunrise in Sydney, witnessed underwater snorkeling, and sat riveted as a fellow broadcaster (scoper) aired footage the night of the Paris attacks. All in real time from my phone.
Periscope is still in its infancy, having just been launched on March 26, 2015, but it's spreading like wildfire. Some estimate that as many as 20 million users and counting have already downloaded the live-streaming app.
Periscope is unparalleled in its ability to quickly and effectively build an engaging community of broadcasters and their audiences from around the world. Scopers have used the app to create brand awareness, share their corner of the world, offer life coaching and encouragement and help get the word out about developing emergencies.
Kerry Shearer, a leading Periscope expert, explains,
"The power of Periscope is huge for emergency response organizations. In emergencies, it is critical that public agencies communicate fast on social media. Periscope offers the opportunity to do just that, whether it is providing updates from the Emergency Operations Center, field, reports from the scene, or broadcasting news conferences with officials" (The Periscope Expert @KerryShearer).
As a therapist and entrepreneur, I'm able to offer encouragement and hope to literally thousands of people every week through my Periscope broadcasts. As I address my live audience, they post comments that appear on my screen, allowing me to respond immediately to their comments, questions and concerns.
This visibility and transparency, along with the ability to give immediate feedback, builds authenticity and creates trust between broadcaster and audience like no other social media platform available.
Now, with the rise of Periscope, a community summit has been born and is taking the world by storm. The Periscope Community Summit is a one-of-a-kind event for live streamers and is designed to help make our vast world smaller through the power of interaction. It's an event where Periscope enthusiasts can gather to learn more about how to most effectively use this powerful new tool.
The summit, founded by Ryan Bell (@Ryan_A_Bell) was first launched in New York City in September 2015, with raging success.
Here's what one Periscope user and broadcaster, Allie McAdam (@AllieMcAdam), had to say about her time at the New York City Summit earlier this year:
"I loved my trip to New York and even more the people I was able to connect with. The Periscope Summit was nothing less than a success in my eyes and an experience I will never forget!"
The next event, being held in San Francisco, California, on January 14-17, 2016, is projected to be even bigger and better, the largest live streaming event in the world.
Sponsors, celebrities, entrepreneurs and other influencers will take note of the Periscope Community Summit, so don't be left behind as this quickly emerging social network takes off.
According to Bell,
"The Periscope Community Summit will show again the power of true engagement on a live streaming platform. We're just getting started in showing new ways for everyone--whether you're just someone who wants to make new friends or an important brand or organization--to make new, and permanent, connections."
The above video is an actual Periscope stream of Ryan Bell, Founder of The Periscope Community Summit, talking about this very article. (The Periscope feed was recorded on Katch.me)
For the first time ever, common, everyday people like you and I can reach the globe with our message of hope and positivity through Periscope's distinctive platform. The January 2016, Periscope Community Summit will prepare us to do so with even more success.
If you, like me, want to learn all that you can to connect with as many like-minded and talented people as possible, you need to register for the Periscope Community Summit right away.
Whether you want the opportunity to have your business promoted live from the summit as a sponsor, desire to connect with other users or are simply curious about this cutting-edge social media platform, I encourage you to act quickly.
Tickets are projected to sell out very quickly. For more information about the upcoming Periscope Community Summit, (www.periscopesummit.com.)
And, if you want to get a glimpse of what Periscope is all about in real time, I invite you to visit and follow me at ( www.periscope.tv/johnpcordray.). It would be a privilege to meet you on Periscope!
You can also follow me on Twitter (@JohnPCordray)
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John Cordray is a National Certified Counselor and The Calm Expert on Periscope.
The Periscope Community Summits are not officially sponsored by Periscope or Twitter but by actual users of the platform.