By Peter Daisyme
Periscope is one of my favorite tools at the moment because of the video streaming and broadcasting capability it offers. I have used it in my business for many marketing strategies, including how-to videos, my online invoicing and payments platform, podcasts, and directly speaking to my target audience and customer base. With Periscope, my customers and prospects see the world through my eyes, which helps them understand and connect with me as the force behind the company's brand.
Not only has Periscope let me leverage the growing preference for videos and live chats, but it has also provided me with a platform where I can be in my element. I've found it helps develop trust in customers. This tool is so easy to use, with understandable directions that will have you up and running in the online broadcast world in a matter of minutes.
If it wasn't cool enough, the Twitter-owned company just made Periscope even better. Below are some of the newest features that Periscope offers, plus ways that I plan to put them to use.
Create Relevant Hashtags With Broadcast Search
Being able to search for a broadcast by title or topic means that those interested in what my business has to offer will more easily find me since I may not always be able to identify them. This feature now also lets me add a relevant hashtag by tapping the "broadcast" button, or putting the hashtag into the title of my video broadcast. I will be interested to see how many followers I can gain with this enhanced search functionality.
When creating titles and hashtags for these videos, I use what I know about my customers and prospects from my research, focusing on the type of keywords they would use and subjects that appeal to them. Those words must be in the title and hashtag to get to them quickly. It's a similar process to what I use for my mobile search strategies, which I regularly update as I find more keywords my audience uses.
Bring Drones and GoPros to Company Events
While I haven't yet played around with using a drone, I do have a GoPro, which means I can add a little more action to my broadcasts. While I may not have the most action-oriented company, I already envision having some great fun showing my audience around our offices and giving them a different perspective on my day. This "extra action" can only help further the personal brand I'm trying to build alongside my company.
To set up a DJI drone, simply connect your iPhone to the drone's remote. I'm confident this drone will add a new dimension to video streaming and broadcasting that will attract more viewers who already like watching drone or GoPro feeds.
Use both devices to showcase a product or service and demonstrate more of the action at an event, putting the viewer in the middle of it all. You can also use them for community and volunteer work to illustrate how your team works and plays together.
Syndicate and Monetize Broadcasts
The ability to have more control over my broadcasts and access them over a longer period of time means I can reach more people who may have missed the original broadcast, and offer a fresh look at what I've already created. This helps get more mileage (and results) out of the marketing efforts. Saving these broadcasts is as simple as putting #save in the title of the broadcast.
Plus, the longer availability of previous broadcasts means that I can figure out a way to monetize this video content and use it in other profitable ways. This includes my social media premium video content and our knowledge center content that we offer as part of learning packages. Other companies may be able to r-sell the video content as part of training packages, depending on their industry.
Measuring Up Against Other Live Stream Tools
The good news about Twitter's additional features for Periscope is that it's now on a level playing field with Facebook's Livestream platform. At this point, I wouldn't choose one over the other. If anything, my ability to use both within my online marketing strategy has provided greater audience coverage. Now, I can reach out to more prospects with their preferred video content format to keep them engaged.
Peter Daisyme is a special adviser to Due, an invoicing and payments company helping small business owners transact money online. He has been a CPA for the past 18 years. He recently sold his previous company Hostt.