Periscope is a new way to share what is happening around you. Instead of 140 characters of Twitter or 15 second videos of Instagram, you can have a live video broadcast. Live streaming is a new phenomenon as a popular mobile application but it has been around for a long time. Twitch, a website specialized in live streaming games, was acquired last year by Amazon for almost $1 Billion, so you can be sure there is audience out there willing to watch interesting live video.
This is not an introduction to Periscope as an application but a collection of best practices for getting started. To get you or your brand started on Periscope faster, these are my tips and tricks for beginners.
Prepare before jumping into action
You will not get the full benefits of a new platform on the first go. Host a few practice streams before a big event to teach your friends and fans how to use the new application. Periscope is a new app and many people are not familiar with it yet. Some even get frustrated when they do not understand how to access the stream. Asking people to check out the app ahead of time makes it easier to join your stream when it is live.
First, make sure your phone battery is fully charged. It will drain quickly but you will be fine for more than 30 minutes of streaming even without portable chargers.
Have an introduction before the action starts. Introduce yourselves and what the stream will be about and how to participate in the live action (Periscope comments on mobile for example). It will take a few minutes for the audience to tune in to your stream.
Think about your audio source. Generally, you will be fine if you are face to face talking / interviewing and the action is an arm’s length away from the phone. Any further than that and it might be difficult to understand everything, especially since the stream quality might be low at times. This is something you can only find out by testing the setting before the real deal.
Update: As Shimon Das, pointed out on Twitter, it’s also important to take your time on Periscope. When starting and ending the stream or switching between the main camera and the front camera, the app will cut you off for a few seconds. Thanks Shimon for a great pro-tip!
Take your fans behind the scenes with Periscope
The best stream I have done was an interview with two HERE developers regarding a new 3D transit visualization concept during which we did a demo and discussed how the idea helps people and how they came up with the idea.
Periscoping is a 2-person gig. During a live stream, you will get comments in the stream but can also receive related comments on Twitter. Monitoring both can make for a more successful broadcast. Depending on the stream length, it might be a good idea to tweet about the stream again, possibly with a picture. It might also be helpful for the second person to participate in the live stream as a viewer for sound quality control or answer some questions during a presentation when the streamer is unable to talk.
Are you considering to try Periscope personally or professionally? Would you like to read more about Periscope and how to use the app? Leave a comment or a request below.