How to Use Periscope to Live Stream for Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

Periscope is a live streaming app that enables the user to broadcast from anywhere. This can be a good tool to add to your social media marketing arsenal. Like Instagram and Snapchat, Periscope is only available as a mobile app. Thus, you live stream directly from your smartphone.

Your customers don’t have to be members of Periscope to watch a live stream, so you can link to your Periscopes from your Twitter and Facebook accounts so anyone can watch. However, live Periscope videos aren’t permanent. After 24 hours, the video expires and is removed from your account. You still have the option to save the video to your mobile device, after which you can upload it to YouTube or another platform for viewing forever.

Periscope also offers live viewers the ability to interact with the person doing the livestream. They can comment, ask questions, and share feedback and reactions.

Currently, Periscope has more than 100 million active users.

Some of the benefits of Periscope follow:

• Share an event as it happens. You can livestream a keynote address, a musical performance, or the office holiday party. Make sure you have permission, though, because copyright laws are still in effect.
• Use different methods to take video. Use a drone, a digital camera, or GoPro to livestream video. Take your audience to new heights, and don't rely solely on your smartphone.
• Draw on the screen. Periscope Sketch enables the user to draw onscreen as the livestream is taking place to better highlight an area or illustrate a point. Sketches are a temporary part of the video, lasting only a few seconds.
• Save and upload your video to another platform. Although video lasts for only 24 hours on Periscope, you can save the video to upload it to a more permanent platform, such as YouTube.
• Engage with your customers and community. You can see community reactions as they happen and respond in kind.
• Enjoy an unlimited video length. Livestream for as little or as long as you like. The only thing that’s stopping you is your smartphone’s battery life.
• Reach a new demographic on a new platform. Attract new customers from the Periscope community.

Intrigued? Here’s how to get started with Periscope:

1. Download the Periscope app from the App or Google Play store.
2. Sign in to Periscope using your Twitter account or phone number.
3. (Optional) Choose up to 14 people to follow. Tap Next.

   If you don't want to follow anyone at this time, tap Skip.

4. (Optional) Set up notifications. Toggle the buttons to determine which notifications to keep on or turn off.

   Or tap the Skip button.

You’re ready to go live!

Take these steps to livestream your first video:

1. Tap the camera icon, at the bottom of your screen.
2. Tap the screen where it says Enable the Camera, Microphone, and Location.

   You have to do all three to take your first video. Periscope must know your broadcasting location, but that location won't appear on your livestream.

3. Enter a title for your livestream.
4. Select your privacy options, and then tap the check icon.

   For example, you’ll be asked if you want to tweet your location, set limits for chat, set privacy options for livestreams, and add your location to your stream. You can also choose Leave as Public or tap the drop-down to create a group of followers to show the video to.

5. Tap Go Live.

You’re now live!

When you swipe right during your broadcast, you can turn your camera angle between front facing and rear facing.