Just two weeks ago, I didn’t even know the Periscope app existed.
And here I am today with six broadcasts under my belt, an Ultimate Periscope Resource Pageto share with you all,and now,a deeper discussion into why I think this app isworthexploring.
As we’ve already established,I’ve caught Periscope fever! Andwhile this is still a very new medium, andI have a lot to learn, one thing is very clear to me:
I don’t think Periscope is going to be just another fad. I think it’s here to stay. And I think it’s going to be a game-changer for us all–especially for bloggers and business owners.
Join me as we talk aboutwhythat is the case.
You can check out the Periscope discussion on the subject or the written out list, or both! Whatever floats your boat.
WhyPeriscope is Going to be a Game-Changer for Bloggers & Biz Owners
1. LIVE Periscope broadcasts tear down walls and forge personal connection.
Because of the LIVE nature of Periscope, viewers have the opportunity to engage with the broadcaster in a very real, down-to-earth way. And that exchange has the potential to break down walls and allow broadcasters to form more personal relationships with their audiences.
It can be easy to start to picture a blogger as their 2D profile photo–but during a LIVE broadcast on Periscope, 2D transforms into living, breathing, smiling 3D. And suddenly, it’s like your chatting over coffee withone of yourbest pals.
Prime example: if you visitNikki ElledgeBrown’s website, you can understand why I drool over hersleek site design and super fun photosof her in adorable dresses and pink lipstick. Oh, and her content is always killer.
Now, sometimes a very polished onlinepersonae like Nikki portrays on her blog has the potential tocome across as unrelatableor too put together; however, if you watch any of Nikki’s scopes, you’ll think otherwise.
In fact, get this: she has taken to calling her scopes “bariscopes” because of how frequently she broadcasts with a bare face, free of any makeup. Nikki’s bariscopes in part inspired me to take the plunge and shoot my first scoperight after going to the gym. (Bring on the crazy hair!)
Periscope has also allowed me to connect with Nikkipersonally, and having her answer one of my questions live turned me from a fan to a die-hard fan. As a blogger or biz owner, you know that that level of loyalty is hugewhen you’re trying to build your brand. It’s what we’realways shooting for…and I think Periscope will give us an opportunity to create a community of not just fans, but die-hards.
Take-away: Use Periscope tohelp you build a loyal community!
2. The collaborative energy on a LIVE scopebreeds creativity.
There’s an electric type ofenergywith the give-and-take that comes with having a live audience. And lemmetellya, the creative potential is astronomical.
Prime example: this week, I decided on a whim to host a Monday Night Dance Party on Periscope because…well…it’s Monday and we all could use a little pick-me-up.
Well, my audience was so completely engaged and sold out to the idea that together we got to dancing on our feet and decided tomake it a weekly affair. #MondayNightDanceParty
Now, did I plan that when I went into it? No way! But when you get 30 heads in a room instead of just one, the creative possibilities multiply.
We are more creative as a collective thanthe most creative person in the collective.
And we as bloggers and business owners have an incredible opportunity tofoster creative and collaborative environments with our scopesif we so choose.
So, pick your viewer’sbrains. Collaborate with them. And remember, you can dance if you want to! {Grin.}
Take-away: Use Periscope to magnify your creative potential.
3. Periscope providesa venue for instant feedback! #timesaver
Just as we can collaborate together and come up with new creative ideas together, we can use Periscope to poll a cross-section of our blog or business community and glean instant, action-able feedback. Do you know how incredibly valuable this is? And what a time-saver it is?
You have the opportunity to have individual connections with your communityIN. REAL. TIME. And yes, I rarely write in all caps on the blog, but that deserved it.
This is a great opportunity to learn what your community or your target audience is truly interested in without needing to go through the hassle of a survey form or an email to your list. It’s instantaneous, and allows you to feel out the group, askingquestions that come to your mind in the spur of the moment.
Then, the information you glean from your viewers can allow you to improve the viewer/reader experience across the board because (for example) you now know that the vast majority of your audience are also fairly new to the Periscope app like you…or so I discovered last night thanks to an informal reader poll I took.
Take-away: Conduct informal scope polls to glean instant feedback fromyour audience and empower them as shapers of your biz’s destiny!
4. Periscopeeliminatesthe hassle that usually comes with creating video content and improves productivity. #worksmarternotharder
Periscope is a perfectionist’s nightmare or dream, depending on how you look at it. But for this recovering perfectionist, it has set me free. Why?
Because the nature of the medium is that it’s live, which means you can create a scopein a fraction of the time it would typically take to create a well recorded, scripted, and edited video for YouTube (with all the fixins’ like voiceover, cut-aways, music, titles, credits, bloopers, etc.). In fact, the bloopers are all included within your scope! {Yuk yuk.}
And that’s okay on Periscope because no one expects perfection. It’s not the nature of the app.
So, in 30 minutes, I can create what typically would take me 9 hours. That’s a BIG difference, people. And a big amount of hassle eliminated.
Sure, I still wince a little when I watch one of my replays and see little mistakes I made…or how many times I said “like” or “um.” Or how I used the word “marathon” instead of “sprint.”
But here’s the thing: Periscope is so new right now, everyone else is in the same boat. Other scopers are making mistakes, too. And I know I’m not judging them for it. Nor should I expect my audience to judge me.
This is a new game, with new rules, and frankly, I think it’s a whole lot more fun to play.
Double-thumbs-up all the way.
Take-away: Watch your productivity sky-rocket when you discover how easy it is to create video content on Periscope.
5. One Periscope broadcast can be repurposed across multiple platforms.
While the broadcast replays vanish from Periscopeafter 24 hours,you can adjust your settings so that that your broadcasts auto-save to your camera roll. That content is now yours to keep and repurpose on other platforms such as YouTube or Facebook.
For instance, I took my scope on5 Strategies for Conquering the Fear of Public Speakingand uploaded it to YouTube, and then I embedded in a blog post of the same name. That’s a 3-for-1 deal right there. Additionally, I took a post from a year ago, 10 Lessons I Learned FromPlanning My Own Wedding, and dedicated two scopes to it, which you can now find embedded in the original post. Any additions to old posts that can improve the reader experience and offer more valuable content will improve your S.E.O. and build a more user-friendly collection of resources.
For someone like me who tends to takeforevercreating content, I’m feeling incredibly excited about what this means for improving my output andhaving new potential sources of income (think product creation, membership sites, YouTube monetization, a lead magnet for email subscribers, content for an eCourse). You’ve got a world of possibilities before you here.
Take-away: Jump on the opportunityto repurpose scopes and use that video content to grow your blog or business. 2 or 3 or more birds! One stone.
Your Turn
Has Periscope ignited something in you, too? Do you think Periscope is here to stay? Why or why not? Do share in the comments below!
And if you’re hungry for more, be sure to continue on and explore the other posts in this series by clicking the images below:
Over and out!
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