Monday 18 May 2015

Periscope – the latest social media craze to hit PR?

Having worked in communications for over 30 years, I know the how essential it is to adapt to changing trends to stay ahead of the competition. Within the past 10 years, the biggest trend any of us has experienced is social media.

It has revolutionised the way brands communicate and how we work.

The latest social media site we’re hearing about is Periscope. We’re told it’s the greatest platform since Twitter (well Twitter did pay over $86 million for it).

Can it be the next big thing in PR?

Periscope allows anyone to broadcast live from anywhere through their smartphone. Viewers can influence the broadcaster by sending messages. They can express their love for the stream by tapping their screen to send hearts – just like favoriting on Twitter or liking on Facebook.

This will give businesses a big advantage when it comes to widening their audience and talking to customers. Here’s how we’ve seen a few brands embrace Periscope so far:

  •  Subscription music site Spotify posted a behind-the-scenes video with Irish folk singer Conor O'Brien from the band, Villagers. The live stream pulled in 382 viewers and racked  up 1,534 hearts


  •    Pepsi-owned Mountain Dew used Periscope to create a short video, "Stop by to say what's up." It showed a girl spelling out the word "Swag" on a chalkboard with a table full of branded T-shirts and hats in front of it


  •        Energy drink brand Red Bull tried out app during Miami Music Week and live streamed events at its Red Bull Guest House in March this year


  •       DKNY gave its social media followers a look into its fashion closet. Many fashion brands use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to give people  a peek into their world, so expect to see Periscope grow in this sector


Periscope is also perfect for live streaming product launches. Food companies could use it to demonstrate recipes and the best way to use their products. It can also give customers a behind-the-scenes look into their favourite brands and see how the products they love come to life.

The possibilities are endless.

As Periscope is linked directly to Twitter, you can stream directly through your Twitter feed. This is going to be a major plus for businesses. It removes the hard work involved in building a following, which, as many companies know, is no easy task.

Even though Periscope has only been on the scene a couple of months, many of the world’s leading brands will be asking themselves how they can maximise this exciting communication tool. 

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