This episode of the #Authority HoA was originally streamed live on August 5th with featured guests Madalyn Sklar & Andreea Cojocariu, and hosted by Melissa Fach, produced by Michelle Stinson Ross, and color commentary from AuthorityLabs CEO, Chase Granberry. Below we a have a quick written recap, the video and a podcast from the hangout.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Periscope live streaming app, Matt Mansdfield has a great introduction to Periscope.
The Recap
Melissa Fach: Since the only text associated with Meerkat or Periscope is a title, what best practices have you discovered when it comes to titles?
Andreea says the basic best practices you use for any title apply here as well. Make sure you make great use of keywords/topics for which you are building brand authority. Also be mindful of use of relevant hashtags, since Periscope is sharing to Twitter. Madalyn reminds us that researching and testing are important when it comes to creativity and “click-bait” kinds of titles. Although you may see particular creative approaches working for other ‘scopers, that same tactic may not resonate as well with your brand’s particular followers. By all means test all kinds of creative, but do it to find what works best for your brand.
Don’t forget that these titles also become Tweets that are crawled and show up in Google search. You are building brand authority in Periscope, on Twitter, and in Google search with each well crafted title.
MF: Small businesses, big brands, individual entrepreneurs … Who is Periscope for and should they jump into this right away?
Madalyn chimed in on this question first, saying that Periscope is a fit for everyone. Currently Periscope is removing marketing barriers for all kinds of people and businesses. Let your business needs and goals guide you as to how you might put Periscope to work for you. Then take the time to learn what’s going on in Periscope first. Madalyn advises that you need to watch and learn for a while before you turn on your first broadcast. There are far too many businesses jumping into the deep end without really understanding the community. There is potential to harm your brand perception if you make a misstep because you didn’t take the time to learn first.
Andreea reminded us that as with all social media, it’s important to listen first. For people that have yet to really build a following or a name for themselves Periscope provides a great opportunity to interact in a very relaxed and authentic manner with people one on one.
MF: How should marketers balance the exclusively live “you’re missing out” perception of live streaming with the ability to capture, polish, and upload to YouTube or Vimeo?
Madalyn says that live streaming has the advantage when it comes to being real and authentic. Polished, perfected, and packaged video content tends to lose that authenticity that our fellow human beings crave. She adds that she doesn’t see this replacing the well produced video content, but rather augmenting it in a way that invites people into the authenticity behind the polished brand presence.
Andreea says that people want to connect to a real person and connect one on one. The benefit of live streaming is also in the ability to test potential video content with our audience before we invest in the full production of a fully realized video piece. The ability to experiment in a way that is easy and highly cost effective should put Periscope on every brand’s radar.
MF: Where are the potential pitfalls for brands launching into something so live and “uncontrolled” as these behind the scenes looks into their business?
Andreea be mindful that you are putting your reputation on the line. People are watching to see what you have to say. Beyond the usual temptations to slip out of professional behavior, keep in mind that your brand has responsibilities to abide by copyrights, NDAs, and other legal considerations.
Madalyn reminds us that the small mistakes of getting tongue tied or searching in the moment for the right way to express a thought are actually good things. It proves that you are as human as the rest of us and have to function in the real world. Do the best that you can and don’t overthink it. The reality of putting yourself out there in the moment can really ramp up the know, like, and trust factor. Technology like this is enabling us to move from B2C and B2B to H2H (Human to Human)
Check out these Periscope users to learn more about the platform and how to use it:
Madalyn and Andreea both had much to share about how to repurpose and reuse the content you create while live streaming. We also had lots viewer questions throughout the hangout. Be sure and check out the entire video or listen to the podcast and tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Video and Podcast
Our Next Hangout, August 19th, 2 PM EST
Be sure to mark your calendars now and join us for the next #AuthorityHoA to discuss Enterprise SEO with Carolyn Shelby and Scott Polk.
