How to Facilitate Better Periscoping at Your Next Event
Periscope, Twitter’s live video streaming app, lets you broadcast and explore your world through live video to see what’s going on around the world in real-time. The power of the app comes from its immediacy — anyone with a phone can press a button and stream for the entire world to see, making it a popular tool to cover live news, current events, politics, sports, and even your morning commute.
How do I get started?
Download the Periscope app for Android or iOS, and sign in using your Twitter account. From there, watch a few streams, interact with live presenters through the live chat or by tapping the screen to send hearts to show you like the content, and follow a few channels you find interesting. When you are ready to go live, just tap the red periscope button and say hi to the world!
Five ways to use Periscope at your next event
1. Peer-led content marketing
Live events are filled with content marketing moments. From a speaker’s presentation to round table discussions to product launches and trade show coverage — empower your audience to participate in your content marketing efforts by capturing the moments that matter and tagging them for all to find on Periscope.
2. VIP Q&A
Periscope live from back stage or from a VIP ready room and spend a few scheduled minutes talking with your most important speakers. Give your mailing list advanced warning of when it’s happening, so they have a chance to jump on and ask questions live.
3. Live tours
Assign a staff member with Periscope hours to walk around all parts of the venue, answering questions and stopping to casually interview people as they roam. Let your online audience get a feel for how awesome your event is from every angle.
4. Front row seats
Consider opening up select sessions for live streaming via periscope. Your online audience becomes a front row participant and has the ability to watch the presentation and ask questions directly through the app which can be answered on stage.
5. Virtual help desk
Having live staff on site opens up the possibility to live stream from the help desk, giving participants who are on-site or online a way to ask questions and get answers through live video.
Five ways to produce a better Periscope
1. Use the right equipment
It’s tempting to go live directly after pulling your phone out of your pocket, but with a little pre-production planning you can significantly increase the quality of the stream by attaching your phone to a tripod, using a phone with a high quality camera (like an iPhone or a Pixel), and by using an external mic.
2. Camera Positioning is Critical
Professional photography and videography is all about framing the shot. Take the time to find the right shot, and set it up in advance. This may be a shot from the front row, or from the stage itself, depending on the room configuration. Remember to keep the action centered in the middle of the screen at all times.
3. Test your stream while Live
Have a second set of eyes tuned into the Periscope at all times. By testing your stream on a second device you’ll be able to keep an eye on the stream quality and identify and correct issues before a larger audience tunes in. You can even use the in-stream chat to work out quality control issues in real time.
4. Fully charge your device before use
Once you start streaming you are at the mercy of your battery life. If you’re stationary, consider plugging in for the duration of your stream, if you’re mobile, consider the addition of a battery pack to extend the life of your streaming.
5. Connect to Wifi for best results
Hotel ballrooms are notoriously spotty with cellphone coverage. Connect to a dedicated wifi network if possible to ensure you have the bandwidth and the signal strength you’ll need to stream uninterrupted.
Originally published at cramer.com on December 2, 2016.
