A Look at Live Streaming Video Content

If you follow the latest news in social media, you may have noticed the rise in live streaming video platforms. Within six months, platforms like Meerkat, Periscope, Facebook Mentions, and Blab launched, all with the goal of getting people into live streaming video. In this post, we’re going to look at the pros and cons of jumping on board with trends like these and how they can affect your online marketing strategy.

Early Adopters Get the Most Recognition

One of the reasons to become an early adopter of the latest trends and technology in the marketing space is to get the recognition of an early adopter. Early adopters tend to grow a large following on newer platforms. They also get mentioned as example users in blogs and media outlets covering the news about the platform.

Growing a following on the new network will be the most useful in the early days of the platform before everyone else jumps on board. On live streaming video platforms that showcase people who are on air now, the earlier you are to use the platform, the more likely you are to get on the homepage and drive a large audience to your broadcast.

The downside to focusing on growing a following on a new platform is that your following may be lost if the platform ceases to exist in the future. From that standpoint, you will have built up an audience that is not portable to another network.

The coverage and exposure your business receives as an early adopter of an emerging tool is going to be beneficial in getting your name in front of new audiences. From a content standpoint, it means your business is going to get a lot of positive press, assuming you use the new platform the right way. From an SEO standpoint, you should also come away with some great links from your coverage.

Your Business Will Generate Great Video Content

If your business has been struggling to create video content, live streaming video platforms will make the the process easier. Live streaming video is much more forgiving – unlike commercial videos, you don’t have to have the best equipment for audio or video. All you need is a stable stand for your mobile device or a simple webcam.

For those uncomfortable with streaming just themselves on video, which is all you can do on Meerkat, Periscope, and Facebook Mentions, platforms like Blab allow you to gather up to four people at a time for a live streaming video session. That way, you can stream with colleagues or invite guests to stream with.

As the host of a live streaming session on Blab, you also have the added benefit of being able to download the audio and video files for your recorded sessions. Unlike other platforms, this means that you have content you can share as podcasts on iTunes, soundbites on SoundCloud, and video across all the major video platforms including YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook. It also means that if the network ceases to exist, you will not lose the content you have created.

How the Live Streaming Platforms Compare

In terms of the live streaming video platforms that are out at the moment, the best one for gaining exposure for your business and helping you create content that you can use beyond the platform itself is Blab. Meerkat, Periscope, and Facebook Mentions allows you to live-stream yourself in portrait format. The content lives on within the platform in some cases, but is otherwise gone once the live stream has ended.

Blab, on the other hand, allows you to have up to four people and allows you to save recorded video. In addition, you can gain exposure for your business by simply joining another host for their Blab chat. While you won’t get the video file for yourself, it gives you a chance to get to know the platform and introduce yourself and your business to a new audience.

Considerations for Choosing a Trending New Platform

With the above points in mind, you should consider the following when deciding whether you want to be an early adopter of new trends and technology.

• What will be the long-term benefits of becoming an early adopter of a new platform?
• Can you capitalize on media coverage as an early adopter of the new platform by creating content that will attract new customers to your business?
• Will you be able to save the content you create for the new platform and share it across multiple channels?
• How will you take the large audience you develop on a new platform and move them to a platform you have more control over, such as your email address?

Most new platforms have short term benefits that early adopters will experience. Justify the investment in time you make with any new platform by looking at how the platform will benefit you in the long run. In the end, if you can come out with a larger audience and evergreen content that you can use for years to come, it’s a good investment.