The Scoop on Periscope & My Favorite Video Tools for Social Media Are you on Periscope yet? If nothing else, you probably keep hearing about it, and you ve probably heard me talking about how much I love it, too. I can sense something big is coming, so I wanted to share some tips on Periscope to tip you off. I also want to pass along my favorite tools for video that can be used to film your own periscope broadcasts or any other content for social media. This is one of those rare moments where time is of the essence and you have a chance to be an early settler on a new social platform that I m predicting will be HUGE And regardless of whether you decide to use Periscope or not, this information will benefit you. But before we dig into the good stuff, there are two things you need to know #1 DISCLAIMER: I am not a Periscope expert (It s only been around for about 3 months). I m not a fan of people claiming to be experts on forms of social media they haven t figured out yet so I won t claim to be an expert. However, I AM having fun researching Periscope, and I m sharing what I ve found to be working so far. #2 Now before you make the argument Do I REALLY need another social media platform? You DON T! You absolutely do not. If the mere mention of this has you stressed out or feeling anxious because you still need to get a handle on Facebook, Instagram or any of the others I m here to tell you you don t need another social media account. But if you haven t fallen in love with any of them or gotten traction on any platform, maybe Periscope is for you? Who knows? What we do know is that it s easiest to have a big following if you re one of the first people there. So I will say this At least open up an account and get a sense of what s going on, so that 4 years from now, you re not the person going soooo how do I dominate on Periscope? Why not figure it out now and be one of those early settlers?? Ok let s do this! In this article, I will cover: ü What is Periscope and how can you use it ü How to set up a Periscope account ü My favorite video tools for filming high quality videos from your phone (for Periscope broadcasts or ANY social media site) ü How to run a broadcast, current best practices and how to use this platform to build your online business ü How to repurpose your Periscope broadcasts on your other social media platforms to grow your list Page 1
So What s the Scoop on This Periscope Thing? Periscope is an app owned by Twitter. It runs on both Androids or iphones and allows you to broadcast live using the camera on your smart phone. It s crazy simple, is a super easy tool for running live broadcasts, and the social aspect makes it even more fun. While tuning into the broadcast, your viewers can tap the screen to send a stream of hearts to show their like or appreciation for what you re sharing. In my opinion, the brightly colored stream of hearts, the ability to share on social media, and the ability to interact with viewers via comments makes this app stand out from any other live broadcasting medium. How do you get it? Well, it s free! All you have to do is download it from your app store. When searching for Periscope in the app store, you will find several search results. Download the app that is associated with Twitter. Download the Periscope App for iphones: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/periscope/id972909677?mt=8 Download the Periscope App for Androids: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.periscope.android&hl=en How to Start A Periscope Account After downloading the app, you will set up your profile. Write a few sentences about yourself that explain who you are and what people can expect when they come to your channel. Be sure to link to your Twitter account. This way you can share your broadcasts and alert followers that you re live via Twitter. You will also want to include your website URL, preferably a link to one of your freemiums where people can give you their email address to receive more helpful content from you in order to build your email list because ultimately that s the goal in social media. Include a great photo for your bio pic that shows people what to expect when they follow you. Page 2
My Favorite Video Tools for Filming High Quality Videos from Your Phone These are the tools I use, love and recommend to all my friends when it comes to filming great videos for your online business. You don t need a studio and a ton of costly equipment. You can start with just your smart phone and some of the tools listed below, and create high quality footage for extremely cheap. Because I use and recommend these tools, I am an affiliate for some of the things I have listed below (meaning I get a commission when someone uses my link to make a purchase). If you use my link (just copy/paste in your browser), I greatly appreciate it however, please don t feel like you need to. These are just great tools that I would recommend regardless of whether you use my link or purchase it directly from the source. I hope you find these tools as helpful as I do! Stellar Ring Light: Circular light that provides a professional look and great lighting http://www.stellarlightingsystems.com/stellardiva-18-ring-light-w-o-dimmer-stand/ Lumee Case Light: A smart phone case that lights up your face http://www.amazon.c om/gp/product/b00m U3OXO4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=17 89&creative=9325&c reativeasin=b00mu 3OXO4&linkCode=a s2&tag=chalejohns- 20&linkId=JBF3KC4 QFGJ2K6QP Rode lavelier mic: An afforadable microphone you can clip onto your shirt for better sound quality http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/b00b HN05H2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=17 89&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BH N05H2&linkCode=as2&tag=chalejohns- 20&linkId=NF3C7PBNFE7UFYT2 Cannon: My favorite camera brand is a Cannon. While this is a bit more of an investment, it will give you incredible quality in your videos and is a great upgrade from your smart phone videos if you are filming often. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/b00bw6l WO4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&cam p=1789&creative=9325&creativeasin=b00bw 6LWO4&linkCode=as2&tag=chalejohns- 20&linkId=7IBPRRTT2FDJUUW2 Page 3
Smart Phone Stand: Ideally a portable one small enough to fit in your purse/bag. iphone 6 Plus: Great smart phone for filming. Super high quality and the large screen makes it easy to check your shot. AGFAPhoto wit Adapter Memory storage and adapter for mobile devices. http://www.agfapho to.com/appc/conten t_manager/page.ph p?id=207770&dbc =bed4a3d162d967 c64cefd5e601711b 9d http://www.amazon.c om/gp/product/b00t6 LVH74/ref=as_li_tl?ie =UTF8&camp=1789& creative=9325&creati veasin=b00t6lvh74&linkcode=as2&tag=chal ejohns-20&linkid=64ncfad7yqdiwsvb Phone holder with Suction Cup Mount: Allows you to attach your mobile device to a wall, window or mirror while filming. http://www.amazon.com/ gp/product/b00reaeas M/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=17 89&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00REAEAS M&linkCode=as2&tag=chalejohns- 20&linkId=CXTVHF3R4HKWC2NA Other Helpful Links for Capturing Your Periscope Broadcasts: http://katch.me/ http://watchonperiscope.com Page 4
How to Run Your First Periscope Broadcast Before you go live Watch other Periscope broadcasts to see what it s like. Here are a few that I watched to help me get a sense of how to use the site as well as some of my favorites. Keep an eye on these as the broadcasts only stay up for 24 hours. People to Watch: Chalene Johnson (shameless plug) Kim Garst Natalie Jill Fitness Chris Ducker Watch these broadcasts to get a sense of what to do, what to avoid, and how to balance reading and responding to questions versus sharing content and valuable information. Create a really catchy title for your broadcast as well as a description and store it on a note in your smart phone, so you can quickly copy and paste before your broadcast begins. Your title/description should tell people what to expect and give them an action to take (such as to tap for hearts or ask a question). As of now, I m noticing that the use of emoji s in your title really helps your broadcast to stand out. Broadcasting Best Practices A few best practices for your live broadcast ü Be brief keep it to the point and under 15 to 20 minutes max. ü Periscope automatically begins your broadcast using your back facing camera lens, so point your phone at something interesting your desktop with a graphic, a photo, your logo print out, or a nice setting. ü Let people know that you will begin in a minute. Greet and acknowledge viewers and give shoutout s before turing the camera on you. ü When you re ready to begin, use the camera icon in the upper right hand corner to flip the camera on you (your front facing lens). ü Remember, that what your viewers are seeing is your mirror image. The heart stream is actually on the opposite side of their screen compared to yours. ü Remind people to tap the screen to give hearts or show their appreciate/like for something in your broadcast as well as leave comments and questions. Page 5
ü Use a call to action for hearts as this increases your popularity and reach on Periscope. Try doing a hearts contest ( I will follow back the top 3 people who gave the most hearts ) or use hearts as votes for something related to the topic you re speaking on. ü The more frequently you run Periscope broadcasts, the more reach you will get. ü Include a call to action in the beginning and end of your broadcast. For instance, If you stay to the end, I will give you a way to download my free ü Use good lighting. Test your lighting by using your front facing camera on your phone before you begin. I highly recommend using a ring light or the Lumee case light suggested above. ü Turn on your notifications to receive an alert when the people you follow are broadcasting live, and remind your viewers to follow you and turn on their notifications as well to see future broadcasts. ü To stop your broadcast, pull down at the top of your screen. How to Repurpose Your Periscope Broadcasts on Your Other Social Media Platforms Since your Periscope broadcast is only live for 24 hours, you will want to choose the option in your settings to save video to phone when doing a broadcast. That way, you don t lose all of your footage. Right now, the easiest way to repurpose this content is by saving it to your phone or by playing the footage on your desktop and using Quicktime to record your screen. To view your Periscope from your desktop, go to www.watchonperiscope.com another great tool that was recommended by my friend Kim Garst who is crushing it on Periscope. I have been watching her broadcasts to learn more about how to effectively use Periscope for growing your online business. As of now, following the broadcast, my team is plays the rebroadcast from their desktop and does a screen recording using Quicktime. This way we can strip the audio from the recording on my phone and match it to a larger, higher quality video filmed from the desktop. My team then edits down these videos (taking off the intros and outros and interaction with viewers) to create short, valuable content videos that can be shared and repurposed on other social media platforms. This way, you get more bang for your buck and more reach for the time you are spending creating content to grow your list! Page 6