Live streaming isn’t new, but it’s time in mainstream adoption might have arrived.
Periscope, which was bought by Twitter, is one of the live stream video apps that have popped up on the social media network scene this year. The other is Meerkat, which gained widespread awareness with early adopters at the South by Southwest Interactive festival in early March.
Rumors have it that Meerkat might be acquired by Facebook, which would certainly change the game again, though no one knows for sure.
In the meanwhile both apps, which were at first only available on the iPhone, are now available on both iOs and Android platforms. However, Periscope was first to market with its Andoid App.
Live Streaming Alternatives
As far back as 2007, there were a rash of live stream start ups, including UStream, LiveStream, Justin.tv (now Twitch.tv and owned by Amazon), and Bambuser. I can remember live streaming from my Blackberry on UStream in circa 2008.
Other alternatives include Skype, which allows private communication and group calls in the premium version, and Google+ Hangouts, which allows group broadcasts and automatically saves to YouTube if you set it up that way (On Air).
All of these live stream companies are still alive and well and can be considered great alternatives to both Periscope and Meerkat for certain uses. They certainly have a lot more features, including the ability to embed a broadcast in a webpage, save a broadcast and host of other things the new startups are many development cycles away from getting done.
Video Community
The one thing the two new darlings DO have is community. Periscope and Meerkat are positioning themselves more as social networks than as live streaming services for video production. This will make them important to watch (and learn about) over the next year as more people adopt, or don't adopt them.
With more asynchronous video in social networks like Facebook and YouTube, along with the more trendy Snapchat, Vine and Instagram gaining popularity, it makes sense that live video would make a resurgence.
Which social network do you think will win out?
Next week we will look at tips for using Periscope and Meerkat.
I peeked at the alternatives and the one big difference I see is price. If you need live streaming professionally, the others look great. But if you’re small, the community along with the “free” price tag is definitely a plus.
I’m guessing there’ll be some charge for premium things on Periscope and Meerkat someday. But for now, they seem to be the best for those of us on a tight budget.
Bon;
True, some DO cost money and some don’t. For instance, Google+ is free, has some community, and auto records to YouTube for you if you want it to.
I think you make an excellent point though that the new kids on the block are more about the community, and the fun hearts on Periscope make it interesting, too.
Another good alternative is Blab.
It encourages audience (well, up to 4 people) to participate in the discussion. So far, it’s my favourite. 🙂
Hi Kami,
There is no one way to use these tools so they can have multiple purposes. However, we can’t and shouldn’t do them all.
I’m a big believe in knowing your specific audience and where they hang out. For example, YouTube and Facebook is great for me because I work with entrepreneurs and business owners. Many cannot watch in real time BUT they can watch recorded video.
That’s just one example though… I do like Periscope and have found it easy to use, convenient and I can save the video to my iPhone 6s and upload it to YouTube or social media from there. So in that sense it’s the best of all worlds.
Have a great end to your week Kami it was great to connect on Twitter!
~ Don Purdum
Recording it on your phone is a good idea. I totally agree that recorded video is an important piece of the puzzle. I think the immediacy of the feedback in livestreamimg fuels it’s popularity.
I am still not getting the hang of Periscope. I have been enjoying Blab though. I like the video interaction.