social@ogilvy briefing: meerkat vs. periscope

11
Meerkat vs. Periscope Top Line Takeaways for Mobile Live Streaming April 2015

Upload: socialogilvy

Post on 14-Jul-2015

5.428 views

Category:

Mobile


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Meerkat vs. Periscope Top Line Takeaways for Mobile Live Streaming April 2015

2

Live Streaming

What Is Mobile Live Streaming? Live streaming video via your mobile device (smart phone or tablet) allows you to broadcast content to your audience as it happens. Various apps exist, with Meerkat and Periscope currently being the most prominent. What Makes It Special? •  Immediate shared experience: Much like live television, mobile live streaming

allows the user and any followers to share the content as it is being created— making it unique to Snapchat and Instagram, which only allow for uploading post-event.

•  Media implications: If mobile live streaming takes off, it will become a necessary and indispensible aspect of content publishing for journalists and brands alike. Users’ appetite for raw, instantaneous content could increase with the rise in mobile live streaming.

3

Meerkat

Meerkat: What is it? Meerkat is a live video streaming app that debuted with much fanfare in March, 2015 at South by Southwest (SXSW)— an annual music, film and interactive conference in Austin, Texas. “Meerkat combines the anything-can-happen drama of live television with the user-created intimacy of YouTube.” – Contently.com How Does It Work? •  Meerkat streams live video content to your Twitter followers. Open the app,

log-in with Twitter, click the “stream” button, and the app tweets out a Meerkat URL to your followers linking to the live stream.

•  Users can respond directly to tweets in the app, without having to switch

to Twitter. When streaming through Meerkat, the user interface shows the video feed, a list of viewers, as well as a mini-newsfeed of Twitter replies.

•  Once the live stream is over the video doesn’t live anywhere online. Similar

to Snapchat, content can be stored on the user’s phone and shared later.

Sources: Contently.com, “Despite the Hype, Is Meerkat Really Worth Your Time?” TheVerge.com: “How Meerkat Conquered All At SXSW”

-The Verge

4

Periscope

Periscope: What is it? Periscope is Twitter’s version of a live video streaming app that has also debuted this March. How Does It Work? •  Periscope streams live video content to the Internet. Similar to Meerkat, the

user to prompted to log in with Twitter. Periscope has the same general functionality though, due to the interface, there is more of a focus on discovering other streams. Comments on Periscope stay within the app.

•  Periscope features a map pinpointing the broadcaster’s location (optional).

Upon selecting a stream, the user interface is again similar to Meerkat with options to comment or ‘heart’ the stream. Swiping to the right reveals a map indicating the location of the stream.

•  Video content is less ephemeral— content is available for 24 hours

afterward. Users have the option to make content available for replay after posting.

Sources: The Daily Dot: “Why Is Periscope Obsessed with Fridges?” CNBC: “Twitter’s Periscope Tackles Live Streaming, Meerkat”

-The Daily Dot

5

What Makes Them Unique?

•  Content available for replay post-stream for 24 hours (optional)

•  Comments stay within the app, not posted to Twitter

•  Visual map of

broadcaster’s location

•  Users can make streams private or public

•  Users can build a following on the platform

•  Stream is only live; video able to be saved to user’s device

•  Comments appear in

app and on user’s Twitter feed

•  Meerkat content is

broadcast to all user’s followers

•  Real-time video streamed within app

•  Interactive features

including likes and comments

•  Leaderboard of app’s most popular users

•  Home page features feed of live stream videos from users worldwide

Sources: Contently: ”Will Periscope Kill Meerkat?”

•  Scheduled streams alert users when to tune in

6

Meerkat | Periscope

How can brands use it?

These two live streaming apps offer vast possibilities for brands, media outlets and even amateur journalists. •  Interviews at live events: Mashable has been actively using the platforms, taking on

the role of television reporter and asking a series of questions, both prepared beforehand as well as live questions taken from their viewers.

•  Teasing Content: Jimmy Fallon and other entertainers have used Meerkat to show

viewers a behind-the-scenes look at studio recordings and photo shoots. Celebrities Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kobe Bryant have reportedly been using Periscope.

•  Breaking News: Digiday believes the true potential in Meerkat is that users from all

over the world will be able to provide a live first-hand look at announcements, crises, or other significant moments in time.

•  Visual Live Chat: Some social media influencers have turned the camera around to themselves, responding in real-time, as viewers get a sense of authentic conversation.

•  Political Coverage: Similar to how Twitter had an impact on in 2012, These apps could

do the same for the 2016 presidential election. Even the White House Press Secretary has already done a Meerkat interview.

Sources: Digiday: “What Brands and Publishers Need to Know About Meerkat” Digiphile: “As Meerkat Election Hype Grows, the Presidential Primary Winner is Twitter” CNBC: “Twitter’s Periscope Tackles Live Streaming, Meerkat”

7

Meerkat | Periscope

What are the potential pitfalls? Meerkat and Periscope face challenges ahead, including potential legal ramifications and risks. •  Privacy is a major concern and potential hurdle for users of the app. While broadcasting in

public may not be illegal everywhere, some may be uneasy with the notion or being filmed. While it can be disabled, Periscope’s map feature may be too detailed for some. Personal rights and the legality of profiting from a Periscope or Meerkat stream are also being called into question.

•  Quality of content is another potential concern with live mobile video. As always, users –

individuals and brands alike – will need to beware the content they produce is worthy and not clutter. Live stream video apps like uStream and Justin.tv have had a difficult time taking off, largely due to a lack of interesting user creative. Videogame-focused app Twitch, has seen some success by targeting niche audiences.

•  Copyright Infringement will be an area of concern as live streaming sporting events, movies, concerts, and other live entertainment may become more prevalent. Corporations and artists will need to consider how to address a potential increase in users live streaming proprietary content and performances.

•  Censorship will be another issue as users are able to comment on any public stream, making it particularly difficult to control the experience from a brand perspective.

Sources: CBSnews.com: “New Live Streaming App Meerkat Prompts Big Privacy Concerns” Billboard: The Meerkat minefield: Legal Issues With Live-Streaming Apps

8

What’s the Verdict? Periscope is quickly emerging as a forerunner with potential to grow as a platform. Although it is not over for Meerkat (the company just raised $14 million in funding), the app is hampered by leaning so heavily on Twitter— Meerkat was already restricted from accessing Twitter’s social graph. Meerkat has already dropped from it’s peak of #140 on the U.S. iPhone download chart to #523 after Periscope’s launch. Among the few key differences between the platforms, these give Periscope a decisive edge: •  Videos can be saved and discovered later. This will give brands more capability to have their content

viewed while still maintaining the allure of fleeting, exclusive content. •  Brands and influencers can develop a following natively on Periscope much like on Vine or YouTube.

Sources: Contently: ”Will Periscope Kill Meerkat?” Billboard: The Meerkat minefield: Legal Issues With Live-Streaming Apps

This chart shows how, in just 24 hours, Periscope caught up to Meerkat’s

popularity

9

Thank you. Questions? Thoughts? Bryan Thomas, Strategist (Washington, DC) [email protected] Robert Santos, Strategist (Washington, DC) [email protected] Teresa Shiang, Strategist (Singapore) [email protected]

10

Sources http://contently.com/strategist/2015/03/11/despite-the-hype-is-meerkat-really-worth-your-time/ http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/22/katch-meerkat/#oy4soc:Iogu http://katchkats.com/ http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/17/8234769/how-meerkat-conquered-all-at-sxsw http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/meerkat-could-restore-faith-sxsws-startup-magic-163547 http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/13/twitter-starts-breaking-meerkat-features-by-limiting-social-graph-access/ https://digiday.com/platforms/brands-publishers-need-know-meerkat/ https://digiphile.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/as-meerkat-election-hype-the-presidential-primary-winner-is-twitter/ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-live-streaming-app-meerkat-prompts-big-privacy-concerns/ http://www.ishootshows.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/stop-shooting-concert-photos-with-your-phone-4295.jpg http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IMG_2537.png http://contently.com/strategist/2015/03/27/will-periscope-kill-meerkat/? http://www.cnbc.com/id/102537151 http://www.dailydot.com/lol/why-is-periscope-obsessed-with-fridges/ http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6516936/meerkat-periscope-legal-issues-live-streaming-apps