Live streaming has been a growing trend in recent times. In fact, the live streaming industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. And while there are already super popular live streaming services like Twitch, there are underdogs that have been gaining traction. With new players in the live streaming industry coming into the fold, the landscape has never been more competitive. One such service is the Periscope live video streaming app, which is quickly becoming one of the most popular of the bunch.
What Is Periscope?
Periscope is a live streaming service made by Twitter. While it’s not exactly new, being launched in 2015, it’s only recently gotten the attention it deserves. It’s quite like other live streaming services, except you can go live from anywhere.
Periscope now has over two million daily users and is quite loved. Nowadays, there’s a bunch of streaming apps. There’s YouTube, Facebook Live, and Twitch. So what makes the Periscope app different?
Unlike other streaming services, Periscope’s live streaming features allow users to have a map view to see videos from specific locations. You can also connect it with your Twitter account so that it’s easier to tell your viewers whenever you go live.
Similar to Twitch, you can save your videos and post them online as a separate video for the enjoyment of your viewers. And like any good streaming service, it has chat functions that allow live streamers to interact with their viewers. It’s also complete with decent search functionality so you can find a good stream to watch.
How to Use Periscope?
Periscope live-streaming sounds like an enticing service to try out, but how do you use it? Well, using it isn’t all that complicated. Honestly, it’s just like any other streaming website, which is great because you won’t have to adjust much to it.
Where You Can Use Periscope
The Periscope live streaming app is available on a variety of different devices. You can use your Android phone and download it from the Play Store. Or if you’re an iOS user, you can download it from the App Store just as easily.
You can also watch Periscope on PC by going to pscp.tv and looking for a stream you like. If you don’t want to watch on the site, they also offer a Periscope download. And what’s more, is that there is Periscope TV, which is convenient if you want to watch streams on the big screen.
How you want to use Periscope depends on you. You can watch on your phone using the app while eating breakfast and then transfer to your PC or TV during the day. Or if you’re an aspiring streamer, you can use Periscope to build your audience and become popular.
Periscope Live Streaming
On the home screen, Periscope displays the most relevant and most viewed streams for the viewer. You can see the top Periscope streams since Periscope has a stream snooper function.
You can start your broadcast from anywhere you want. Your audience will also be able to interact with you in real time. If you’re outdoors taking a walk, there’s no problem. Simply open the app and go live using your smartphone. It’s as simple as that.
You can even invite people like your friends to watch your live streams. This is convenient since you can do it at the press of a button. And like Instagram videos, your streams will last for 24 hours and then they will disappear. If you want them to last longer, you’ll have to download those Periscope videos and upload them.
Social Media Sharing
Since it’s owned by Twitter, you can share it easily on the platform. Twitter is integrated fully into Periscope. You can even tell your followers whenever you go live. This can be done by connecting your Periscope app to your Twitter.
After you finish connecting the two, all you have to do is click on the Twitter icon in the Periscope app. Do this every time you go live. This will automatically tweet the link to your stream and make it public for all to see.
Periscope is mainly on Twitter but you can use it for sharing on other social media sites as well. You can go to the settings page and click “Add” under “Go Live on Periscope.” This will allow you to add other social media platforms.
Additionally, you can share your stream’s location using the map view. To do this, simply give the Periscope app access to your location. Be careful when using this, though, as it can occasionally lead to some unwanted privacy issues.
What Makes Periscope Different?
We’ve already established that Periscope live streaming is just like any other streaming service out there. So what makes it different from other streaming sites? Well, for one thing, Periscope is designed to be more of a personal streaming experience.
Contrary to Twitch, which is mainly a gaming streaming platform, Periscope thrives in real-life content. People mainly use it as a way to release content that isn’t planned out. There are people who eat breakfast, drive around, and even stream the sports they play on periscope.
Things like Q&A sessions and interviews are perfect for Periscope live streams. It’s great for giving people real-time updates on your life. If there’s anything interesting happening in your life and you want to record it immediately, then Periscope is probably the way to go.
Periscope is akin to vlogs, except they’re done live. Usually, most of the content that goes up on Periscope is the stuff that wasn’t planned at all. In this sense, content on Periscope is more genuine than your average planned and scripted YouTube video.
Benefits Of Using Periscope
Aside from the basic stuff making it similar to other live streaming services, Periscope has some really cool features. These features are what has given the app its edge in the live streaming market.
Stream Anytime, Anywhere
Some live streaming services require a good setup for you to start streaming. However, Periscope allows you to stream from any place you want. You can do this quite literally at the press of a button.
Essentially, it allows your smartphone to become a streaming station with one click. And really, that’s one of the biggest factors as to why people use Periscope. You don’t need a good setup, a good camera, or follow any convoluted processes to stream.
If you’re the type who wants to go straight to streaming without having to prepare or spend for a setup, then Periscope is for you. Whether you’re just bored to death with nothing to do or you want to give people updates, Periscope is a solid option.
Interact With Others Live
Periscope allows you to have chat functions, and the use of emojis are also applicable here. Your audience can send heart reactions your way and interact with you using the chat. Although it’s like any other live streaming website, having chat functions is paramount.
The only problem with Periscope’s chat functions is that messages will disappear after a certain time. There’s no other way to get those messages back unless the viewer types the same message in again. But other than that, Periscope’s chat functions excel.
Privacy Settings
If you’re the type who’s iffy about privacy, then don’t worry. With Periscope, you can limit the number of people who can see your stream. There are settings that allow you to make your stream private or limited to a number of people.
Periscope live streams are set to public by default. This means that anyone using the Periscope live-streaming app will be able to view your stream. Going into the privacy settings in the app will enable you to set your preferences.
Along with setting your stream to private, Periscope has some other privacy features. For instance, you have location preferences, allowing you to turn off the location tracker. You also have the option of enabling or restricting chat functions before going live.
Download Live Streams
As we’ve said before, your Periscope live stream will automatically have a log. This log contains the entirety of the duration of your stream, but it only exists for 24 hours. After that, it will be gone.
But never fear, because you can always download your live streams in that span of time. After downloading, you can simply re-upload your stream. You can even re-upload your stream on websites like YouTube and Facebook if you want to.
However, you’ll need to be vigilant about your streams. If you want to create highlight videos and upload them, you have to always keep a note to download your streams. Because after those 24 hours, your stream will be gone forever.
Disadvantages Of Periscope
Periscope isn’t perfect by any means. Like all live streaming sites, it has its fair share of flaws. Some of these flaws might even deter you from using it entirely.
Downloads Not Displaying Interactions
If you want to see your interactions after they’re gone, we’re sorry to say you can’t. Your interactions will not be found in your stream. There won’t be any chat logs in the downloaded stream.
Just like the streams, once the chat logs are gone, they’re gone for good. This can be quite irritating for some. A way to solve this is by recording your live streams, but that might prove difficult.
Limited Stream Quality
There are numerous live streams on Periscope that have really poor stream quality. This is a direct result of having poor setups. Your stream quality isn’t assured just because you can stream using anything. Using a smartphone with a low-quality camera will still result in poor stream quality.
Using your phone means your stream quality will be limited. So as a viewer, you might have some trouble finding streams that are not only entertaining but also have good stream quality. And as a streamer, you might have trouble giving people quality streams.
No Monetization
That’s right, there currently isn’t any method that you can earn from Periscope. There aren’t any tools for monetization, so if you’re looking to earn money from streaming, Periscope probably isn’t the best choice.
This is one of if not perhaps the biggest problem that people have with Periscope. A lot of people have been complaining about the lack of monetization, although we can’t say for sure if there will be monetization in the future. But right now, the problem remains.
Should You Use Periscope?
Just because Periscope has its downsides doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it. But naturally, it also isn’t for everybody. Periscope might not be suitable for you, but it might be suitable for someone else.
Download from Google Play Store
Use Periscope If…
You want to share your daily life with other people. Since it’s an app that’s basically like a live vlog, it’s good for expressing yourself. It’s great for getting yourself out there.
Since you can limit the people who can view your stream, it’s a lot more personal than your average live stream. People who want to start streaming but don’t have the equipment for it should also consider trying out Periscope. It’s a good starting point to learn the ropes of streaming.
Don’t Use Periscope If…
You don’t have a reliable internet connection. Otherwise, your stream quality will suffer. It’s because Periscope can eat up a lot of your bandwidth. You need a good internet connection if you want to run it properly.
If you’re planning to go into game streaming, then Periscope is most likely not the choice for you. You’d be a lot better off trying out Twitch than Periscope. Additionally, if you’re looking to earn some money, then Periscope might not be the best option for you. As of right now, there isn’t a surefire way to earn from Periscope Live.
The Verdict
The Periscope live streaming app is by no means a bad app. Sure, it has its flaws, but it’s a great gateway for people who want to learn the ropes of streaming. It’s a great app that has all of the essentials you need for streaming.
And although there’s no monetization on Periscope, the content on it is very enjoyable. Watching live streams feel more genuine since most of the streams on Periscope aren’t planned out. It’s as if you’re just talking to people nonchalantly on Periscope. The level of personal interaction you feel on Periscope is really what sets it apart from big live streaming sites like YouTube and Twitch.
