There’s a potential game-changer in the world of marketing and technology now in its third week since being released called Periscope. Twitter introduced the new live streaming app and Forest Home Media is committing to broadcasting useful PR/marketing tips for the next two weeks! We’ve outlined our topics at the end of this blog.  If you haven’t heard of Periscope yet and need to know more, CLICK HERE for a great tutorial.

The Forest Home Media team thinks this live streaming opportunity will continue to develop and be a great avenue for companies and events to provide their own voice.  (And, we can’t even fathom what happens during breaking news.) As you stick your toes in the water of this new technology, here are some tips as you get started.

Periscope Marketing Tips

Let’s start with the assumption you’ve already downloaded the app to your iPhone. (Plans for Android are in the works so stay tuned.) Here are our first steps toward your first successful broadcast. And, be sure you start with your phone fully charged!

1. As with any new social media channel, from Instagram to Pinterest, you want to go ahead and grab your username before yours is taken. Once you’ve acquired your name, place your finger over the content to easily edit the information that was imported from your Twitter account. Be sure you add your website if applicable. At this time, the option to revise your name doesn’t exist.
2. Don’t press Broadcast button unless you are ready!  We’ve watched a national mag do this and several other folks have made this mistake. Maybe one of us…but we’ll never tell!
3. Go ahead and find folks to follow.  We’d love for you to give Nancy McNulty, Dana Tucker, Geinger Hill and Forest Home Media a follow to keep up with the latest! When first logging in, we did NOT follow everybody we follow on Twitter.  You’ll be overwhelmed. Take a look at our list or someone else’s for inspiration. My list is media/blogger/public influencers heavy and Dana Tucker is on the search for bloggers & other creative types. I’ve also been intrigued by a British guy named Mark Shaw. He’s been broadcasting some great Periscope tips. (Be sure you turn off your notifications or sound especially if you’re following people in international time zones – ie. – Mark Shaw woke me up in the middle of the night!)
4. Contemplate offering content in your broadcast that is helpful, interesting and supports your brand or identity. The first week of what’s in your fridge or purse is waning. And actually, if you are broadcasting and someone asks that, it’s considered code for you are boring people!
5. Select a name or headline for your broadcast that offers an explanation and be sure to deliver on that title. As with blog titles, it is a good idea to use a list, like top 5 ideas, etc. Also a good idea is “find out, how to, mistakes not to make.” Again, what’s a topic that works for you – consider yourself a brand. We are also hashtagging all our broadcasts #ForestHomeMedia because we will be sending out an auto tweet from Periscope to promote the broadcast. (Highlight the twitter icon on the bottom right as you prepare to broadcast.)
6. Outline your broadcast and do a quick rehearsal if you can.  It makes your broadcast more professional. We did this before offering a tour of the construction of the Nashville Symphony Show House.
7. Signage – Identify who you are in the broadcast or how to find you. We used our iPad to display during the Nashville Symphony Show House First Look broadcast and to cross-reference Castle Homes and Forest Home Media Remember, if you reverse the screen, your sign will be reversed.  Several folks have hand written their websites and handles backward.  You can do better by using a free app to reverse it or check your printer options.
8. Save your broadcast.  Upon finishing your broadcast, you have the option to save it to your phone.  Dana Tucker has already taken a cute broadcast of her son trying to swim already (ummm, it’s April, Zane!) and she posted it to Facebook.
9. If you are broadcasting from your home, you probably don’t want to turn the location arrow to the far left off. However, be sure you indicate your city in the headline so folks have a connection.
10. This just in….Twitter has updated so you can now change your photo on Periscope.  Go to the App Store, update Twitter, update your picture, log out of Periscope, log in and you should have your photo instead of the egg icon.

We’ve been intrigued by these Periscope Marketing elements:

• When you join a broadcast and if it is not too full and you are able to comment, you are color-coded and it matches the hearts to the right you give broadcasters. You can watch post broadcast and it will register your view and you can also give hearts.  The broadcast remains live for 24 hours.
• Finally, beware, live stream broadcasting can be a huge draw on your monthly data which is why we will be spreading the two-week commitment between three staffers.

If you have anything you want us to address via Periscope over the next two weeks, feel free to email us at nancy@foresthomemedia.com.

For the next two weeks, from Thursday, April 16 until April 30, one or more Forest Home Media team members will be broadcasting live on Periscope and here is the schedule of topics.  It is also possible something will come up news worthy during this period of time and we will be notifying you via our Facebook page of any changes in the broadcast schedule.  (We sound all HGTV fancy!) And, don’t forget, this is emerging technology with continuous changes. You do need to update your app from time-to-time. Be sure and let us know when you are broadcasting so we can follow back and don’t forget to tweet out your broadcast & promote on Facebook!

April

16

Periscope #9 Marketing Tips #Nashville #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcasters/Time: Nancy McNulty/Dana Tucker/Geinger Hill – 4:00 p.m.

 

17

Periscoping With A Self-Stick – How To’s #Nashville #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Geinger Hill – 11 a.m.

 

18

Live from #Nashville Film Festival With Entertainment Reporter Kelly Sutton

#ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Nancy McNulty – 1:30 p.m.

 

19

Vintage #Home Décor Pop-Sale #Nashville #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Dana Tucker – 1 p.m.

 

20

Debating Best #Nashville Business Lunch Spot #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Dana Tucker – 10:45 a.m.

 

21

Photo Do’s & Don’ts at #Nashville Symphony Show House #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Nancy  McNulty – 1:30 p.m.

 

22

Tour #Nashville Lakeside Personal Home of Custom Builder #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Dana Tucker – 11:30 a.m.

 

What’s A Marketing Cross-Promote? #Nashville Symphony Show House

Broadcaster/Time: Nancy McNulty – 5:30 p.m.

 

23

Live #Nashville #Ryman Steps With Vintage Jewelry Artisan – Marketing How To’s #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcasters/Time: Nancy McNulty/Dana Tucker – 6:30 p.m.

 

24

Create Custom Graphics With Canva #Nashville #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Geinger Hill – 1 p.m.

 

25

Live Country Living Magazine Fair #Nashville #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcasters/Time: Nancy McNulty/Dana Tucker – Throughout day

 

26

#Nashville Recording Studio Marketing #ForestHomeMedia

Broadcaster/Time: Geinger Hill – 2 p.m.

*Addition Periscope broadcasts may be added.  Again, stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates.