Introduced by Twitter in March 2015, Periscope was originally designed to let you "explore the world through someone else's eyes." But like all social media platforms, shortly after Periscope was unveiled, users also had other ideas about how to use this vibrant medium.
Visit Periscope any time of the day or night and you can watch pastors giving sermons; life coaches spouting positivity; techies touting the latest online innovations; and beauty pros sharing peer education. And, unlike YouTube videos, you can interact with these scopers in real time.
Although new and far smaller than veterans like Facebook and Instagram, Periscope is the fastest growing platform in the history of social media. To date, over 10 million users have joined Periscope and it's still months away from it's 1st birthday. Within its diverse user population are indie "hairoscopers," who share everything from live mermaid hair color applications and ways to build your online presence, to product reviews and glimpses of their daily lives.
Guy Tang (@guy_tang) jumped on Periscope right away and, as you probably suspect, is a smashing success. Ruby Devine (@rubydawndevine) is charming and wowing stylists with her lively personality and expert color skills. Philip Ring (@ phildoeshair) is a popular Periscope personality, both for his tutorials and outrageous antics. And, HOT editor Jeryl Spear (@hotbeautymag), who's become known for her candlelight chats, is not only building a loyal following, but also has taken our #1000orbust movement for Instagram—which promotes deserving stylists with less than 1,000 followers—to Periscope.
The list goes on and on of popular beauty personalities and, just think, it's only the beginning of this great social media adventure.
Jeryl Spear demystifies several aspects of Periscope. The rules of engagement for Periscope are in a constant state of flux. The same holds true for the top ways to be successful on this exciting new medium. Here are several questions that Jeryl has answered over the past few months.
What makes Periscope so special when we already have Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram and so many other platforms?
Periscope is a new concept that brings real-time interactivity. It has no time limit (like Snapchat) or length (like Twitter). It allows real-time interaction with broadcasters. You can also broadcast or listen to indepth demonstrations and chats, as opposed to just reading about them (like Facebook). It has also brought peer-to-peer education to a whole new level.
Isn't there a bunch of drivel on Periscope?
Of course there is, but that doesn't mean it's different than any other social media platform. You have to pick and choose who you want to follow and then be selective about which of their broadcasts you want to watch. A lot of scopers are also improving their presentations one broadcast at a time, so don't count someone out without giving them a second or even third chance.
How do I choose a good name for my Periscope channel?
The best thing you can do is use the same name and picture for all of your social media channels so that users can find you, whether they're on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Periscope. This is especially important for Twitter, because it created Periscope and is closely connected to this new platform. When your Periscope handle is the same as it is on Twitter, for instance, you can automatically tweet notices of your scopes to your Twitter followers and your broadcasts are searchable to millions of Twitter users.
I'm afraid to do my first broadcast. Any tips on how I can overcome my fear of scoping?
This is definitely the number-one fear about Periscope, so rest assured that you aren't alone. I recommend that you sign up for Periscope and just watch scopes for a while to become accustomed to the process. When you do muster up the courage to scope, make your first one simple. Once you do muster the courage to hit the broadcast button, you'll find that most people are warm, friendly and anxious to make friends. If trolls or snarky users join your broadcast, block them while you're live (simple to do!) and continue on with your talk. The latter is important because no one—including your other viewers—want to choose between leaving your scope or enduring their nasty remarks.
What if I do my first scope and no one joins it?
Before your first broadcast, spend a few weeks commenting on other scopes and following users who share your love of beauty. Because Periscope is new, most users are also new and are anxious to do the same thing. By the time you're ready to do your first scope, you'll have at least a small audience join your broadcast.
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