Are you looking all blank-faced at your screen right now? Or are you aware of this new social app that has hit the iOS software via Twitter?
If not, let me explain it because I’ve only recently become aware due to the #whereIwrite hashtag on Twitter and I’m now a fully fledged fan of the app and I’m using it so I’d love you to join me.
The #whereIwrite hashtag is
“a global project started by the publisher Hachette, working with our friends at Twitter and Periscope, to celebrate writing and the places where the alchemy of creating a book happens.”
You can watch the videos of the authors who have taken part in this so far, Here.
Periscope is a live-streaming video app, and as you will have seen if you have looked at any of the above videos is it’s very versatile and social. It’s made by Twitter so if you download the app you get a list of your twitter friends and you can choose who you want to follow on the app. If you have alerts set up, your phone beeps at you when someone is streaming, you can look and see if you’re interested just by the title and watch or not. The video is left to view for 24 hours so if you’re busy, it is still there for you to watch later. If you’re the broadcaster there is an option to save it to your camera roll, so if you do want to upload it to YouTube as the #WhereIWrite authors are doing, you can.
There is also an option to privately stream to your followers or stream live publicly – as though you were tweeting. This morning I did my first Periscope with Alfie and his morning walk meeting his two dog friends and playing. It wasn’t a long stream. And that’s the thing, you can stream for as long or as short a time as you want.
I have watched a couple of good ones. One of my Twitter friends is Lauren, a journalist in London and she took a walk through China Town. As I’ve never been there, I found it really interesting. Another one I watched, which was fascinating was Phillip Schofield. Yes, I’m a fan! And yes he Periscopes! Yesterday he was showing Amanda Holden it just before the show This Morning started so we got to see the studio, behind the scenes, and the producer counting him down to get on set to start. He handed his phone to his producer to carry on and the producer held it up and filmed Phillip introducing the show and then gave it him back as it cut. It was brilliant. One thing Amanda said which Britain’s Got Talent fans will like is that she will now use it for behind the scenes stuff of the BGT show. So, there you go.
So now, who’s going to join me on Periscope?! 🙂
There’s a good post Here on Social Media Examiner which explain a lot of technical stuff on how to actually use it.
I won’t be uploading any videos, but I will grab the app and watch some.
That’s the great thing Alex, you can just watch without live streaming any yourself. Have fun with it!
Oh, I’ve been hearing about this one, Rebecca! It sounds really interesting! And there’s lots of ways you could use that app, too. Thanks for sharing.
It is a great app Margot. A great way to share while you’re on the go rather than trying to create a perfect video for YouTube. A snapshot. I used it the other morning to recorded a little of Alfie’s walk with his dog friends. It had viewers and likes. I didn’t do it for long but I’d shared.
I don’t think I’m ready to film myself yet, but I certainly love watching others, especially the Where I Write videos.
That’s the good thing about it. You can have the app and not use it for yourself, but watch others. You could also use it when you’re out and about but never turn the camera around on yourself. I did that walking Alfie the other morning.
I’m glad someone’s explained this to me at last! I shan’t be joining in though as my phone dates back to the time when merely sending a text was exciting….
Ah, but now you know about it, if you ever update your phone you could download it, understand it and get a sneak peek at your favourite people’s lives 🙂
I did read about that. There are getting to be a long list of new social media I need to investigate. Snapchat, Vine, and now Periscope. I have to get busy!
I’d skip Snapchat now and go straight to Periscope 🙂 I watched the astronaut Chris Hadfield, preparing his books for signing in Phoenix this morning. Everyone is at it! (And he’s a lovely man).
I’ve never heard of it before but will certainly have a look. I do want to try and improve my social media knowledge.
Even if you don’t do it yourself it’s an interesting app to have, just to watch others 🙂
Sounds like it will appeal to my nosy side!
Thanks for explaining, Rebecca. I’d heard of this, but hadn’t really cottoned on to what it was all about. Might give it a go! 🙂 xx