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Video SXSW Meerkat

Real-time gets real: Meerkat must-knows for marketers

By Ian Cohen, global executive producer

March 17, 2015 | 6 min read

Another year, another SXSW Interactive, and another app blows up across social media. Twitter is perhaps the biggest media-tech play ever to go viral off the back of SXSW, as it did in 2007. But so did Foursquare in 2009, and that platform hasn’t quite reached Twitter’s heights of mainstream awareness. So what will be the trajectory of Meerkat, this year’s darling of the geeks?

Time will tell. But for marketers broadsided with yet another new shiny thing to consider integrating into their mix of digital and social media tactics, here’s what you need to know:

What is it?

Meerkat is a live streaming video service that allows users to share live video with their Twitter followers while simultaneously receiving on-screen feedback from them in real-time. So the host can respond to viewer comments and take direction from the audience, if they wish, while shooting. Like Snapchat, the content disappears after the feed ends. This is engagement on the go with now-or-never appeal.

What’s so special about Meerkat?

The ability to live stream with real-time on-screen comments from viewers is actually nearly a decade old. Qik (acquired by Skype/Microsoft in 2010) pioneered this capability in 2007. What’s different now is that the networks – both social networks and wireless/cell networks – are ready for it. So are people in general, as the tech-savvy proportion of the population has risen significantly in recent years.

But Meerkat is not the only game in town. Live streaming can be executed across a number of platforms and formats, so bear that in mind.

What are some challenges presented by Meerkat?

Meerkat content vanishes once the live stream is over, and getting people to tune in live is crucial. At launch, Meerkat was connected to Twitter’s social graph – so rather than having to start from zero and acquire new connections, an account’s Twitter followers were automatically part of their Meerkat audience. But Twitter cut Meerkat off from its social graph this past weekend as the app blew up at SXSW. So watch for developments on this front. The real challenge is the same as ever: standing out from the fire hose of content being pumped out on a 24/7 basis. (More on that below.)

What kinds of companies should be live streaming?

Live streaming is uniquely suited to those who have special access to events with a built-in, hungry audience that craves a behind-the-scenes perspective. This is especially true for live events. For example, the Miami Dolphins used Meerkat to give fans an all-access live feed of their announcement that Ndamukong Suh was joining the team. If there are people clamoring for a special, insider view of what you’re doing, live streaming can help you capitalize on that engagement.

How can a brand live stream in a way that doesn’t just flood the web with more junk?

Again, identify what unique access you can extend to your communities of interest. With our GoLive real-time broadcast offering, our agency has been the live streaming partner for the Sundance Film Festival for the past two years. Giving an unvarnished, insider look at the event holds great appeal for several distinct groups of enthusiasts. Appealing to admirers, fans and other interested parties with cool, totally unique perspectives is key.

Quality content also matters – always. That doesn’t just mean creative ideas and technology, but top-notch scripting and first-class production, too. Choosing the right host is also important; viewers are compelled to tune in to hosts they like and admire.

Ultimately, media by the masses doesn’t mean quality by the masses. Marketers have an advantage here in terms of resources.

What will scare our CEO about the idea of live streaming?

Live rules because it’s unfiltered. Unlike the world of Instagram or other visual influence platforms, this is unvarnished reality in people’s faces. While this might scare some senior executives, the raw quality can actually be a helping feature rather than a bug. For example, we did a GoLive broadcast showing the Mobil 1 team doing an engine tear-down in all its noisy, messy glory for racing fans. This beats a pretty, doctored version for pure adrenaline and a sense of true inside access.

How can you get significant viewership for a live stream?

Content distribution is the nut everyone is trying to crack. As with any other content play, it’s imperative to have an audience strategy to reach the right people with the right content at the right time in the right place. Languishing in obscurity is not an option – especially with content that disappears once the feed is over, as with Meerkat in particular.

While our own GoLive offering is geared toward earned exposure with high-quality broadcasts aimed at very specific, targeted audiences, paid options are a powerful way of expanding your reach. This could include anything from media partnerships, promoted tweets, Facebook ads and more. These tactics put the content in front of the audience in a place where they are already browsing, reading and interacting, thus providing people with the ability to opt-in to your content over something else online.

When it comes to content, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Live streaming is no different. Being highly strategic is non-negotiable, and there are no guarantees. But taking calculated risks to lift the lid on a perspective that audiences are craving can deliver huge returns in attention, influence and ultimately in revenue. Just remember to invest in understanding before you invest in execution.

Ian Cohen is global executive producer at Weber Shandwick

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