Here’s the trending narrative for Twitter: user growth has stagnated, and the product has not improved, at least not fast enough. But that isn't the case for Twitter’s Periscope, the live-streaming video app the microblogging site acquired a year ago this month.
Inside a three-floor apartment about a 15-minute walk from Twitter HQ in San Francisco, a team of 28 is building something that they think is changing the world and could perhaps save Twitter. The two companies have the same mission: build a service that shows people's lives unfiltered, in real-time, across the world.
Not unlike Twitter's early days of fascinating the biggest brands, the richest celebrities and people just trying to make a name for themselves, Periscope has become a destination for every personality, from a TV host in Los Angeles to a surfer in Australia, to broadcast live video via their smartphones.
“With Periscope’s team, they understand that what they built is a way to connect with people on a different level,” said Jon Jacques, a professional magician who quit his marketing job to Periscope full-time. “Great content for them is what it’s all about.”
Since its public launch in March last year, Periscope has had 100 million broadcasts. Nearly 40 years of video content is watched on the app every day, the company estimated. Over the first fourth months, Periscope had grown to 2 million daily active users. In Twitter's first year, from 2006 to 2007, the service had garnered only 50,000 weekly active users.
Clearly, the momentum is strong, but in Silicon Valley where startups and tech giants can change the game at any moment, Periscope is trying to ensure that the enthusiasm and the growth does not falter. For Twitter, user growth fell off drastically in 2012 and year-over-year percentages have since stagnated.
To push forward, Periscope is leaning on Twitter — the brand, the people and the knowledge — along with those who have made social media and livestreaming one of their life passions, and for some, a career. Simultaneously, Periscope has helped bring renewed attention to Twitter.
Community, both inside the office and around the world, is key for Periscope. While Meerkat has fallen out of favor with popular broadcasters and Facebook Live has yet to open up to everyone, Twitter is trying to capitalize on the moment: the team at Periscope has been commenting in videos, sending swag bags to popular broadcasters and taking feedback for what to do next. This week Periscope opened the doors to its San Franciscoheadquarters for an expected 800 attendees at its community summit in San Francisco over the weekend.
Source: International Business Times
