Dive Brief:
- Twitter’s Periscope live video streaming app has outpaced its competitor Meerkat, and Facebook is allowing all verified users such as celebrities and journalists to broadcast live video.
- Live events are major drivers of traffic, and for Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook, recent pushes stand to pay off.
- In fact, according to study by Cisco Systems, consumer video will account for 80% of all internet traffic by 2019. Live video is just a slice of this pie.
Dive Insight:
Live video is a driver of traffic for social media platforms, and Twitter and Facebook are squeezing out smaller competition. Twitter’s Periscope app is surpassing its direct competitor Meerkat, and Facebook is now allowing all verified user profiles, such as celebrities and journalists, to broadcast live video. Snapchat Live aggregates user-generated content, creating fuller picture of events such as concerts as they unfold.
Live video is just one example of the importance of live events in driving traffic for social media platforms. Facebook also launched an enhanced version of its Place Tips feature during Chicago’s Lollapalooza music festival this year. “This Place Tips Lollapalooza experience is just one of the many ways Facebook is trying to help people get the feel of an event when they’re not there,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.
Streaming apps such as Snapchat, Periscope and Meerkat are also changing video design standards with full-screen vertical video, and marketers are starting rise to the challenge -- from vertical videos to live events, ready for whatever comes next.
