Periscope’s Live Streams Now Pop Up in Tweets

Periscope on Tuesday announced integration with Twitter, allowing users to view its live-stream broadcasts directly in the Twitter iOS app.

Previously, Periscope broadcasters could share only links to their videocasts in tweets. Now they can embed video directly into tweets, and the content can be set to autoplay.

It’s been roughly a year since Twitter purchased Periscope and about 10 months since theplatform launched. In that time, Periscope has attracted more than 20 million user accounts, according to Periscope CEO Kayvon Beykpour.

The move effectively extends the reach of Periscope broadcasters, said Sara Haider, mobile engineering lead at Periscope.

“With this integration, Twitter users will be able to see a Periscope as it’s meant to be experienced in their Twitter timeline, and Periscope broadcasters will get access to a whole new audience,” she told E-Commerce Times.

While the Periscope integration is available only on iOS for now, Android and Web support will roll as soon as they are ready, the company said.

A New Dimension

The Periscope integration is a game changer, saidKarmaCom President Karma Martell.

It makes more sense for Twitter than for Facebook or even YouTube, she told the E-Commerce Times.

“Why? Twitter’s strength is in being a user-generated news breaker and an instant barometer of newsworthy stories, social trends and public opinion,” Martell said. “It is established for years now that Twitter breaks newsworthy events, stories and trends before mainstream or even the rest of digital media.”

It’s a smart move by Twitter, said Justin Hamel, CEO ofMastaMinds.

“Videos are a lot more compelling than text. It will be a way to easily increase user engagement and time spent on Twitter,” he told the E-Commerce Times. “All win-win for advertisers and Twitter.”

Brands and advertisers now have a new dimension for engaging consumers and clients on Twitter, according to Elizabeth Lampert, president ofElizabeth Lampert PR.

“Periscope broadcasts coming to Twitter is huge for both apps and a great marketing tool,” she told the E-Commerce Times. “The audience you target can enjoy a deeper experience.”

Possible Concerns

Live-streaming raises safety and privacy issues because it provides real-time information on where people are and what they’re doing.

“Of course, there are settings to block users and make broadcasts private,” Lampert said. “However, some broadcasts will be available to the public, and anyone can locate where you are, so there could be some safety issues to think about.”

Another drawback is the potential for a “free-for-all in your Twitter feed, sorting the treasures from the trash,” said KarmaCom’s Martell. “Users may become more discriminating about who they follow.”