What I Learned at Periscope Summit 2016

Terry White Scope Gear Master Class

I feel like a pioneer when it comes to Periscope. I did my first broadcast on March 27th, 2015 which was one day after the app became available. I’ve done 249 broadcasts to date. I’ve also learned a LOT about live streaming in general. When the folks over at Periscope Summit asked me to speak I was both excited and honored as I have a lot to say on the subject, platform and app. I live stream on a regular basis for work and personally. So what could I possibly learn at Periscope Summit?

A LOT! Periscope Summit has the BEST “Scopers” on the Planet

Periscope Summit Photography Panel
Periscope Summit Photography Panel

I ALWAYS learn something from others. I also appreciate NOT being the smartest guy in the room. As they say, “if you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room.” Ryan A Bell was the organizer of this event and Ryan worked very diligently to invite the TOP Periscope Broadcasters from around the globe.

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This doesn’t always mean that it was only the people with the most followers. It’s more about quality broadcasts over quantity. Each panel had very talented engaging speakers that were on their game. While I didn’t pick up a particular game changer tip or technique, I picked a LOT of little tips along the way.

Periscope HQ in the House

Periscope is headquartered in San Francisco, so it was a real treat that they brought most of their staff to Periscope Summit and lead a panel where we could ask questions and give feature suggestions. The revealed a few things about the direction of the platform. Of course I scoped it and you can watch the replay here:

It was awesome to hear from the engineers and principals of Periscope and to hear their reactions to our suggestions.

Katch.me was in the house too

It was AWESOME to sit in on the Katch.me session where they introduced NEW Features that day. The Collections feature is AWESOME and I couldn’t wait to use it. You can see my Katch collections here.

The Social Aspect was Huge

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Unlike most conferences that I’ve attended in the past, this one had way more of a social feel to it. As a matter of fact I would dare say that people spent more time one-on-one or in small groups, than they did in classes.

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I got to see the people that are always in my broadcasts and the the people that I watch on a regular basis. It was these small meetups that I did most of my talking and learning. People at Periscope Summit were constantly sharing best practices and recommendations on strategies, gear, etc.

What about business scopers?

As you might expect when you have a paid conference, there will be people there trying to figure out the business angle to it. There were several entrepreneur scopers as well as brands represented at Periscope Summit. Many of the panels were also business focused and panels on how to gain “targeted” followers. One of my favorite keynotes was by Kim Garst. She is 100% business when it comes to Periscope and social media in general. I learn something every time she broadcasts.

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The Bottom Line

Although we are used to instant messaging, Slack, FaceTime, Live Streaming, YouTube, Facebook and all the others, there’s nothing like occasionally doing a LIVE event and meeting face to face. I love doing live broadcasts, but it doesn’t replace my love for live events. Periscope Community Summit is a NEW conference. This is only their second one. It will continue to grow and get better, but they are off to a really great start. Be sure to follow me on Periscope. Also check out my ScopeKit for gear recommendations for your mobile broadcasting needs.

If I learned nothing else from Periscope Community Summit 2016, I learned that LIVE STREAMING is big now and will only get bigger in 2016.

Want Watch All The Sessions from Periscope Summit?

You can watch the streams here. You can get 25% off with my discount code: terrylwhite