Twitter is reportedly using its influence to gain users for Periscope. According to TechCrunch, the micro-blogging site is convincing Meerkat users, especially celebrities and publishers, to start using Periscope and give up on Meerkat as it is a “dying service”.
Twitter using its clout
Also, citing multiple sources, the report says that Twitter is also in talks with the media companies, threatening them that not using Periscope could cost them access to Amplify, which is Twitter’s answer to commercial TV. Using Amplify, media companies can easily pair themselves with brands.
As per the report, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and investor Chris Sacca are trying convince high-profile public figures to use Periscope as it had a wider reach than Meerkat. Moreover, aggressive tactics are being used by the celebrity outreach team at Twitter for the purpose of drawing users to Periscope.
“Twitter hounds every celebrity after they try Meerkat. Almost to the point of stalking,” says the report, citing one of the sources. “Twitter is absolutely obsessed with Meerkat. They talk about it all the time to the point that the Periscope employees and founders are angry.”
Similar yet different
Both the apps are almost similar with slight differences in the way they operate. Meerkat is fully public and you cannot keep any stream private once it is shared. However, with Periscope, users can create private broadcasts, thus, restricting the viewing to only limited users. In another difference, Meerkat does not allow others to view archives, while Periscope gives users an option to archive their streams, which allow others to view them for up to 24 hours from the stream itself.
By promoting Periscope, Twitter also wants to establish itself as a broadcasting platform, which could help it in gaining more users. The competition is two-way, as Meerkat is trying to take away the users from Vine, an app owned by Twitter. According to the report, Meerkat has been tapping celebrities Vines. The competition is becoming stiffer every day. Another competing live broadcasting app named YouNow is also used by several of the Vine stars. Also of note, Meerkat recently succeeded in bagging an exclusive deal with Madonna.
