Twitter and Meerkat, the social live-streaming app, have been in the news recently after the former suspended the app’s ability to access its users’ social graph. Also, Twitter officially announced the acquisition of Periscope, a Meerkat competitor. However, Ben Rubin, CEO of Meerkat, has declined any bitterness towards the micro-blogging firm.
Moving beyond Twitter
Rubin (during a Yahoo Tech event) suggested that his company, if anything, should be grateful to Twitter by stating: “We would not be sitting here if it wasn’t for Twitter.”
Reflecting further on the post-Twitter period, Ben Rubin agreed that Twitter served as the best start-up platform and asserted that the company, as of now, is focusing on beyond Twitter experience. Moreover, he cited brands such as Red Bull, American Idol and Miami Dolphins are using the Meerkat service.
Commenting on a possible merger with Facebook, the Meerkat CEO stated that the social networking giant is a less compatible option as only 12% of the users are likely to view your post in 24 hours while the app focuses on an instant viewing.
Before its fall-out from Twitter, Meerkat was closely integrated with the micro-blogging site, with Meerkat’s users linking their account with the Twitter followers. Following its launch in late February, the live-streaming app has risen to more than 100,000 users reflecting its already popular presence in the market.
Meerkat’s rising popularity
However, the company’s break-up from the micro-blogging giant was expected to hinder its growth but, eventually, this does not seem to be the case. According to Mashable, the live-streaming app saw at least 30% growth in the number of its users in the post-Twitter days. This is remarkable, considering Meerkat’s separation from Twitter ends any possibility for the users to ‘auto-follow’ the same people they do on Twitter.
Moreover, after just three days of the SXSW interactive convention, Meerkat has already become the most-discussed app in the conference. This news might come as a setback to Twitter, which recently replaced the app with a competitor Periscope.
Furthermore, considering people’s inclination to share most of their personal lives on the internet, live video apps such as Meerkat could become an integral part of social networking. Live video apps also bring potential revenue opportunities as marketers seek ways to advertise on individualized video feeds.