What Is the Meerkat App and 3 Ways To Use it for Business

Have you heard of the new Meerkat app? Given that it only launched a few weeks ago, it’s receiving an extraordinary amount of buzz. So, what is it, and why all the fuss? This post will tell you exactly what the Meerkat app is, and show you 3 ways to use it for your business.

What is the Meerkat app?

First things first: Meerkat is an app that lets you live-tweet video right from your iPhone or iPad. Instead of having to record a video and then tweet it, your Twitter followers can actually be watching you LIVE – meaning you can share breaking news or live events as they happen.

The Meerkat website outlines the following ‘rules’ for its use:

“Everything that happens on Meerkat happens on Twitter. Streams will be pushed to followers in real time via push notifications. People can only watch it live. No reruns. Watchers can restream any stream to their followers in real time. Scheduled streams will be distributed in the community by their subscribers. Your own streams can be kept locally on your phone, but never on the cloud. Everyone can watch on web. Be kind.”

While the app got off to a great start, Meerkat received an incredible blow when Twitter cut off Meerkat’s ability to import connections. So while Meerkat users can still let their Twitter followers know they are live-streaming, those followers will not automatically be notified.

In spite of this, Meerkat has great potential as a way to reach your Twitter followers when it really matters.

3 ways to use the Meerkat app for your business

We are only in the early days of Meerkat, but I can already see a few potential uses for the app for business.

1. Live-stream industry events

Become a roving reporter by live-streaming industry events to your Twitter followers. Recording videos and then sharing them is great, but sharing events AS they happen? Even better.

Live-stream from conferences, trade shows, or meetups, and let your followers feel like they are in on the action. Interview speakers or experts, or ‘meerkast’ behind-the-scenes happenings.

USA Today reported that Meerkat live-casting was alive and well at last week’s SXSW, with industry gurus like Brian Solis streaming about the event using the platform. Just imagine what you can do with it!

2. Live-cast product launches

The next time you launch a product, live-stream it to your followers, and invite them to take part in the excitement. And the fact that live-streams are not saved on Twitter – they disappear once they are done – means more potential for live, ‘as it happens’ engagement. This may mean more excitement, more views and more buzz for your products and brand.

3. Share breaking news as-it-happens

Imagine watching LIVE news and announcements on Twitter as-it-happens? Instead of being sent off-site to watch a video that was recorded an hour ago, you can watch events in real time. While this will be a powerful tool for news outlets, I can also see businesses using Meerkat to share breaking industry news of interest to their followers.

I hope this post has given you some insight into what the Meerkat app is, and how you can use it for your business.  I am sure I will have lots more to share about this amazing new app in the coming weeks and months, but hopefully this post will give you some ideas to get you started!

Have you tried out the Meerkat app? What do you think? Share below!

About Author

Kim Garst

Kim Garst is a renowned marketing strategist and speaker who is trailblazing the use of artificial intelligence in digital marketing. With over 30 years of experience as an online entrepreneur, Kim helps entrepreneurs grow their business and authority online by using AI technology. She is leading the way with proven AI frameworks that help entrepreneurs build authority in their space.

She is keynote speaker and an international best-selling author of Will The Real You Please Stand Up, Show Up, Be Authentic and Prosper in Social Media.

Named by Forbes as a Top 10 Social Media Power Influencer, Kim is well-known for her skill to simplify complex technology and make the use of AI understandable for business growth. Her relatable, actionable advice helps guide new entrepreneurs to harness the power of AI to succeed in digital marketing. Kim is leading the way in combining human and technological skills to create a new model for AI-powered marketing.

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