2015 is the year of video for brands. Facebook prioritizes video more on their algorithm, new platforms are rising up, and our old favorites are getting new options. I often times dread being in a video, but as a marketer it is time to tough it out since practice makes perfect. 

Turn on those cameras and start filming! 

What's Meerkat?

The meerkats are moving in colonies, and they're always alerted of what's going on.
Ben Rubin, founder of live-streaming app Meerkat.

Meerkat was the most discussed app at SXSW, and it went viral only 2 weeks after launch. Basically, this app gives us a platform to livestream video. It also creates demand by having the video disappear, similar to SnapChat. One thing that it has on its side is its integration with Twitter. 

Rules Of Meerkat

• 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.

For Brands

Some of us may have live tweeted events or even used Twitter's video cards before, but Meerkat brings us an even more effective way of streaming events. Brands should be losing their minds (and they are) with this option, but only a few have actually signed up.

Granted, this is still a new app, so we will see. 

Brands that prefer to produce more professional looking video might shy away from Meerkat, filmed as it is on sometimes shaky mobile devices, but the ability to be nimble and quickly reach Twitter audiences should definitely prove attractive to many.

Martin Beck, Marketing Land

Who are the brands on board?  Right now we have Starbucks, JC Penny's, RedBull, and Mastercard  on board. 

YouTube's Addition

You may be too excited about Meerkat to listen to this next addition, but it is worth it. YouTube now allows brands and creators to add 360 degree videos to the site. 

Pretty neat, but how do you shoot a video like that anyway?

YouTube's Approved Cameras

•  Bublcam
• Giroptic's 360cam
• IC Real Tech's Allie
• Kodak's SP360
• Ricoh's Theta

For YouTube auteurs, the 360-degree video format offers a new way to experiment with filmmaking, such as making scripted videos where viewers can veer away from the intended shot and explore the storyline their own way. 
 Tim Peterson, AdAge

Video For Brands

We have options to live stream to a twitter office, tour our company's using a 360 degree angle, and show the world we are just humans too with video.

Also, research has proved that online shoppers who view a video are 1.6x more likely to make a purchase.
 

Based on video data from Invodo’s more than 100 retail clients, spanning a variety of industries, the Video Commerce Benchmarks Report found online shoppers who viewed a video were, on average, 1.6x more like to make a purchase compared to shoppers who did not view a video.
Amy Gesenhues, Marketing Land

What are you doing to make video part of your strategy? Let us know on Twitter!