Following on from the recent announcement of desktop log-ins to enable users to watch and interact with Periscope streams via the web, Twitter's live-streaming platform has today announced that users can now also share specific moments from within a stream, with the ability to choose a custom start time for their link.
You can now share a specific moment within a broadcast on the web - check it out! pic.twitter.com/fR0GMdihn2
- Periscope (@periscopeco) November 16, 2016
The option will make it easier, and more enticing, for viewers to link back to Periscope content, as there's often key moments within a stream that you want to highlight. This will save those sharers from having to say "skip to 4:32 in the replay" or similar, which could prompt more users to share more Periscope content.
The feature is somewhat along the same lines as Facebook Live's response graph which they introduced back in May - that tool shows a chart of peaks in engagement on the stream so users can click through to the highlights, rather than having to watch the whole thing.
Periscope's tool is similar, though it puts more control in the hands of the viewer, which can only be a good thing (and worth noting, Periscope added their own Highlights tool, which uses the same type of approach, back in July).
Periscope's facing increased competition from Facebook, with data showing that Periscope usage has fallen significantly since the introduction of Facebook Live. As such, Periscope needs to innovate quickly if they want to keep users around - tools like this, along with the addition of new options like 'Superfans' and broadcast groups aim to boost engagement within their user community and prompt more people to find better quality, more engaging Periscope content, which could keep them around longer, and stop them from switching across to Facebook Live.
And really, this all works towards resolving the key concern with live-streaming - that the majority of live-stream content is low quality which fails to keep a large enough audience coming back to see what else is on offer. If Periscope can work to amplify key highlights, and boost engagement within niche groups, that could help resolve the content quality problem, improving discovery and expanding their existing communities in a more organic way.
When you're up against Facebook, it's never going to be an easy path. Expect Periscope to keep announcing new tools and features as it works to stay ahead of the curve.