Guest post: how @sportsbetcomau pummelled the Poms on Periscope

The #Ashes is a marquee event in the cricket calendar and one of Australia’s oldest sporting rivalries. More recently it has become famous for cheek and wit, and so too has @sportsbetcomau for the very same reasons. In collaboration with @loudclear we leveraged these insights to drive mass engagement in a crowded category.

To achieve 60,000 Tweets and a trending hashtag we had to hit the Poms where it hurts. And that’s what we did. Literally. We constructed a two metre cricket box in front of a hashtag-powered bowling machine. Followers could pummel the Poms by including #Pommel in a Tweet. The ball which broke the box, as seen on Periscope, would win the follower $10,000 cash. Howzat!

If a picture is worth a thousand words a broadcast is worth so much more. Cause and effect is tough to illustrate but Periscope bridged the gap. In addition to retaining early adopters it also allowed us to reach new ones. It wasn’t just Aussies that got involved; the English did too.

There are several ways brands can optimise their broadcasts for success.

Pre broadcast

• Entice your audience by teaching them about your hashtag early

• Frame the subject for vertical video view to make the most of the viewer’s screen
• Create context by investing in set signage (e.g., how to participate)
• Schedule the broadcast at a time your followers are online
• Use Promoted video to explain the campaign to your audience

• Simplify the user journey by allowing viewers to participate within Periscope
• Build awareness and excitement with countdowns

Live broadcast

• Include a strong call to action in your broadcast description (e.g., win $10,000)
• Use Promoted Tweets to drive reach, awareness, and engagement around the campaign

• Turn interest into action by replying to chats

Post broadcast

• Acquire new followers by using replays to substantiate the value your broadcast provided
• Use Promoted Video to highlight and promote the best live video moments created

These tips saw us have a ball at England’s expense. We grew our Periscope following and smashed our Twitter targets in the process. Find out who won the crown jewels by watching the campaign review below.