New kid on the block: Meerkat

For the past few weeks new video streaming app Meerkat has been causing a storm; it’s users are growing at a reported 30% each day. It was one of the most discussed apps at this year’s SXSW festival. So what exactly is Meerkat and what’s all the fuss about?

Meerkat is an app that allows users to stream live video on the internet from your smartphone instantly. Once you hit the button, anybody can watch your stream. The app works through Twitter, once you sign up, it notifies your followers whenever you start streaming and when it’s done, that’s it, gone.

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Ben Rubin, Meerkat Founder[/caption]

Speaking at SXSW Founder Ben Rubin explained the name of the app:

“Meerkats are always moving in colonies and alert to what’s going on. It’s about community and discovery, allowing users to find other interests, to follow them and see them live. You can push a button to stream live video from your phone out to everybody on Twitter.”

Ryan Cooley Community Manager adds: “People want unpolished content and authenticity; they want that raw experience, to know what somebody is actually like.”

Meerkat is set to make a big impact on social media and digital marketing so it’s important that brands utilise this new platform to its full potential. Check out E-consultancy’s useful article 8 ways brands can add Meerkat into their marketing mix and keep following our blog for more tips and expertise.

As social media experts we are quick to adopt any new technology that comes our way. So tomorrow, Phoebe will be meerkating live from the Social Media Leadership Forum, if you are using the app make sure you follow us on Twitter to see all the action.