Social networking tools occasionally open up whole new areas for relationship building. Today I am really excited about Vpype Live Broadcaster, a free streaming video application, which was released in Beta last January, and will become available to all during the week of March 17,2010.
Vpype is a social video company based in Milpitas, California. Founded in 2009, they have extensive knowledge of video technology, consumer and enterprise software development as well as broadcasting and entertainment in general.
How does Vpype work? A Facebook user needs to first add the application. Once added, it's time for the user to invite Facebook friends or use other social media sites like Twitter to let people know about it their impending broadcast. That's it! You are then ready to broadcast in the interactive environment. Broadcasts can be especially useful as video conferences. You can even add your broadcast (both live as well as past broadcasts) to your Facebook Fan Page or profile.
Yesterday I caught the following tweet about an upcoming broadcast scheduled to take place "on the Facebook Fan Page" of a Technology Speaker and the host of GettinGeeky.com.
I clicked the link in the tweet which took me to the Facebook Fan Page. It looked very cool, so I immediately joined as a fan. I saw the following post and decided to join the broadcast and voila, there she was in live video, the dynamic and very kowledgeable Gina Schreck!
She's still there, since the broadcast remains posted on her Fan Page, allowing anyone who couldn't attend the live session to view it at their leisure. The application also allows viewers to chat in real-time. Not only were we able to chat with Gina, but could also view and chat with others attending the live session. Since attendees were from Facebook, you were able to see their profile picture and if you wanted, quickly look up their profile and learn more information about them as well.
The installation process is simple, there is nothing to download and no special equipment is needed. All you need is a computer and a connected webcam, both of which are already common fixtures in many people's homes. In fact, on Vpype's website, there is a place to click and add the application (it will take you to the Facebook application page) or you can just search for Vpype on Facebook and it will take you directly to their Fan Page. The best part of all of this...It's FREE! Their Vpype Facebook application will show up on your profile or Fan Page in a new tab called "Shows".
Joining the GetGeeky Fan Page and participating in the broadcast immediately allowed me to get some great advice, ask questions and, since this is always about relationship building, find other people that were very helpful and interesting in their own right. Just like at a physical conference session, we immediately exchanged twitter id's and I even found a woman who manages a group called LinkedIn for Women, which is something I am definitely going to check out. While we were on the broadcast the product manager for Vpype Gary Klein joined us and before we knew it were were being shown live at the Social Media World Forum in London on a 65" HD Screen at the show!
Vpype was co-founded by Shoieb Yunus and Jawad Qureshi, and is also using its own application for a live screenplay pitch contest. Contestants will have up to five minutes to present their screenplays. Qureshi was the executive producer for the film "The Streets of Karachi" and will be producing another film called "Two Mothers". The screenplay contest is accepting submissions through April 15 and the winners will be announced May 3.
The company also created vGreeting in February for Valentine's Day. Users were able to create a video greeting card offering a personalized greeting. This helped users to deviate from the usual Hallmark-style greeting cards found on internet greeting card sites.Like its competitor Ustream, which was launched in 2006, Vpype can be used to connect members of the military and their families as well as to provide a totally new communication capability for families who are spread around the globe for whatever reason. The possibilities are endless. Vpype is not set up as its own page and is meant specifically for integration with social media networks.
Social media continues to change the way people do business and an application like Vpype just extends the capabilities. Built in viral marketing tools also allow users to easily promote their broadcasts on Twitter, Facebook and even their own blogs as well. This kind of viral marketing on social networks will continue to grow brand awareness, which is a major benefit for any business.
The application also offers an embeddable video player. This means that anyone using it for social media marketing can simply place the player in their marketing materials eliminating any download requirement on the part of their customers.
In the age of the internet, especially when it comes to social media, everyone has continued concerns about security and internet abuse. Vpype maintains continual monitoring on its secure platform.
Today's connected society also is no longer bound by geography and instead relies on the internet's wide-reaching scope. People can easily create and maintain relationships with others around the globe...without ever leaving home. Vpype and services like it only add additional reality to your connection with others around the globe.
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