Twilio Live Brings Interactive Livestreaming to Communications Platform
Twilio is augmenting its digital communications suite with live audio and video streaming options. The new Twilio Live product is undergoing beta testing but could allow businesses on the platform to embed live audio and video streams, even making them interactive like a video conference call or a social audio app, though reimagined for the use of Twilio’s clients.
Twilio Live
Twilio’s communications tools are designed around giving companies and their customers ways to interact, whether embedded on a website chatbot or integrated into voice apps for Alexa and Google Assistant. The audio and video components of Twilio Live essentially extend those functions to real-time conversations people can hear and see directly, not just read as text or have read out by a voice assistant. The customization options help set Twilio Live apart from other platforms in social audio and livestreaming, as it can adjust how it performs and brand the final product according to the wishes of its clients, including Reddit and virtual events platform Welcome.
“The rise of virtual experiences and the popularity of platforms like Clubhouse and TikTok have signaled that the next big channel for customer engagement is live audio and video streaming,” Twilio general manager of voice and video AI Hakim Mehmood said in a statement. “Twilio Live gives businesses the building blocks they need to create personalized experiences for their communities and interact with millions of customers in a fresh and exciting way.”
Streaming Upstream
Demand for these kinds of services is growing quickly, with 98% of businesses citing video conferences with customers grew faster than any other communication channel during the pandemic. The explosion in social audio over the last year or so literally speaks for itself when considering why Twilio would invest in the feature. The rise of interactive media hasn’t ended more one-way events and entertainments like podcasts and online videos platforms, but it represents a widening of the potential experiences. Twilio and any rivals who don’t want to be left behind have to not only acknowledge those facts but expand and adjust their business models to accommodate them.
“Consumers are now looking for immersive experiences where they can interact, be part of the conversation, be watched, and be listened to. Learn about the benefits of interactive live streaming and get tips on how to use it,” Twilio staff product manager Ander Telleria wrote in a blog post about the new service. “Twilio Live is our commitment to partnering with you to build the next wave of innovative, highly interactive experiences for millions of people.”
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