Maybe you've heard of the new app Periscope, or maybe you are already on it.  Either way there are some things we thought we should share about this new social media platform that's everyone's talking about & watching.  Tony Hawk already has 23,272 followers and we noticed that Australian skater Poppy Starr Olsen, Brazilian pro skater Karen Jonz, Brighton Zeuner from Encinitas (coming to you live from her backyard half-pipe), and skate photographer Lorrie Palmos have joined as well.  Great to see the girls on there too!

Here's what you need to know to get started.

What  does the Periscope app do?   It lets you film videos  in real time and share your live feed with a select group of people you choose, or with everyone who has the app and wishes to watch. The choice is yours if you want to share with those you know and approve, or put it out there for the world to see.

Why we think it's an important for female skaters  Next time there is a demo or a just few girls skating in a mainly guys contest and the girls are not included in the live feed, it will give all of us the ability to shoot video LIVE from the event and share it as it happens on the Periscope app. There's no 15 second cut off like Instagram or uploading after the fact, like Facebook. It's like your own personal webcast that goes out worldwide and that is powerful.

Cautions:   It's LIVE. So that means whatever you film or say on camera is out there to be seen immediately. Yes you can delete the video after the fact, but that doesn't mean people haven't already seen it or shared it (yes you can share live feeds on the app). Remember Snap-chat and how you thought it was safe? Same rules apply here. Nothing is really private in the social media world even if you think  it is. Be careful what you film. And respect others privacy if its a dicey situation.

Advice: Go on Persicope immediately, even if you don't think you want to upload anything, and get your user handle before someone else takes it. In a perfect world your FB, Twitter & Instagram should all match name wise to gain the most out of social media and for your followers to find you. Once you pick a name that's it, so choose wisely.

You can also edit your profile anytime you want (but not your user name) so don't worry too much about getting that part dialed in right off the bat. 

* The app will connect you via your Twitter page but you can choose another name, other than your twitter name,  if you want to - but only right then, once its locked in, that's it. Twitter will also upload your current Twitter profile - which you can then go back and change at anytime.

Can you only view the videos once?   You can choose to allow your videos to stay on your app profile and they can then be replayed for the next 24 hours, or you can choose to make it "Live Only" which means the video disappears after you close the feed.

Can you save your videos? Only if you switch the toggle in your settings to "Autosave Broadcasts" if you don't do this, your live feed is only viewable on Periscope for the next 24 hours. I say flip that switch and SAVE. You can always delete from your camera roll later. 

What else? The app also allows you to send a message to your Twitter followers when you post live, that way they will know you are out there filming and perhaps jump over and tune in. The app also notifies your own Periscope followers when you are streaming live content. 

Naming your live feed:  Make sure you label your live feed before you start filming, you can not go back and add it later - I found this out the hard way. My favorite video I posted this morning is still labeled UNTITLED.  Also make sure you give it a title that entices other people to watch. For instance "Girls Demo at Vans Pool Party" would be better than "Hanging in the OC".

Safeguards:   Has someone messaged something that's highly inappropriate to you during your live feed?  Or have you had problems with someone on your other social media platforms and you don't want them seeing what you post? No worries!  You can block them with one easy click of a button.

Is there more? Yes. People can live chat with you as you film so there is instant interaction, you can verbally answer them back as their comments appear on your screen . They can also tap their screens and send you "hearts" - when you see a stream of hearts floating to the top of your screen that's a good thing - it's similar to a "like" on instgaram or FB except they can keep clicking away and send you tons of hearts to let you know they love what you are sharing!

Last but not least:  We hope you will give it a try and when you do, please follow us @GirlisNOTa4LW on Periscope - we have already uploaded content that you can watch immediately and we plan on filming more and adding to our profile in the weeks to come.

Have fun, be safe, and as always, please play nice on social media!