How would murdering Kirov have benefitted Stalin?

• Stalin concluded his position of leader was not quite secure. By organising the murder of Kirov, who was at that time his biggest competitor, he could remove not only Kirov himself, but simultaneously Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev, by claiming the blame to be on them.
• Organised purges from the death of Kirov would create a terrified atmosphere throughout the population. Stalin may have hoped this would cause a fearful atmosphere, essentially terrorising people into complying with his customs.