It's been two weeks since Vine's launch and the response has been incredible. Individuals and brands alike are taking to their smartphones, recording six second video clips and posting via Twitter. (Check out a few favorite examples and the latest news to catch up to speed.)
While it's too soon to truly tell, Vine's popular and positive reactions are positioning it to be the brightest new baby in the social media marketing family joining Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Skepticisms lie in startup hiccups like crashing and adult content restrictions, still, just like platforms of the past the kinks are being worked out - leaving marketers with a new portal of interaction.
You + Vine (does not) = videographer
While Vine is currently at the top of the video platform pile, do not expect to find professional tools to play with. Cameras come in the form of your Smartphone and sound has no way of being edited in post. Vine's soil is organic - it's only real tool being a pause effect when you remove your finger from the screen. This record-and-pause method allows viewers to incorporate multiple clips into one six second video.
So to be clear, no, you will not become the next Spielberg using Vine. However, you can push your marketing efforts to the next level with the right expectations and practices in place.
Be entertaining
With post-production enhancement not being an option for Vine users, the success rate is simplified. If an entertainment express lane exists, it's paved with 3 things: creativity, innovation and emotion. The hope for all Vine videos is that they will go viral, or at the very least will be shared with some friends which means you've got to create something that makes another person say, Hey, you gotta' see this. Take note from Vine's host site, Twitter, things only get re-tweeted when they're share-worthy.
The first step in attempting to reach someone emotionally is knowing your audience. What do they find funny? Touching? This should go without saying but it's being typed anyway - push the sale aside. A Vine video that's overly promotional is a waste of six perfectly good seconds. Take a lesson from Bacardi and be sensitive, not pushy with logos.
There seems to be another twist to Vine, the missing call of action. It's true, tweeted introductions can urge viewers to do something, but as of now Vine stands on a performance pedestal; this means promotional steps need to be sown in seamlessly with wit and clever ideas. Check out this stellar example from Dove.
Keep in mind that showing off your team will humanize your brand and through-the-years videos can make viewers connect emotionally. Don't forget to capitalize on pleasing audio and moving visuals; those are the elements that make Vine stand out in the first place.
Be informative
When attempting a Vine video for marketing reasons ask yourself why is this a better platform for your content than any other (Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, etc.). The right answers come with the understanding that written content would be too long and a picture would only skim the surface. Vine is for those that want to dig deeper and tell a (quick) story. Like all good storytelling you should be motivated by the desire to show, not tell.
People will appreciate a take-away from a Vine video which makes them perfect candidates for how-to content. Behind the scenes shots are another great insight that Vine can provide viewers, while product demonstrations can increase user interest and understanding.
Basically, your Vine video should teach people something about your company that they would not have known otherwise.
Do both - but how?
Your best bet will be to craft a video that strikes both viewer's emotions and satisfies their informative interests.
Successful steps to achieving this include taking the time to draft your plot and script and test the concept on other people before you post publically. (Note: unlike other social media sites there is no privacy setting on Vine, anything you post is public and made available for other people to share.) Don't rely on Vine to run your entire campaign, instead use it to accompany existing ones like contests and events.
When you're ready to shoot be sure to minimize background noise, keep a steady hand and provide your location with adequate lighting. Also, while Vine only allows for six seconds, resist packing in too many clips which can leave your viewers feeling dizzy and your video looking choppy.
Happy Filming!