A couple of days ago the new Vine application was released and every digital nerd, including myself, thought we were the new Spielbergs of directing. The stop/go flip book app allows users to easily edit together video content of their choosing and then share socially within the Vine community or to other social networks (Twitter and Facebook). I refrained from writing an immediate piece upon the app’s release date because I wanted to let the initial wave of “OMG, this is awesome” to blow over and really examine the realistic benefits of this program. Is this application a real game changer? No. Will it be a useful, tactical tool for brands? Yes. Below are 3 reasons why.
1. Transparency: one of the most important staples a brand must embrace when using social media is transparency. This is something that we all know by now. The question now is “how can we further our transparency?” The Vine app will allow users to take a step further into the brand’s internal way of life. Nothing huge, but it will make users connect with the brand further because…ding ding ding…the brand will be further humanized in the eyes of the user!
2. Conciseness: I am sure there were many meetings, debates, brainstorms, etc. on how long the clip’s length. And Vine did a great job with staying in line with Twitter’s mantra of being the salsa dance network of social media. When user’s only have a limited amount of time to make their multimedia content oscar winning they know it has to be good. And it is perfect for people who are on the go (and the majority of us are these days). So if I want a quick “how-to” clip on how to cook a meal or how to put something together then I know Vine can give me the quick video blueprint of how to do that. Hmm… do you hear that brands? “How-to” videos on Vine…not a bad practice to start implementing if applicable.
3. Content: everything in social media will always wrap back around to “is your content worthy?” So, whether it is a “how to” clip or you showing segments of your day, make sure the content you push out on this application is something users will not just like, but benefit from. I can like something all day on Facebook, but Vine takes things a step further in that it will be a competition for good content.
So, future social media directors, go out and start filming. Just know that you should not overuse this app and the content you push out needs to not only be “cool,” but valuable to other users.
Have you used the Vine application yet? If so, what has been your favorite type of content you’ve seen so far?
