What can you say in 6 seconds?
Digitally-savvy brands are beginning to take advantage of Twitter’s new social video platform called Vines – 6-second looping videos designed to deliver a big punch in a short amount of time. The challenge (and appeal) of Vines is to effectively and creatively convey your message in the timespan of a sneeze. Vines are great for increasing brand engagement, expanding your reach, and promoting your product or service. Oh, and it’s free.
Think Fast
You won’t be able to say everything you want to say in 6 seconds, so pick one idea and focus on it. What is the one thing your viewers absolutely must know about your brand’s service or product? Run with that.
Think Visual
This might seem like a no-brainer, but make sure you pay close attention to visual appeal. Vine users are thinking with their eyes – does the product look good? Do the workers look reputable in their uniforms or are they wearing ragged old jeans? Does the environment look clean and professional? These details can be easily overlooked by someone who sees the product/workers/environment every day, but because Vines are so brief, customers will notice every small visual detail in the video.
Invite a Response
The beauty of Vine is its inherently social nature. While commercials ask only one thing of their audience – go and buy the product – Vines invite viewers to engage with the brand and respond, then share that response with the entire Internet. Your Vine should ask viewers to respond, whether by sharing your video, commenting on it, or creating their own Vine. Either way, you’re avoiding the same-old tiresome “buy buy buy” aura of commercial advertising, increasing engagement with your brand, and boosting the number of people talking about your brand.
Don’t Sell
Vines aren’t commercials. They’re social marketing tools. Think of creative ways to use your product, display your brand, and engage with your audience without expecting them to buy anything on the spot. The goal is to create a video that entices viewers, not sell to them (no worries, that part follows naturally when viewers look into your brand!)
Be Patient and Expect to be Surprised
Like most social marketing, your Vine may not go viral right away. It might not go viral at all. This doesn’t mean your efforts are doomed. Back up, reevaluate, and reconsider what your audience wants to see (which might not be what you expected). Do research on what has worked in the past for other Viners (which, again, might not be what you expected) and think creatively about how to apply successful strategies to your brand.
Proceed With Caution
Like any online marketing tool, Vines can be a great asset to your online presence if done well. If done poorly, however, they can reflect poorly on your business – just because it’s free doesn’t mean you have nothing to lose. The novelty of Vines means that everyone is trying to get on board, but not everyone creates a Vine that boosts their brand value. Strategize, research, and plan.