Vine the Next Big Social Media Move

Vine, the next best thing since Twitter invaded our lives with 140 characters?  On January 24th the downloadable app, Vine, launched for iPhone’s and iPod’s everywhere.  Think of Vine as the motion movement of the traditional 140 characters, an extension to Twitter. In fact, that’s a great description of what Vine is all about; Twitter acquired this new social media app offering a creative 6 second video extension to attach to a 140 character tweet.  Just like any regular tweet, you can add in any complimentary hashtags for search ability.  Similar to an Instagram upload, the 6 second Vine video clip will be ebbed directly with your tweet in Twitter, up until now video clips have not offered this capability.  So what’s the big deal about Vine? Like other social media avenues, Vine has it’s own unique benefits.

First impressions are everything, especially int he world of marketing, which is why Vine works so well; it has the ability to create conversation, provoke thought and express a message invoking further curiosity all in a matter of seconds.  Anyone can use vine for various reasons; like anything else, the most creative Vine clips get noticed, shared and have the ability to go viral.  In terms of marketing, you have a creative outlet to highlight yourself or your brand and capture your viewer in seconds like a mini commercial, a goal of every marketer.

The marketing field has to be on top of the next best thing or risk being left in the dust by other competitors. SmartPhones and tablets give users the ability to stay plugged in anywhere they go.  Consumers have 24/7 access to check sales at competing locations or reviews of specific products before making a purchase; marketers and brands can no longer take it to chance that their products will speak for themselves.  With the vast variety of social media platforms available to consumers today, marketers must find creative ways to reach those consumers in a unique and memorable way before they head out to make a purchase.  Bloggers can also use Vine to their marketing advantage; think of featuring a mini album to tell a streaming short story or the most note-worthy features of your latest product review or DIY project.

Of course Vine is still in it’s infancy and although there are a few things users would change about the app, like the ability to save video contributions to their smartphones or edit before posting, I have no doubts these will be additions in future updates.  Here are a few examples of some creative ways brands have embraced Vine (right-click to play, if they do not auto-play) :

1. McDonald’s

2. General Electric

3. Toyota

4. Malibu Rum

And this one, just because I like a good flip book 😉

For more examples of how brands use Vine, head over to Brands on Vine or add your brand to their list by using the hashtag #brandsonvine @brandsonvine.

Disclosure: This post is for information purposes only. This is not a sponsored post. All views are those of This Lil Piglet.