The Facebook-owned platform Instagram has 130 million monthly users as of late summer, whereas the Twitter micro-video social network Vine has more than 13 million users, according to SearchEngineJournal.com. Based on numbers alone, you’d think the battle of best video social platform would easily be won by Instagram. Number of users aside though, both Instagram and Vine meet specific marketing needs for businesses. Determine how Instagram and Vine can boost business for your brand in the following ways.
Attention Grabbing & Quick Wit: Vine Wins
PolicyMic.com describes Vine as supporting “a more casual audience” because of its simple interface and looping feature. On the Vine platform, you have six seconds of video and looping content to make your point. You have six seconds to entertain, be funny and showcase your brand’s personality, less than the half recording time of Instagram video. You have to be quick. You have to be concise. You have to be creative. And the wittiest people excel at all three. SearchEngineJournal.com explains that traditional marketers are more comfortable with Instagram because of the roomy 15 seconds to deliver a message. A memorable six-second Vine message requires a skill to be snappy, clever and intensely interesting.
Dove makes an impression by “rolling” a bar of Dove soap into Dove body wash ” bowling pins.” Dove promoted its video by describing the first Vine post as a strike. Social media marketers have to maximize every millisecond of their Vine video to connect with their Vine audience. Vine wins for delivering creative and witty video content that makes a quick impression.
View the video here: https://vine.co/v/b52z6ljw1F1
Aesthetics & Editing Capabilities: Instagram Wins
For marketers who want to deliver the most compelling video content, Instagram provides 13 video-specific filters and editing options. Instagram videographers can capture and share stories by selecting a favorite scene as the cover image, stabilizing video with the Cinema feature and editing content. Editing videos includes adding or deleting shots and adjusting exposure by tapping around the screen. Instagram serves as a video platform for creating content with aesthetics that more emotionally connect with a user and deliver an elaborate message.
JCPenney participated in breast cancer awareness month by sharing a video on its Instagram with the caption: “Let’s give breast cancer the boot! #BootCancer.” The video arranges boots in letters to spell “Boot” and “Cancer” on a pink backdrop. Through Instagram, the retail brand helped support and draw awareness to a cause using their own fashion marketing. Who knows what consumers can expect on Instagram from JC Penney on Black Friday and during the holidays?
Product Features, Teasers & How To’s: Vine Wins
VentureBeat.com also disassembled the two social video platforms and identified new product features, how-to videos and video teasers as three areas where Vine is victorious. Unlike the story-telling video platform Instagram, Vine punches users with content. It flashes a new product that entices customers to learn more. A Vine video can also interact with customers by speaking directly to a user and addressing his or her Vine handle in the description. Don’t forget to use appropriate hashtags to emphasize your message and help it spread digitally.
How-to Vines are also successful because of the quick shot changes that replicate a new step. Cadbury UK demonstrated to foodies how to properly eat from its Egg ‘n Spoon kit. Even though eating a Cadbury egg with a spoon is self-explanatory, the step-by-step demonstration triggers a craving for any Vine user with a sweet tooth.
View the video here: https://vine.co/v/b1ej2K29Q0u
Promotional Campaigns, Video Series & Commercials: Instagram Wins
Because of Instagram’s lengthier footage and editing capabilities, it’s suited for more in-depth marketing campaigns that feature video series or traditional commercials. Brands can develop an entire video series that spans a season or holiday to create a theme, show off personality and engage users, VentureBeat.com explains. Cohesive video series ideas include product and service tutorials with different angles and themes. Instagram marketers have freedom to be artsier and build relationships with users. Athletic clothing and fitness lifestyle brand Lululemon maximizes the 15-second video space by shooting a yogi flowing through an entire yoga series as locations change in the background. How can your business use 15 seconds of video to aesthetically and visually engage with audiences, market your brand and sell a product or service?
About the author: Geoffrey Larson
Geoff is a social media and marketing coordinator in the hospitality industry. He enjoys the creative side to his job and draws inspiration from his two daughters.
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