Jonathan Gaiger, Digital Account Executive
Jonathan Gaiger, Digital Account Executive at Spinnaker, examines the potential of Twitter’s new mobile video sharing service
Twitter celebrated its seventh birthday recently and a staggering amount has happened since their last birthday. Take Twitter Vine. If you’ve lived under a rock so far this year and haven’t heard about it, Vine is simply a six second looping video service. Of course, this type of technology has been around for a while – Viddy or Socialcam are examples of it.
The difference with Viddy is that it extends the video to 30 seconds and adds extra layers of editing features in order for users to create a better quality video. Vine approaches things differently and it simplifies the sharing and video process. But are six seconds really enough?
Well, yes. Think of the GIF culture that floods Tumblr and other such places. If you think about it, Vine suits Twitter perfectly with its simplicity. In line with the self-expressive nature of most social networks, Vine opens the door for yet another medium for sharing rubbish – by which I mean cats – take a look at Vinepeak and you’ll know what I mean.
Having said that, Vine’s user-base has grown and been adopted by many different types. So, other than a lot of cat Vines, how are those six wondrous seconds being applied elsewhere?
News
Twitter is known for its social reporting – think back to #Jan25, which became a focal point during the 2011 protests in Egypt. Vine is perfectly suited for news reporting. Imagine, for example, if the London riots were ‘Vined’ from a frontline standpoint.
This application could change journalism and how people will see and experience news. The potential is undeniable. Take a look at TurkeyPulse.
Film
A film distributor, Oscilloscope Labs, unbelievably decided to share a whole feature film on Vine by splitting it up into six second parts and posting them in order. Even more interestingly, it’s entitled #itsadisaster. Watch here.
How To Videos
YouTube is packed full of ‘How To’ videos including everything from How to tie a Windsor knot, to How to Dance and tonnes of different ‘How to Cook’ videos. In fact, #howto is the most popular hashtag on the app. Vine is no different and certainly opens up many opportunities for both brands and consumers alike. Here’s an excellent #howto from General Electric.
There are plenty more opportunities to use those six seconds than you might initially think. However, this isn’t to say just leap in and hope for the best. You do first need to think about whether Vine fits into your content strategy. It will be the one to watch going forward and, if you are still a little sceptical, then cast your mind back. It wasn’t that long ago that people thought Twitter was a fad too.