Vine: Make it part of your editorial mix

Move over YouTube. Step aside Hulu. Twitter has unleashed Vine. Vine is the microblogging social media network’s video iOS application. A six-second video platform, Vine enables users to capture short looping,
stop-animation style videos with their mobile device that can be then shared on networks like Twitter, Facebook and the Vine hub itself.

Why should brands care about Vine?

The numbers tell it all. There are a growing number of users who have purchased a smartphone, over 125 million of these being iPhones. In addition, there have already been over 35 billion applications downloaded on an iOS device alone.

But, there’s more. Of the half a million users currently on Twitter, approximately 60 percent access the service via a mobile device. According to emarketer, over 90 percent of all mobile video viewers share mobile video content with other mobile users; with the most popular method of sharing being via social media sites.

Even more interesting (and not surprising) is the kind of videos that are most commonly shared via mobile. They are short, funny clips, followed by music videos and trailers. In today’s hyperactive social media environment, Vine seems to be the perfect, no fuss, no muss solution for sharing. Furthermore, Vine could become a good opportunity not only for everyday users but for brands as well. Vine is barely a month old and already a few progressive brands have already started experimenting with the new video app, creating playful, quirky videos. All of this is refreshing to see.

Di Gallo (@digallo) is the Director, Social Media Partnerships at Rogers. Intrigued by the ever changing digital and social media landscape and the impacts on entertainment, fashion and the shopping experience.