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5 Creative Ways B2B Marketers Can Use Twitter’s Vine

by Jennifer Beever

Twitter GrapevinesI don’t know much about Vine, and I like it already. Here’s why – have you ever NOT watched a video because all you want is the few seconds that show you how to do the thing, and the video is 4 minutes long? That’s what I’m talking about.

I’m just saying I’d rather scan some text than endure a long video to get the small bit of information I need than be a captive viewer for several minutes. The new Vine is a six-second video that continues to play in a loop until you stop it. To Twitter’s credit, the Vine videos I’ve seen default to audio off (thank you! No auto-blaring audio when you reach a page with a Vine video!).

Here is how Twitter defines Vine:

Vine is a mobile service that lets you capture and share short looping videos. Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (6 seconds or less) inspires creativity. (Twitter blog post)

I’ve linked to some of the early articles about Vine that include links to sample Vines at the end of this blog post. Check them out. From what little I’ve seen, I think there are some opportunities for B2B marketers:

1. Quick how-to’s about a product or service.

2. A sped-up video of how a brand has changed over time.

3. A quick video of your company’s timeline or milestones.

4. A six-second press conference for crisis communications or to set the record straight. (Why do companies or people have to get dragged through the media ad infinitum? What if they could provide a six second statement and have it done with? My colleague, PR pro Roger Gillott, suggests General Petraeus’ brief statement about his affair could be an example of this.)

5. Quick announcements about the company – tombstones, deals, new employees.

 In our busy information world, people have less time to read or even watch a 3 minute video. Twitter’s Vine might prove another refreshing example of less being more.

Readers, what do you think? What other uses of Vine might there be for B2B Marketers? Do you agree with the skeptics at Ad Age? (See the article below; leave it to the ad industry to be skeptical!)

Articles about Vine

What Makes Vine So Hot? by Chris Taylor, Mashable

6 ways Vine’s six seconds may change Twitter by Doug Gross, CNN

Vine Causes Excitement, Skepticism in the Ad World, Ad Age

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