Vine and Facebook’s new Instagram video give marketers powerful new tools to spread their messages – the ability to create brief, looping videos that can be easily shared through social media and embedded in blogs or websites. Microvideos may only last a few seconds (somewhere between 1 and 6 or 15 seconds, depending on the service of choice), but they can still communicate of lot of value in a brief amount of time. If your brand has not yet started to use microvideos, here are several ways that they can be leveraged to drive more customer engagement.
1. Solutions to Common Problems: Vine and Instagram Video make it easy to offer solutions to customers. Several seconds is often enough time to troubleshoot common problems that people run into. Maybe they are wondering where to store your product, or how to display it, or how to tie the power cord around it. Maybe they want first-person directions to your offices, or need to locate a particular appliance. Swift microvideo instructions can help solve these problems and many others, offering instant value. The video element of the fix makes it very easy for customers to understand exactly what you mean.
2. Introducing a New Product: Vine and Instagram Video also make excellent platforms for introducing new products. This does not refer to boring press release material, but rather the first interaction with such products. Think of a few seconds of Google Glass footage, which shows customers exactly how the product is used. A high-speed unboxing and set-up of the product can also stir up customer excitement, giving them a reason to investigate the video while waiting for their product to ship – or when making a decision.
3. Using Creative Stop-Motion: Etsy and many other sites have already started creating artistic stop-motion displays perfectly fitted for these brief videos. The stop motion plays up the entertainment aspect of microvideos. They may not offer much information, but they look pretty, draw attention to how creative the marketing efforts can be, and emphasize the brand. This videos should inspire likes and shares based on their inherent innovation and cute styles.
4. Sharing Live Events: From concerts and major contests to employee meetings and fundraisers, most brands participate in at least a few events. However, many customers cannot make it to the events even if they want to. Vine or Instagram can give brief snapshots of this live action for those following on social media, making them feel like they are part of the party after all. As an added bonus, snapping these brief videos on smartphones is an easy job and does not interfere with other necessary tasks.
5. Provide a Product Demo or How-To: Some products are complicated to install or use. A variant of the troubleshooting video, the product demo video offers a brief, often sped-up tutorial on how to use the product. It could describe a single feature, or multiple uses for the simplest products. How-to videos could also offer innovative and unexpected ways of implementing product features. Think of a video showing the various ways a piece of home décor could be used, or a Vine post swiftly showing how to set up a coffeemaker.
6. Use Real-Life Testimonials: Customers rarely want to sit down for a full interview, but what about saying how much they like a service or product in front of a smartphone? It only takes a few seconds, but posting these testimonials online can offer just as much impact as fully written out interviews. The next time you visit a trade show or hold a promotion, try to snap some brief testimonials to publish on your website or social media page.
7. Give Short Tours: This idea works best if you have a factory, kitchen, or other place where most business activity takes place. Short microvideo tours give customers an immediate understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. They can also showcase specific actions that make your brand different or especially clean and safe.
Paul Gray is a Media Coordinator at Koeppel Direct, a leading direct response television and media buying agency with extensive experience buying for a wide range of products/services.
