People may have five senses, but it’s clear that in terms of social media, one sense reigns supreme right now – sight. Visuals are everything. Facebook photos appear prominently in news feeds. Twitter, the land of 140-characters, expanded to include six-second videos. Photo-sharing platform Instagram boasts more than 100 million users and also recently began integrating video functionality.
The growth of video sharing and the opportunities it provides for brands shouldn’t be ignored. Take into consideration these three innovative uses for Instagram’s new video sharing capability, which is still in the early adopter stage.
1. Video Music Awards Kick Off with Instagram Video
MTV announced it will reveal this year’s Video Music Award nominees via Instagram and Vine videos. MTV was the first brand to reach 1 million followers on Instagram and its successful #RoadToTheVMAs campaign has already earned more than 25 million impressions since March, so its early use of Instagram video is an indication the brand sees it as a valuable asset.
2. Movie Trailer First Seen on Instagram
Audiences recently got their first look at the highly anticipated Jobs movie via Instagram video. The biopic shared a 15-second trailer, which Instagram is saying is the first ever movie trailer to be shared on the platform. The video has amassed more than 6,000 likes in a short amount of time. Visit instagram.com/jobsthefilm for a look at Ashton Kutcher’s portrayal of the late Steve Jobs.
3. Honda Offers Real-Time Video Response
As part of a new ad campaign, Honda aims to engage users on social media by responding to customer tweets with customized Vine videos. Using the hashtag #WantNewCar could elicit a real-time response from Honda’s account, featuring a six-second clip addressed just for you from a Honda representative. The early examples of Honda’s Vine videos are worth a look.
These are just a few examples of how video is being used to generate conversations about brands, and the possibilities are truly endless, especially with the ability to embed videos. These creative visuals can bring websites or blogs to life and give social media videos greater reach.
Video can turn a statement from a CEO personal. It can transform a stale product shot into an action-oriented presentation of product capabilities. Odds are, your brand or organization has a story that could be better told through video. Don’t be afraid to explore.
