The following is a guest post by Patrick Rafferty, the newest team member at Online Optimism, a digital marketing firm in New Orleans. Find out more about Patrick and the company here.
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If you haven’t heard of the newest social media app that’s sweeping the nation, you better look it up. It’s called Vine, and it’s taking the smart phone world by storm, originating on iOS, and as of June 3, available for all Android phones.
Vine is a social media app that enables users to create and edit video clips. These clips can then be shared through the app itself, or through social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook. The app debuted for the iOS platform on January 24, 2013, and within two months was the most widely used video-sharing tool on the planet. By April, it became the most downloaded app in the Apple app store.
Though Vine is already taking the nation by storm, businesses and individuals have only reached the tip of the iceberg in terms of marketing potential. As of now, like every other social media app in its infancy stage, Vine is overwhelmingly used by individuals with no intention of promoting a product or a brand, but rather events in their lives. Forward-thinking businesses, though, have begun to see the true marketing value within the App.
For instance, local sports teams such as the Saints and the Pelicans have started using the app extensively to highlight major events as well as the day-to-day activities of players and fans.
When the Pelicans unveiled the progress of their new practice facility in May, they chose to do so through Vine rather than relying solely on local media outlets. Rather than having to go through with a middleman, they were able to release the information, as they wanted, free of charge.
The Saints, likewise, have used the app to cover events such as training camp, player interviews and community events. One recent Vine, which showed a touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Darren Sproles, got 497 likes over the course of several hours, as well as a number of comments.
News agencies have also benefited from the recent app. When a second-line parade came under attack in New Orleans on Sunday, May 12, one Vine user, @MoneyMakingTUCHE, posted a video of the event, which was quickly picked up by nearly every local news agency in the area. If this trend continues, Vine will become the norm for sharing breaking news videos.
From a marketing and PR perspective, Vine has almost limitless potential. Nearly every local business, from music venues to restaurants, have the opportunity to benefit from the app, especially with meticulous, well-tailored material. Think about how appealing it would be to see an oyster shucker at Cassemento’s line up a dozen raw? What about the head chef of a restaurant detailing the soup du jour? It’s like a more personal version of a commercial, enabled with full user interaction, all for free.
Vine has just begun to blossom into what it could be. Like every other app in its early stage, marketers have begun to see that they can heavily profit off of the newest free tool. As the app develops, so will its uses. If you are a business in need of more publicity, this could be your key, so get creative, have fun and Vine away.