Last month, Twitter unveiled its new video sharing app
Vine.
The app, which is only available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, enables users to upload and share six-second videos. They can be either straight shots or in stop-motion format, with no editing or filtering options. The videos are constantly looped, and can be tracked by hashtags and subject matter. Currently, Vine offers 12 organizational categories, including food, pets, and travel.
Despite a couple of initial bumps—namely involving the distribution of porn—the Vine app has been heralded by some as “the next big thing.” Although it is too early to judge the true usefulness of the app, brands are already using Vine in interesting ways.
Here are three ways you can start using Vine right now.
1. Behind-the-scenes peek
One of my favorite people to follow on Twitter, @OscarPRGirl, is in the midst of preparing for New York Fashion week. In addition to her tweets, she’s been uploading Vine videos of fashion show prep.
Sharing behind-the-scenes peeks at preparations, events, or even your corporate headquarters is a great way to excite your fan base, providing a more stimulating behind-the-scenes look than a simple photo tweet.
2. Video community
Among colleges, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is among the most adept at using social media, and its use of Vine is no exception. Aside from uploading its own videos of campus life, the university is encouraging its Twitter followers to share “Vines” of UW sporting events, creating a live-action video tapestry of the UW experience.
Even if you don’t have a branded Vine account, you can still encourage your fans to use Vine to share your brand’s story.
3. Breaking news
The folks at BuzzFeed are using Vine to document pizza parties and office dogs—surprise, surprise—but they also uploaded videos of a broken water main in New York, beating several local news outlets to the punch.
Like Twitter, Vine is a great way to share breaking news, especially if you’re on the ground witnessing the news yourself. If you’re brave and concise, Vine could be a great way to share important announcements, partnerships, or campaign kickoffs with your fans.
Lauren Rothering is a PR and social media coordinator for Stephan & Brady, a full-service marketing communications agency in Madison, Wisc. She writes for MadGirl PR, where this story first appeared. Follow her on twitter @LRothering.