There’s a very good chance that you’re not utilizing Vine as part of your social media marketing strategy. It’s not because you don’t want to use the video network. It’s simply because you don’t understand it. Once you have a better idea of how to use it, you’ll know how to unleash its power. Then, you can finally create some fun campaigns that actually convert. Whether you want to follow in the footsteps of major brands or blaze your own trail, Vine is one of the most powerful channels out there. Check out some ideas for incorporating Vine into your social media marketing strategy.

Red Bull Finds the Cure for TL;DR

While long-form content is far from dead, the marketing world cannot ignore the TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) phenomenon. More and more people want their content in short bursts, causing brands to fail to reach their target markets. Red Bull found the cure for TL;DR by adding a dose of Vine to its marketing plan.

Red Bull has over 11 million loops on its Vine account. These short snippets provide a compilation of action sports. It’s like a highlight reel that people can absorb in one sitting. See, for example, how Red Bull uses Vine to show the best action shots of one of their surfers, while the corresponding YouTube video goes over seven minutes.

Those who want more can head over to Red Bull’s YouTube channel, where they’ll find full sports videos that are up to 35 minutes in length. People with long attention spans easily get their full sports fix on the YouTube channel.

If you have a visual brand but want to build a Vine and Twitter following, this is a must. Use YouTube to showcase your long videos, but use Twitter to send people over to Vine, as well. You can link your Vine and Twitter accounts, which will help you build a strong following on both sites. It’s hard to build a Twitter following when you’re a visual brand, so Vine this will open the door for you.  

Create DIY Solutions on Twitter and Vine

Red Bull doesn’t offer the only cure for TL;DR. You can write a prescription for TL;DR  with do-it-yourself tweets and videos. You can create a series of tweets that explain exactly how to complete a DIY task. Then, create a Vine that illustrates the task. People who don’t feel like reading all of the tweets can jump straight to the video and watch it.

You might wonder how you can come up with DIY videos. Maybe your company doesn’t build anything. You don’t need to build anything to create some fun DIY videos. You can use the site to offer some life hacks, such as tips to remove price tags from your products. If you sell products with cords, you can even offer tips on how to keep cords organized. If you think hard enough, you can come up with a life hack that’s related to your company.

However, if you do work in the home improvement industry, consider taking a page out of Lowes’ Vine playbook. The company has created a powerful Vine presence by uploading DIY Vines. These simple Vines teach people how to keep mosquitos away the natural way or how to spread mulch the right way:

Once you create your Vine, you just need to write out your tweets. Include a link to your Vine in your tweets so people can easily click on the link and bypass the tweet if they want. When you’re done, you’ll have an exciting marketing campaign that might go viral.  

Use Vine and YouTube for Behind-the-Scenes Footage

You can also use Vine and YouTube to offer a glimpse of behind-the-scenes footage. No one does this better than top Viner Zach King. His Vines are full of magic tricks. Head to his account to see him disappear, teleport, or complete another trick. On their own, these tricks are fascinating. He creates some cross-platform magic, as well, by showing people how he completes the tricks on YouTube.

You might not be a magician, but you can do the same thing for your brand. You can use Vine to draw people in and then create a complimentary YouTube video to give a behind-the-scenes look. If your Vines are interesting enough, people will want to take a closer look.

Create a Hashtag Event on Vine and Twitter

As you know, the more engaged your customers are, the more likely they are to become brand advocates. They are also more likely to buy your products. You can increase engagement levels by creating a hashtag event on Vine and Twitter.

While there are many ways to do this, no company has done it better than Honda. Honda created a special hashtag to promote a clearance event. People used the hashtag #WantACar. Then, they tweeted the reason they wanted a new car. Honda created personalized Vines in response to various tweets.

This cross-platform marketing accomplished two things. First, it increased engagement levels, and second, it reminded people just how powerful Vine can be as a customer service tool. Vine gives marketers the ability to speak directly to their customer base. You can use the platform to answer tweets or other social media messages. Forget about emails. Videos are much more personal. The next time you need to respond to something, consider taking out your video camera and crafting a personalized message. You’ll knock down barriers and speak directly to your customers.

Ask Customers to Upload Videos

You can also knock down barriers by having customers submit Vines to you. Of course, people aren’t simply going to submit a video. You need to sweeten the deal by running a contest. Nissan did this several years ago. Nissan asked people to upload short Vine and Instagram videos that they would use in a national TV commercial. The concept was simple. They just had to say what they love about the Nissan Versa Note. Then, Nissan selected its favorite videos and used them in a commercial. That was a huge incentive for people to record videos.

You can use this same concept. Take to Twitter or another social media platform and invite people to upload videos on Vine. You can even use YouTube to create a long video explaining the contest rules. Then, open up the door for submissions. You can use the Vines to create your own commercial, or you can have a fun contest with a prize. The prize can be something as simple as exposure or something like a free product. Of course, the better the prize, the more submissions you’ll get, so take your time and come up with a great prize for your contest.

Over to You

Marketers are still trying to figure Vine out, but some are doing it really well. Lowes, Honda, Nissan, and others have taken the lead and proven just how powerful of a tool Vine can be. You don’t have to be a major brand to benefit from Vine. Even if you are part of a startup company, you can utilize this platform. Start with an idea, and then watch it take off on Vine. Add another platform or two to help your idea gain traction, and then nurture it so it can grow. Before long, you can become a Vine sensation.