No, not the climbing or trailing woody-stemmed plant of the grape family. The Vine this article discusses is an app that lets you creates 6-second videos. The app’s description invites you to “Create short, beautiful, looping videos in a simple and fun way for your friends and family to see.” You then can load your Vine videos on to Twitter or other social accounts.
Vine was previously available only to Apple mobile device users, where it was downloaded by 13 million people and became so popular that Twitter acquired it in October 2012. If you haven’t heard, Vine is now available on Android and is now surpassing Instagram in total Twitter shares.
According to Twitter, 12 million Vine videos are posted to the microblogging site daily.
Some food truck owners might doubt the marketing power of a video that lasts only seconds. But the same doubts might have been raised about photo sharing app Instagram a year ago before Facebook paid a billion dollars for it.
Here are 10 tips for marketing your food truck business using Vine videos:
Animate Your Images
Vine provides an easy way to create animation on a mobile device. By stopping and starting the video while recording, you can make creative animated videos.
Keep Your Story Short
With the perceived short attention span of the younger generation, and the busy schedules of the average Web surfer, Vine is seen as an ideal way to tell your food truck’s story these days.
Get Your Customers Involved
There’s no reason to stop with just making your own Vine video clips. The ease of use of the Vine app makes it perfect for encouraging fans of your business to get creative too. For example, create a contest for your customers to send in a video with one of the primary ingredients you use in all of your menu creations in imaginative ways and give prizes to the winners.
Start With a Plan
Just because a Vine video is incredibly easy to make and is only six seconds long, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be planned out. Start with a narrative and plan what you want to say before you start recording.
Think Elevator Pitch
It might sound strange to think about a video this way. But just as an elevator pitch forces you to share your food truck’s business concept in less time than it takes to reach the executive suite, a short video requires focus. Think about what you could do to demonstrate the greatness of your product in 6 seconds or less.
Make a Lasting Impression
Six seconds may be too little time for a lengthy marketing message, but it’s enough time to create a lasting impression with a truly creative video. Think about a way you could use those six seconds to create a memorable impression of your mobile food brand with a story or series of images customers will never forget.
Focus on Visual Elements
Focus on the visual elements of your truck. Food trucks have a multitude of ways to tell their story through visually stunning images of their truck and the food they serve.
Remember Your Marketing Basics
Vine may be a new marketing tool, but in the end, it’s not so different from other tools that have come before. Consider what techniques have worked in previous online video platforms like YouTube and don’t forget to be creative.
Always Remember the Social Aspect
Vine is one of a new breed of social media tools acquired by Twitter and similar to other social tools like Instagram. When shared via Twitter or on other sites, Vine can be a powerful way to engage with your customers.
Be Sure You Have a Strategy in Place
Vine can be used to market your food truck in so many ways. From giving customers a look inside your kitchen to giving a preview of new menu items to heighten anticipation. Remember, though, that like any marketing campaign, you’ll want a strategy in place first to make your efforts more effective.
