Sunday, June 23, 2013

Instavideo: Adding Versatility + 9 Additional Seconds of Glory



Instagram released video capability within their app earlier this week.  The video feature allows for 15 second videos, or a 15 second combination of video clips.  This enhances Instagram's competitive edge in the photo and video sharing space.  Instagram, owned by Facebook, has been growing in popularity particularly over the past several months.  However, many Instagram users were also downloading Vine, Instagram's competitor's app, to share videos.  Now those who want to share both photos and videos have the convenience of being able to do both through one app with Instagram.

An additional benefit of Instagram's video feature is that it allows for videos that are 9 seconds longer than Vine's videos, which are only a maximum of 6 seconds in length.  The question may linger of whether 15 seconds is still too short for some users, or on the flip side, whether 15 seconds is too long to hold the interest of viewers.

Although Instagram has the powerhouse of Facebook behind it, it is surprising to hear that the Instagram app is only ranked as the #17 top downloaded app in the Apple app store, whereas Vine is ranked as #3.

The phenomenon of sharing photos and videos is undoubtedly exploding, so adding video capability was an obvious move for Instagram.  It was a smart strategic move to allow users to share both formats of content, and a great competitive move to help fend off Vine.  Personally, I really like Instagram's ability to use filters and select a cover image for each video, whereas Vine automatically selects a cover image, which is generally the first clip of the video.

12 comments:

  1. I have always been a fan of Instagram and I am shocked to hear that it is not ranked higher in Apples App store for Downloads. I have never used Vine before but I do see how the new phenomenon of sharing videos is taking over the social media landscape. Although I do believe 15 seconds is a little on the long side, Instagram really seems to want to allow their app users to be as creative as possible and feel as though they are professional photographers or semi pro videographers. My guess is that it will take instagram some time to really cut into the cult like following that vine currently possesses, but it will be interesting to see how many businesses if any are trending towards using Vine as an additional social media marketing tool as opposed to Instagram.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Maria! I agree that it's surprising that Vine is ranked so much higher than Instagram in the app store. It really seems as though Instagram is much more popular. It will be interesting to see what happens to both of their rankings now that Instagram offers video! Thanks for your comment!

      Delete
  2. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Live streaming is the latest fad on social media so make sure to get live with your audience from time to time.
    Live streaming would give you a more intimate space with your viewers and encourage them to interact with you more often. It would allow more personal interaction with your audience in real time.
    You can also share your live videos later, so that those who have missed out the live streaming can view them again. A tour of your business, a demonstration of your products or an interview with the creators are some of the possible content which can be created with a live video.
    Make sure to make the most out of the apps which allows you to go live directly from the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I believe that a social media consultant must be attuned to the company goals and aspirations if he or she is to represent them on their social media channels. I also think that outsourcing social media marketing is a good idea for a company looking to specialize in their core business. In any case, most businesses outsource marketing and advertising and I don’t see why social media marketing should be any different. You just need to be actively involved to ensure that you are represented in the way that you want

    ReplyDelete