Instagram Video: Claim Your 15 Seconds of Fame

How Brands are Using Instagram’s Trendy Videos to Power Social Campaigns

Burberry’s favorite filter is X Pro II and they know how to use it. However, if you scroll through the luxury British designer’s Instagram, you’ll find more than just dimly lit photos of plaid fashion. The brand reaches out to consumers by giving them artistic behind-the-scenes glimpses using the newly launched video mode on the growing social media app. One video captures a close up of a model’s lips being brushed pink, then flashes to pastel eyeshadow palettes, and ends with the model sashaying down the runway in a yellow frock. This brief peek into Burberry’s Spring 2014 look from application to runway garnered almost 10,500 likes from their huge fan base.

Instagram has become its own valid community in social media, both a business and consumer’s paradise. Now that it has video, Instagram is in direct competition with Vine, but seems to be a more mature, logically growing community rather than a gimmicky response to the popular video-sharing app. The 15-second option creates a space for a more in-depth sharing experience than Vine’s 6-second clip, the tap-to-focus feature allows artistic expression, the classic Instagram filters give mood-setting options, and the one-play instead of loop style provides a more consumer-friendly viewing experience. With the new video option, the social media community is becoming more than just a picture-sharing network; it’s broadening a platform for brands, like Burberry to share content, and most importantly, connect and engage with consumers – over 130 million use the app.

According to Simply Measured, 40 percent of leading brands are active on Instagram and more than 25 percent post at least one photo per week. Now even more so, businesses are given the opportunity to expand their brand by successfully integrating video into their Instagram updates.

Here are a few guidelines to make videos pack the most punch:

• Inspire customer engagement and response

MTV let’s their followers do the sharing for them. Their latest video is a flashing slideshow of Katy Perry’s covershots to announce the release of her new album. The caption asks followers to hashtag their best “Roar” face to be featured on covermoment.com.

See More: 5 Key #Hashtag Strategies

• Keep the gimmicks and promotions to a minimum and focus on customer experience and emotion

For Nike, the focus is always on their athletes. The cheers of runners and fireworks evoke excitement and success in their recent slow-motion black and white video, captioned the Women’s Marathon Finish.

• Create videos that capture the spirit of your brand

Starbucks is known for getting political. CEO Howard Shultz most recent advocacy, the Come Together Petition, which yearns for leaders to solve the U.S.’s government crisis, is delivered through an Instagram video. Mr. Shultz sits at a desk, directly urges consumers to sign the petition, and then does so himself.

• Share content that feels exclusive to followers

Victoria’s Secret gets behind-the-scenes and shows their product in action with a video of Adriana Lima breaking a sweat in their new VS Sportswear line while boxing with a personal trainer.

Big brands are taking Instagram’s new video option and running with it by including artistic elements, consumer-friendly viewing, customer-driven content, and behind the scenes looks to connect to followers in the most engaging ways possible and inspire sharing. How will you get your followers to push ‘Like’ on your brand’s Instagram videos?

Do you use Instagram’s video component? What brands do you follow on Instagram?