Harnessing the ability to explain yourself in 140 characters or in 7 seconds of video is not a skill that everyone can master, although for the few that can convey a story, an opinion, a joke, or an observation in that snippet of time, Vine is there for you.
The various top ‘Viners’ has been successful with their niche due to the storytelling they encapsulate in a short sharable piece of video. They have found their audiences, pinpointed what works, and given followers new iterations of the creative entertainment they are engaging with.
A few perfect examples include Simon Rex, who previously was semi famous, and completely nuts. He started showing the world just how nuts he really is with Vine and his ‘Split-Personality’ fictional brother who whines a lot about regular things which Simon does, or camps up every situation without fail.
There’s also a parody of ones self with Marissa Mayne who pokes fun at herself over and over again. Whether this is on purpose, or just because she doesn’t actually care what people think, the outcome is hilarious and shareable - which her 1.3 million followers would agree with.
We then have the most slapstick comedy (mirroring the hilarity of early 90’s Jim Carey) in Marcus Johns who has been posting (mostly topless) craziness ranging from jumping off objects, to humiliating himself, to comedy skits with other viners.
These characters and situations in themselves make you excited about the next instalment to see what craziness will ensue. There are various iterations of these popular viners who entertain their followers with new instalments of exaggerated exhibitionism.
Even through the majority of these vines are hugely overacted and sometimes cringe-worthy in their sycophantic comedy, they entertain all the same, and in the 7 second format where the video will loop, it seems to make sense.
They also use techniques used by TV and YouTube bloggers for years: Themed content. Themed around seasons, their audience, their age groups, popular culture, the latest meme or viral trend happening; they keep the content coming with their own personality and spin on it.
They offer followers something new, something that they love again and again, always trying to be better, or elevate their story, character or theme and draw new users in. Even though they might not know it, they are using a tried and tested strategy of test and learn in social, to continually reinvent themselves and their ‘brand’ to the audience.
By Stuart Crowder, Social Activation Manager at Adjust Your Set.
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