With Vine and Instagram Video becoming more and more popular, video sharing platforms have become a firm favourite among individuals and brands.

Vine has over 40 million registered users and, increasingly, we are seeing brands utilise the platform. www.brandsonvine.com acts as a resource for the best Vines from our favourite fashion, food, drink and sports brands. It is obvious how seriously some brands take the six-second videos – brilliantly executed clips help show what the company has to offer. Dunkin Doughnuts even became the first company to use a single Vine as an entire television advert in September.

Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann has said that six seconds provided everything that was needed and the loop gave videos more depth. “If you give somebody constraints, it’s easier to be creative” says Hofmann.

And judging by the efforts of the brands on Vine, he just might be right. From Sainsbury’s live pumpkin carving to Twitter using video to show how to create an illustrated tweet. So how does the newbie decide what to record for brand Vines? We’ve suggested a few ideas to get you started…

How to: Create a ‘how to’ video and give consumers another reason to want your product. Record top tips, for example: a fashion brand could show different ways to wear a t-shirt.

Promotion: Give consumers a sneak peak of new products, or simply show how great an existing product is. Showing users something from behind the scenes will make them feel more attached to the brand.

Time lapse: A technique widely used is time lapse. It can be tricky to get right but if you do, it could be a great way to showcase your product.

Personality: Time lapse videos can also be used to show brand personality. For example, you could show a fun event in the office, the adventures of a company mascot or just something silly!

Competitions: Arrange competitions through a Vine – guessing games, naming competitions or even ask users to create a Vine for your brand.

Showcase: Magazines such as Cosmopolitan have used Vine to flick through the pages of the latest issue to entice consumers to buy.

Testimonials: Ask customers to document why they love your product.

Vines can be posted to Twitter and Facebook, giving you more interesting content to share while promoting your service or product. Why not give it a go, be creative and have fun!

Image: www.brandsonvine.com