A recent Instagram keynote speech announced that users will now be able to record and share 15-second video content on the social network. Instagram posted a blog just after introducing the new feature, explaining users had been missing a way to bring their striking visual images to life. Marketers will be able to use the function to easily create video content and share original clips with the 130 million monthly active users on the network.
Some details about Instagram videos:
- Users click a movie camera icon to record videos
- There are 13 new filters specifically for video
- Users can select a cover image from recorded scenes
- There is video stabilization software called Cinema
- Users must download the latest Instagram app to get video on Instagram
Instagram assures users this won’t change the experience they currently have with photos, but will give them better options when sharing their lives through the network.
Brafton previously reported marketers have vast lead generation potential on Instagram, which has been the fastest growing network in 2013. In Q1 2013, major brands shared 3,569 images on Instagram, 98 percent of which were then shared on Facebook and 59 percent made their way to Twitter.
Bringing video content to Instagram platform puts the network in direct competition with Vine, which has also boasted impressive growth throughout 2013. Earlier this month, Brafton cited a Topsy Analytics chart that showed Vine video content received more Twitter mentions than Instagram photos for the first time.
Static or streaming, visual branded content is becoming essential for success on the web. Marketers who produce engaging visual content for distribution across desktop and mobile devices will garner their audiences’ attention and increase their likelihood of higher sales margins.
