Recovery Month's New Media Newsletter for May

May

Go Make a Scene: Video Editing on the Go with Vine Earlier this year, Twitter introduced a new video-focused mobile app called Vine. Similar to the brevity that is integral to Twitter's micro-blogging model, Vine enables users to cut and edit up to six seconds of looped video, which can then be shared with others in real time. Vine videos can be one clip or a combination of short clips. The app aims to give users an outlet to share and connect with others in a more tangible way, and can function with existing Twitter and Facebook accounts. Viewers engage by either commenting or liking another user's video post. "You feel like you were there [with Vine]. Whatever somebody's trying to say with their post on Vine - the addition of sound, the colors are better, it moves - it feels like it's happening in real life," said Vine co-creator Dom Hofmann. Since the app launched, hundreds of brands, organizations, and celebrities have posted Vine videos. Last month, the White House posted its first Vine video, featuring President Barack Obama at the White House Science Fair. The video was shared via the White House's Twitter handle for additional context about the video and increased exposure. Health and advocacy organizations have started to use Vine, as well. For example, Health Datapalooza IV is calling for attendees to submit a Vine video introducing themselves to other conference attendees, and the Detroit Medical Center posted a video giving a preview of the construction site for its new Heart Hospital. Mashable recently posted an article showing how government organizations are using Vine, which features HealthData.gov, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and NASA. To sign up for Vine, you simply need to download the app on your iPhone and sign in with either an email address or Twitter account. While Vine is only currently available on iOS, it is reported that the Android version is "coming soon" and will be released on Google Play in the coming months. Check out these frequently asked questions for more information. Happy Vine-ing! TIPS OF THE MONTHAs multimedia content - videos and photos - increasingly drive engagement on social media platforms, innovations in filming, editing, and sharing short video have begun to gain ground. Mobile applications, such as Vine and Tout, allow users to create short videos directly on their phones and share them with the broader community. Below are some tips on how your organization can use these new technologies to develop videos that can increase engagement. For more ideas, read the full article on Patricia Redsicker's blog. Highlight champions. Feature one employee, volunteer, or client in a Vine video, giving them just six seconds to introduce themselves and their mission or victory related to the organization. Display resources. Show off your organization's resources by developing a Vine video that features tip sheets or tools that are most useful to your audience. Celebrate observances. Share an inspirational message in celebration of an observance, such as Recovery Month in September. Promote an upcoming event. Share a message from a special guest or speaker to get followers excited about an upcoming event. Better yet, give them a behind-the-scenes peek of your preparations. Share via social media. Take advantage of seamless integration with Facebook and Twitter and promote Vine on each respective platform.