#Instavideo: How Radio Can Take Advantage of Video for Instagram

by Stephanie Winans

Right when you get the hang of Instagram, the Facebook-owned social network comes out with an update to compete with social video powerhouse, Vine (owned by Twitter). You can still add photos to Instagram, but now you can also share 15-second videos.

Much like Vine, Instagram allows you to stitch together video clips into a 15-second montage. You can apply one of 13 filters and use the Cinema feature to stabilize your video, too. Don’t forget to choose your thumbnail so users who don’t press play still get a sense of what the video is about.

So what kind of videos should you share? Here are some ideas to jumpstart your brainstorming:

• What’s happening in the studio between commercial breaks?

• Record one Q&A from your next in-studio guest. Consider captioning the video with your question and leaving the 15-second video for your guest’s answer.

• Video your next musical guests singing the hook to their latest song live.

• Share intriguing clips of morning show stunts, driving viewers to the website for longer video.

• Get creative with promotion announcements. Shoot video of yourself announcing the latest contest or promotion, or of the studio while the promo plays. Giving away a flyaway? Head to the airport to record a plane taking off.

• Develop a street promotion with a specific hashtag. For example, give away t-shirts or concert tickets on the street and shoot video at different locations. Get client sponsorship to monetize the promotion.

• Ask your Sales department which clients play the station in their businesses. Shoot the staff dancing to the music.  Better yet, create a promotion and ask local businesses to upload their own videos.

• See someone jamming in her car to your station? Shoot a quick video (and get her permission to post).

• Record a ride in the station vehicle.

• Record hints to trivia contests and post with the time the contest airs. Be sure and comment with the answer after the contest is over, as listeners will comment and guess just for fun.

• Develop a character for Instagram, or make an on-air character come to life. Shoot regular video and create a hashtag for this feature.

• Share video of an artist meet-&-greet.

• Create a feature just for Instagram video. For example, “Ask Steve.” Have listeners email questions and post a video every Monday of Steve answering a listener question. Using the hashtag #AskSteve would allow users to watch any “Ask Steve” videos they’ve missed.

• Create testimonials. Ask P1 fans at events if you can post video of them sharing why they love the station or show.

Whatever you do, just do it. Radio’s only disadvantage is that it’s an audio medium in a visual world. With Instagram video (and other video platforms, too), you have the opportunity to bridge that gap. 

Note: If you don’t see the upload video option in your app, check for an Instagram update and make sure your phone’s operating system is up-to-date.

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