Vine is Getting Killed Off. Now What? [Updated]

Update: Vine did not officially die. Instead, it became Vine Camera on January 17, 2017. See the FAQs and get more information.
By now, you know that I think that video marketing can be super awesome for small business peeps, especially since there are several ways you can use it to your advantage. I should probably use recorded and livestreaming video more myself, but that’s a story for another day.
What you might not have heard — unless you’re on Twitter a lot — is that another video platform has been kicked to the curb. Like Blab, Vine is going to be killed off.  It’s still around for now, but not for long.

So Long, Farewell to Vine

Just in case you don’t know, Vine founders Dom Hofmann, Rus Yusupov (see how he feels below), and Colin Kroll sold the app to Twitter. It was supposed to be the next big thing in social.
And, one of the features that set it apart was that users were able to create very short, looping six-second videos. Since Twitter is the king of short updates, this appeared to be a match made in heaven.
All seemed to be going smoothly until a very brief announcement was made about Vine’s demise along with a nice thank you to all its users. Perhaps this wasn’t so surprising because Twitter is sort of in a state of flux at the moment.

Not everyone took that announcement well.

Don’t sell your company!

— Rus (@rus) October 27, 2016

But, a new positive outlook emerged.

We made @vine to inspire a new generation of CREATORS. That fire is lit and they’re not going away.

— Rus (@rus) October 28, 2016

The world still needs more ways & tools to CREATE. Empower artists and the world becomes a better place.

— Rus (@rus) October 28, 2016

Vine: The 6-Second Looping Video

Why did people love Vine? What can you share in just six short seconds? Well, apparently, a whole lot of silliness and shenanigans. You know, the stuff that people love to watch! They’re so inane, insane, and fun that you just have to laugh and enjoy them.
Yes, these video shorts will absolutely contribute to any procrastination tendencies you might have.
Love animals wearing funny hats? There was a Vine for you.

Sports fanatic? There was a Vine for you, too.

How about athletes flipping bottles?

Vine is Getting Killed Off. Now What?

First, don’t have a conniption. Take a deep breath. You probably should expect technology and marketing trends to change quickly and suddenly. Remember Google Wave? How about Sunrise Calendar? I’m still upset about that one. There will always be improvements, advancements, and yes, tools will get knocked off. That’s just par for the course.
If you’re a Vine user, your account won’t disappear overnight and you will be able to download your videos. That’s some good news, yes?

Watch a few Vines before they get taken down
So, what’s a marketer to do now that Vine is getting the ax? If you’re feeling bummed that Vine will soon be dead or that you never really got to use it, there is more good news.
Just because Vine is riding off into the sunset, you still have other options for using video. One of my favorites is Facebook Live. But, let’s not forget about Instagram and Snapchat.
And, you still have time to watch a couple Vines before they get taken down. You never know, you might get some inspiration for your next video.
Until then, #RIPvine.