Have you heard of Vine? It’s the bee’s knees.

Of course, everyone loves a good video. But who has the time to watch? Our quick-to-the-punch social media world doesn’t have the patience for long-winded and whimsical video presentations—unless you’re stuck at the airport.

But what about six-second videos?

And that’s Vine, more or less: a mobile app from Twitter that enables users to create short, six-second video clips that can be shared or embedded on social networks.

Living in today’s hyper-connected world, it helps to be short and sweet. As French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal said, “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Truer words have never been spoken. And in the case of Vine, you had better do it in six seconds or less.

So, what’s the big deal? Why is Vine so innovative? For starters, it’s changed how people perceive sharing meaningful messages that have a lasting impact. Take Jack in the Box, for instance. Its successful “101 Ways to Go Big or Go Hungry” campaign struck social media gold by inviting consumers to “Show Us How You Go Big in Just Six Seconds” on a vertically oriented website.

To compete in a digital world, the challenge is to convey an urgency to participate and to watch. A six-second video is brief, but it’s a platform for creativity that will most certainly resonate with viewers.

The promotional benefits of using Vine are numerous. And it’s best used at events, in a B2B world, as products, services and relationships take center stage at symposiums, trade shows and conferences.

So, what should you record and post to Vine in these venues? Quick interviews with subject-matter experts and brief product demonstrations. Catch unique advertising displays on camera. Capture the essence of the event’s location. And quickly chronicle the moments when colleagues reunite.

After downloading Vine for your mobile device—and before you point and shoot—keep the following in mind:

• First, research what others are doing with Vine.

• Have a purpose and a plan before filming.

• Show rather than tell (it’s a video!). Convey a story.

• Don’t cram! It’s six seconds, not six minutes in six seconds.

• Frame the shot. Be mindful of lighting.

• Know your technical limitations.

• Get permission! Always have a video release form handy, just in case someone asks.

• And most important, have fun and be creative.

Expand your social media repertoire and become a “Viner” today: https://vine.co.

Here’s a creative example of how we used Vine:

Have you already created some Vine brilliance? Share it! We’d love to see how others are using this great resource.