Not so long ago, Twitter exploded onto the social networking scene; forcing us to play with words and cram our thoughts, nuances and observations into just 140 characters. This was soon followed by Instagram, introducing us to captivating filters like Amaro, Hudson and Nashville to make our photos look oh-so-pretty. But it would seem that words and pictures are no longer enough when it comes to chronicling our day to day lives. Apparently, we’re hooked on video content. Over four billion videos are watched online every day, so it’s no surprise that a video-based social network would pop up sooner rather than later. Step in Vine to complete the social media mix.

So what’s Vine All About?

The idea behind Vine is simple – it provides little windows of video footage; an insight into the people, settings, ideas and objects that make up our lives. Via the free mobile app, users can capture and share short looping videos of just six seconds or less. The six seconds don’t have to be consecutive; you can stop and start the recording to create a six second mash up of mini clips.

To get started, all you need to do is download the app, create your profile and then click on the little film icon that appears. Simply tap the screen to start recording, and lift your finger off the screen to stop. A bar at the top indicates how many seconds you’ve used up. Et voila - you have your very own Vine video. You can then share your little masterpiece with other Vine users or upload it to Facebook and Twitter. You can even embed the videos onto your website or blog.

One of the criticisms facing Vine is that you can’t set your profile to private which means the content you produce is visible to everyone. Plus, you can’t edit videos or re-order clips, and it only picks up ambient sound. But surely, it’s the lack of these features which make the app more appealing – it’s simple to use and it presents the world around us, just as it is. So yes, it means we might have to get over our obsession with posting ‘perfect’ content.

How is Vine social?

In a similar way to Twitter, the Vine app has a home feed that populates with videos from the users you follow. There’s a handy explore tab too, which includes the editor’s picks and you can see all the weird and wonderful stuff that’s trending. Vine was designed to ‘inspire creativity’ and despite its six second limit, you’d be surprised at how people – and brands - are making use of the app. The fashion world in particular has been quick to embrace Vine, using the app to capture real-time clips of models strutting down the runway or make-up artists busy at work behind the scenes. Users should also look to magazines and top brands like Dove, Gap and ASOS for forwarding thinking ideas on how to use Vine, as they’re all creating some truly original content.

Vine might not have the same kudos as Twitter and Instagram (yet), but if you’re into social networking and looking for a new way to present content and interact with friends, colleagues or other professionals in your industry, then this is the app for you…until, that is, the next big thing in social media comes along.