In just the past couple of years, the concept of the Vine has transformed from unheard of to absolute powerhouse in the world of marketing. While many people use Vine for individual viral desires, businesses are increasingly finding out just how much effect a properly made Vine can have on their traffic. From social media to email and traditional web interfaces, the Vine takes video to the next level. For those who don’t yet understand what Vine is, it is a simple six-second video (maximum length) that can be used to quickly summarize a point or premise, or to simply have fun. We’ll discuss below some ideas for your next (or first) Vine, and how you can rake in the traffic, likes, shares and conversions through the use of them.

Make Life Easier

With each Vine being six seconds in length, you don’t have a whole lot of time to completely summarize much in traditional terms. Video can be a great way to boil down many concepts into short summaries; a picture is worth a thousand words, which can make a Vine worth a million. Lifehacks and simple walkthroughs on things that make individuals’ lives easier can go a long way on Vine. Many people have seen success from the creation of Vines that explain how to keep beverages cooler for longer periods of time, or how to make use of those extra clothes hangers you have laying around.

The How-to

A simple how-to can be a surefire way to gain extra attention and publicity for your brand. Many how-tos in text form can leave something to be desired; this is where a well-made Vine can come in. Whether you want to show how to apply make-up, how to be pinging links to search engines or how to get rid of bugs in the home, a six-second summary can be a challenge for you that is both rewarding and enjoyable.

Summarize a Product

If your brand wants to be in the business of marketing itself in a more direct form, then why not create a short Vine that outlines the functionality or purpose of your products? You can no doubt make it fun and classy, and the time constraints will really challenge you on how to best summarize your product. A vine for this particular purpose may not only help you gain exposure, but it can also help you figure out which points are the most prudent when advertising your product in all formats. After all, attention spans of readers don’t last forever: what you can convey in six seconds of video is probably what you should be conveying through most formats if you want more conversions.

Explain a Contest

Last but not least, Vines can be a great way to explain a contest or promotion that you currently are offering. Many people have used Vines in conjunction with Twitter hashtags to promote their offerings to the masses and gain momentum. Especially powerful with a paid ad campaign, you’ll be pinging links to hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of people in no time at all.