When a new app or social media service launches, one of the first questions to pop into our heads is: What are the potential opportunities for brands and marketers?

The latest service to hit the spotlight is Twitter-owned Vine, a short-video service app which allows you to share six-second videos on Twitter and Facebook.

What’s so great about it you say? Think Instagram for GIFs. Ah yes that got your attention didn’t it. The launch of Vine comes at a time when social media is turning increasingly more visual and could therefore become very useful to marketers. Many brands have already successfully embraced a more visual storytelling using Instagram and YouTube heavily in their marketing campaigns, and Vine might be the natural next step.

Struggling to get people to watch your 2 min branded videos? Vine is a way to keep even those with the shortest attention span captivated. As part of a greater video marketing strategy, Vine will enable marketers to create, among other things, previews of longer videos. Vine can also help marketers and brands show off their personalities more. Just ensure the content you create isn’t under par and as a result ends up having a negative effect on your marketing activity.

As co-founder of Vine Dom Hofmann said: “Posts on Vine are about abbreviation — the shortened form of something larger. They’re little windows into the people, settings, ideas and objects that make up your life.”

We can’t wait to see what the creative souls think of in the weeks and months to come.