Vine's meteoric rise through the social media world comes as little surprise to anyone who's browsed through the looping six-second video clips that define the app.
When Twitter acquired Vine in October 2012 — before the app had even launched — the social network explained the move as part of their search for the next big thing. Living up to expectations, the video sharing app saw 403% growth between Q1 and Q3 of 2013.
See also: The 33 Best Vine Videos of 2013
Learning how to utilize all of Vine's features effectively probably seems daunting to a beginner, so we've created this guide to help get you started.
Vine is available as a free download on all three major smartphone platforms, including Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
After installation, you'll be prompted to sign up with either your Twitter account or email address. Once you're set up with a profile, press the "+" symbol in the top-right corner to add friends through your address book, Twitter "following" list, or by inviting them via text and email links.
Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani
Outside of your contacts, you can discover creative and popular Vine users through the app's Explore tab. Here, you can view videos included in Vine's channel pages, such as Comedy, Music and News & Politics. The Explore page also includes trending hashtags and both "Popular Now" and "On the Rise" tabs.
See also: 10 Best Users to Follow on Vine
Once you've added Twitter friends and popular channel users, pay attention to their revines. Like a retweet, a revine makes it possible to share a video created by another user to all of your followers. Many popular users make cameos in each other's Vine videos and revine each other frequently. You can also scroll through talented users' "following" list, to see who they're watching.
Vine is truly a creative melting pot. Animators, comedians, cinematographers and daredevils all utilize the app's short, looping and shareable video tools in their own ways. After spending some time exploring, you'll begin to notice some common formulas on the app.

One phrase you're certain to hear on Vine is "be like." Recording themselves with a front-facing camera, users will make brief observations about groups of people. Probably the most common example is the "girls be like, guys be like" cliche. The prevalence of "be like" has led other users to satirize the trend, creating absurd videos like the one above.

Lip syncing, audio mixing and vocal dubs make up another large portion of Vine videos, often working humorously to combine clashing styles or give pre-existing clips new meaning. These Vine videos are basically six-second variations of the same formula used in the eternal YouTube sensation Honey Badger.

Perhaps the most impressive Vine videos are those created by stop motion experts using the app. The artists use tools such as clay, action figures, Legos, food, pencils, paper and more to create fluid animations out of everyday objects.

With the number of brands, popular users and event promoters on Vine, you'll never be too many hashtags away from a booming Vine contest. With rewards of money, vacations and exposure, Vine contests are the perfect incentive to get you started with the app today. Keep an eye out for new contests by following brands and users with a huge fan base, or creating a Google Alert for appropriate keywords.
To start recording your video, just press the camera icon in the top-right corner of the app. Holding your finger to the screen begins recording, and releasing your finger pauses it. Unlike Instagram, you still cannot upload prerecorded video into the app. Vine videos can be as long as six seconds and as short as three.
Image: Vine
While filming, the buttons along the bottom of your screen offer several options that will help you create better Vine videos. From left to right, you have the front-facing camera, a grid for stable shooting, a focus button, a tool for "ghosting and a "Save Draft" button. With drafts, you can save and work on up to 10 videos at a time.
Image: Vine
Vine's ghosting tool is best used in stop-motion animations, as it allows you to view the last frame you captured. Use it to help line up your object and create fluid transitions between cuts.
Image: Vine
Once you've recorded your video, press the arrow in the top-right corner of your screen and preview your finished product. If you'd like to rearrange your sequence of clips, press the Edit button and simply drag and drop your individual clips to their new places in your timeline. You can delete clips by dragging them to the top of the screen into the trashcan icon, as seen above.
See also: How to Get Started With Vine Sessions and Time Travel
When you're finished editing, press Save, and then press the green checkmark at the bottom of your screen. You'll be brought to the "Share" screen where you can add a caption, location and channel tag to your video. If you want more exposure for your creation, include descriptive hashtags in your caption at this stage. If you've connected your Facebook and Twitter accounts, you can choose to share your Vine to those sites as well. Your finished Vine videos can also be shared on your desktop via the URL and embed codes.
Record audio with your iPhone's earphones for better quality.

Use a smartphone tripod for more fluid stop-motion videos. iPhone users should check out our buying guide: 5 iPhone Tripods for Perfect Vine Videos
Master tricks to create special effects. Read through our guide: How to Add Special Effects to Vine and Instagram Videos

Use popular hashtags such as #unPOP, #StopMotion, #loop, #AllNaturalVines and #TheAnimatedWorld when appropriate to ensure other community members see your creations.
Utilize popular Vine materials like clay, Legos, construction paper and action figures to set yourself apart.
When possible, collaborate with other users on their Vine videos to learn new techniques. The Vine community is relatively open to revealing their secrets.
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Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani