Believe it or not, there are still some people who don’t know how to use GIFs. For the rest of us, it’s a part of our daily lives – whether we’re sharing reactions on social media, sending funny messages to friends, or adding some visual interest to our websites. But with so many different ways to use GIFs, it can be tough to know where to start. In this blog post, I’ll show you how to use GIF marketing without looking out of touch.
What is a GIF?
Let’s start with the basics. GIF is the acronym for “Graphics Interchange Format.” It describes a type of image file format that’s made to store multiple pictures in sequential order. It’s the perfect way to create short, looping animations – which is why they’re so popular on social media and in text conversations.
While gifs are often associated with online culture, they have been around for much longer than the internet itself. The first gif was created in 1987 by Steve Wilhite. While working at ComputerServe, he found a way to compress images with nominal data loss.
This new file format provided flexibility for photos that might’ve been lower-resolutuion. Since then, the GIF has become an increasingly favorable way to communicate online.
Thanks to their popularity, people currently use gifs to express themselves creatively and often humorously. Whether you like them or not, and whichever way you choose to pronounce it, there’s no denying that GIFs have become an integral part of the internet as we know it.
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Benefits of GIF Marketing
Gif marketing is a great way to engage with your audience and get your message across. Gifs are more intriguing to look at than static images, and they’re also mobile-friendly. Plus, gifs induce visual learning, which means your audience is more likely to remember your message. And since the brain processes images quicker than words, gifs are a great way to communicate complex ideas quickly and effectively.
So, if you’re looking for a new and innovative way to market your business, consider gif marketing. It’s an effective, engaging, and fun way to reach your target audience.
Can GIFS Backfire?
Be warned: throughout your gif marketing journey, you may end up getting things wrong. And by wrong I mean… you might end up being regarded as the worst thing possible on the internet: cringe. How to avoid this? Well, that’s tricky.
You see, the internet is constantly changing. That means that certain memes, music, and public figures will be trendy one month, and deemed “old” the next. So, if you want to avoid cringe-worthy gif marketing, you need to stay on top of internet trends.
As of 2022, I recommend getting yourself a Twitter and a TikTok account, if you don’t have one already. Keep your eye on popular meme pages, and be ready to adjust your gifs accordingly. Or hire someone young to take care of your marketing endeavors.
Be sure to use relevant gifs. They should all have something to do with the message you’re trying to communicate. A funny cat gif might be amusing, but it’s not going to do much to sell your product.
Humor is definitely a subjective matter, but try your hardest to avoid cheap jokes. We all know that one person who always forwards those corny email chains with bad jokes. Don’t be that person. Steer clear of gifs that are cheap for easy laughs, and focus on quality over quantity.
With a little effort, you can avoid gif marketing fails – and maybe even become a trendsetter yourself.
Where to Find Your GIFs
If you’re looking for the perfect gif, you have a few options. Giphy is a great search engine specifically for gifs, and it’s easy to use. Simply enter what you’re looking for in the search bar and browse through the results.
Another gif-friendly option is Google Image Search. Just enter whatever you’re searching for, scroll down to “Search tools,” and select “Animated.” This filter will show you gifs that are related to your query.
Finally, Imgur is a user-generated image-sharing site that is home to a wealth of gifs. You can either browse through the gifs that were already uploaded or add your own to the mix. So whatever gif you’re searching for, one of these three options is sure to have it.
Want to Make Your Own?
Sometimes you’re looking for a specific thing and it’s not exactly in the library. So, why not make your own? With gif-maker apps, it’s easy to create gifs that are both fun and engaging. Plus, you can add other elements like filters, backgrounds, text overlays, images, emojis, and more. Most of them involve choosing a set of images, then choosing the way in which you want them to cycle.
If you already have a video that you’d like to turn into a gif, you’ve got options as well. There are dozens of video to gif converters out there. Both on desktop and mobile.
Where to Use Your GIFs for Marketing
There are so many places you can use gifs for marketing. Social media posts, websites, email campaigns…the list goes on. Gifs are a great way to show off products, promote your brand as personable or relatable, or to instruct users on how to do something. And once you get the hang of gif-making, you’ll be churning them out in no time. So get creative and start using gifs to level up your marketing game.
