GIFs are the perfect way to get a message across to your audience in a direct way and convey your business identity in a simple format.
For GIFs to be effective business tools you need to follow some simple rules that will ensure they have the right impact on your potential clients and customers.
What is a GIF?
Quite simply, a GIF (pronounced “GIF” or “jiff”) is an image. Like emojis and memes they are attention grabbers that communicate a story in a simple visual format.
Why Use GIFs in Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat Stories?
Marketing is all about creating conversions so if you want your GIFs to work for you rather than simply be amusing or original then you need to use them wisely.
They can be a great marketing tool across all your social media platforms if you know how to use them well.
Let’s take a look at the reasons for using GIFs.
Think about your Brand
Build Awareness
Some GIFs are funny, but you need to think about the image it portrays and whether it represents your brand appropriately.
It’s all about context. Your brand has a personality so if a funny animal GIF is reflective of your fun, heart-warming business it may be the perfect GIF for your audience. For example, a dog drinking a beer for a hospitality business may be a perfect promotion but it’s probably not right for a corporate lawyer.
Choose a GIF that has the right tone and even colours or style to represent your brand and create awareness of your product or services.
Develop Interest
Once you have built awareness of your brand, you want to hook in the people who might consider a purchase. This is done by utilising incentives to convince potential buyers.
You can do this alongside appropriate GIFs to grab their attention. Try adding a promotional code or special offer to the GIF and this may lead to a purchase.
Deliver Your Values
Increasingly, customers are drawn towards companies that have values that match their own. The environment, animal welfare and poverty are common causes that can draw your audience to support your brand.
GIFs are a great visual way to connect your brand’s values with your audience. By using a visual image that stands out on a story or post you may be able to grab the attention of a potential customer who is more likely to click to find out more about your business.
Why are GIFs better than images?
Focus on Visual Communication
In the hierarchy of effective communication, images are better than text and videos are better than images.
The problem with videos is that they are expensive to make, GIFs are often free and provide a moving image that can get your message across powerfully.
Quick Communication
We all know that visitors may not hang around long enough to read a paragraph of text. The good news is that a GIF conveys its message in just a few seconds and since it plays on a loop, the audience gets the chance to see it again if it appeals to them.
How to Use GIFs in Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat Stories
Original GIFs – Consider designing your own GIFs on GIPHY. Customizing a GIF will bring originality that can represent your brand more effectively and help your business stand out from the competition. You can search for GIFs on Google but do remember to check out the licensing requirements.
Personality – Consider what makes your business unique and use GIFs to showcase those features. GIFs can make your business feel less corporate and more personal.
Introduce Your Team – Consumers like to deal with real people and getting to know the people in the team will help your potential customers to connect with your business. It can be very powerful to show a GIF of staff celebrating an event and letting the audience get a glimpse into the culture of the business.
Promote a Product – A GIF can showcase a product in a fun, attention grabbing way if paired with a caption that sells the benefits of the product.
SEO Keywords – Keywords are just as important on social media so put them in your GIF’s caption. Think about the reasons that your audience will be searching for your product.
Are there any Risks of using GIFs in business?
The only risk with using a GIF on your business’s social media is that some of your audience won’t like or engage with them but that is always a risk with any marketing strategy.
It’s probably best to avoid a GIF if your business has a particularly serious brand but otherwise it’s just a case of choosing the right GIF following the ideas above.
For help and advice with your marketing efforts, talk to the SEO & Web team today.
