Google’s recent acquisition of GIF search engine/keyboard Tenor is a clear indication Google plans to go all in on animated images. Brand marketers wanting to stay up-to-date on the latest marketing trends should take the Tenor acquisition as a definite sign it is time to up their GIF marketing game. The combination of animated visual content, mobile-enabled content consumers, and digital marketing outreach is too powerful an opportunity to overlook. If you are a brand marketer not yet convinced of the potential of GIF marketing, following are a few facts you ought to know.
1) According to data from Statista Research, 40% of social media users surveyed indicated they were influenced by GIF usage when making a product purchasing decision. While this number still lags behind video and static image usage, it is clear GIFs play a significant role in audience engagement.
2) Brand storytelling is all about evoking emotions with your audience. GIFs are an excellent tool for increased emotional reaction to your content. From blog posts and email newsletters to social media marketing posts, GIFs get your point across instantly and help your audience identify with your brand.
3) GIFs increase social shares of your content. Whether you want increased shares of your social media posts or more eyeballs on your brand’s content marketing blog posts, adding a GIF to your content can significantly increase your social share rate.
4) GIFs are easier to create and share than video content. Use tools like GetYarn (getyarn.io), Giphy (giphy.com/create/gifmaker), or ImgFlip (imgflip.com/gif-maker) to create your own GIFs and share with your target audience. You can also find ready-to-use GIFs via GIF search engines like Giphy.com and RightGIF.com.
5) If you want to connect with a mobile-enabled audience, you can’t beat the power of GIFs for improving your brand’s reputation as a hip-and-happening brand. Companies using GIFs as part of their marketing strategy tend to be thought of as up-to-date on marketing trends. While you might not want to go overboard with your use of GIFs, integrating them into your social media marketing and content marketing is a must.
6) GIFs are excellent for injecting humor into otherwise-dry topics. Sending an email to business associates about your latest financial forecasts? Add a funny GIF to your email to spice up what could otherwise be an email that makes your recipients’ eyes glaze over. Regardless of the type of content you’re creating, consider incorporating a GIF or two to add some levity to your content.
7) GIFs can also be used to inspire your audience to take action. Adding an inspirational GIF (tenor.com/search/inspirational-gifs) to your audience outreach can increase everything from charitable donations to participation in your company’s volunteer/charity events. Incorporate GIFs into your community-building efforts and you’ll be impressed at the reaction rate of your audience.
These are just a few of many reasons brands should be going all in on GIF marketing. As Google adds Tenor’s GIF database to their image search engine results, there is likely to increasing usage of GIFs by brands across the globe. If your company isn’t using GIFs to reach and connect with your audience, there is a good chance you’ll end up looking like you’re not up-to-speed on the latest marketing trends.
