It’s no secret that GIFs are becoming more and more popular. But, did you know that GIFs have actually been around for almost 30 years? That’s right! They were first invented by a team at CompuServe - a software company based in Columbus, Ohio. GIF is short for Graphics Interchange Format. Technically speaking, it’s a file type for both animated and still images.

You probably use GIFs in group messages with friends, or on your social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. But, did you know you can incorporate them on your actual blog as well? Here are a few different ways to use GIFs throughout your blog and website. 

Blog Posts

GIFs might not be the best option for all blogs, however, depending on what your blog is focused around, GIFs can be very helpful. If you have tutorials or guides in your blog posts often, consider incorporating a few GIFs. This is an easier way to capture and keep your reader’s attention. You probably already know that not everyone has the time nor patience to scan through an entire article for information they are looking for. Consumers want quick answers that aren’t difficult to find. GIFs capitalize on this because they provide a quick and easy way to explain a process to viewers. No more having to type out long paragraphs about how to do something, just compile a few sentences and add a GIF as a visual element. 

Emails

Are you sending emails to your blog subscribers to notify them on new posts or updates? Get rid of the boring email marketing tactics, and try using GIFs to get a better response. Senders can expect to see a 6% increase in opening rate and an increase in CTR (click through rate) by simply incorporating GIFs into their emails. The reason there is an increase, is because GIFs are just more engaging and exciting than still images or text only emails. Sometimes you have to put yourself in your audience’s shoes and think ‘would I read this email?’ ‘would this headline make me open this email?’ ‘would I click this link if it was more exciting?’. Those are some questions to start asking yourself when creating your email campaigns. 

Social Media

If you run a blog, you probably have some sort of social media presence already. If you utilize Facebook or Pinterest, using GIFs on these platforms can engage your followers more than a still image post, or long video. When you’re trying to add a humorous or other emotional element, consider using GIFs! They bring your social channels to life, instead of text only posts or plain graphic designs. You can create your own GIFs, or simply just add an animated element to your image or graphic. There are several resources for free downloadable GIFs. 

These are just a few of the ways you can incorporate GIFs into your blog and marketing strategy. Try them out and see if you notice an increase in engagement on your social media, or an increase in your opening rate when sending email campaigns. There are tons of options out there if you don’t have the time to create your own!