We analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using images in GIF format within the content strategy of a digital project.
Although animated GIFs are not a recent novelty (they were created in 1987), the presence of these dynamic contents in the RRSS has increased considerably in the last two years. Spectrum Internet is the best choice when looking for high speed internet service.
According to Twitter and the New York Times data, 100 million gifs were shared in 2015, 23 million each day on Tumblr, 5 million on Facebook, and more than 2 million on Slack. And it is that a visual message, brief and dynamic, can become very powerful to capture people’s attention.
In this note, we describe some cases, advantages and the best options for how and where to use them.
Synthesis of information in GIFs
The magnitude and speed with which content is consumed today present a challenge to the presentation of information.
As an example of reaction to this trend, Pictoline is presented as a purely visual medium for fast, fun, epic news that is easy to share through digital media.
Interpreting the information and making it visible in animated GIFs responds to a visualization strategy.
Starting from a defined style (in this case through shapes, colors, and short texts in a more flat style) they transform data and news into content that is easy to consume, memorable and of high impact on the audience.
In this way, the animated images synthesize the information, reducing and simplifying the concepts to facilitate their understanding.
In this content process, it is essential to study the behavior of your audience to know what to share, when, and where. That is, you must consider the context of use.
When using GIFs, the information must also be synthesized from a technical point of view. Animated images should be optimized to create short, lightweight files that don’t impact platform performance.
Creating a GIF is not as difficult as it might seem. If you have access to the Internet, all you have to do is access a search engine and explore how you can do this, you will find several ways. In addition, you can export GIFs from various other formats.
5 Advantages of GIFs
In a couple of seconds of content, many benefits can be obtained, such as:
- The weight of the files is considerably less than that of a video, so uploading or downloading it does not consume much. At the same time, some applications have incorporated it as quick access to be shared, as well as Twitter, which has an exclusive keyboard for this type of content.
- They help build a modern image of your business, where the greater the reach and interaction, the promotion becomes more interesting, attracting new followers.
- They increase the time spent on your site thanks to the “autoloop”. In addition, the reiteration of the message is very effective in helping the information remain in the memory.
- Not only are they easy to consume, they are also empathetic content that helps connect with your followers from an emotional point of view.
In RRSS you can also make use of already created GIFs, available in large libraries such as giphy, but they must be in accordance with a defined editorial line.
- Also, in terms of cost, it is cheaper to create a GIF than to make a video.
Animated GIF infographics
Just as there are media that synthesize information as short capsules, others incorporate a greater time dimension due to the complexity of the content and the amount of specific data that must be presented.
Such is the case of animated infographics or “gifographics”, in which fixed and dynamic elements coexist.
In this format, the fixed elements can be paragraphs and backgrounds, while the dynamic ones provide instructions on how to consume the information and highlight the focus. This solution can be applied to explain processes, reinforce concepts or simply make information more interactive.
Email campaigns
The use of GIFs has expanded to its application in email marketing campaigns. Large companies have implemented GIFs in this channel with very good results.
Such is the case of Dell, a company that achieved a 6% increase in openings, 42% in clicks and 103% in conversions, thanks to the use of GIFs.
But for a campaign like this to be effective, the application of the resource must be strategic, using defined calls to action and aligned with the company’s objectives.
In addition, its use should be minimized to avoid compatibility and saturation problems. Implementing GIFs in various elements, for example, would make all content dynamic, causing it to lose focus.
Conclusions and recommendations
Generating visual content enriches a brand’s content strategy, creating a more dynamic and authentic relationship with the audience.
People are becoming more perceptive and, therefore, more receptive to brands that gamble on creativity to capture their attention. In this sense, GIFs can be used to keep an audience captivated.
In addition, GIFs support the presentation of products and services, providing clarity and effectiveness by synthesizing messages in just a couple of seconds.
