Email inboxes are constantly being bombarded with new messages on a daily basis. So what does it take to get someone to actually stop and read ( even click through) your marketing emails?

Enter the GIF. A neat little package of graphical delight that helps to shortcut a story or message via the medium of a looping visual.

If you’ve been on the internet at all in the last 30 years, you’re probably familiar with GIFs. GIFs have become almost ubiquitous as the emoji in digital communication. They help to shortcut a message and convey a mood in just a couple of seconds. 

After all, what conveys excitement better? A ‘sounds great’ text or this GIF:

So how can we incorporate GIFs effectively into our marketing?

GIFs in marketing emails

We’ve recently been testing animated GIFs in different marketing messages for our clients. And the results have been promising.

Click through rates (CTRs) showed a significant uptick when a GIF was used to support a marketing message. Placing a GIF within the content of the email gets people scrolling further and clicking more frequently than the same email sent without a GIF.

However, make sure you’re not letting GIFs get out of hand. Our experience shows that overusing GIFs had the opposite effect. Too many GIFs, used too often, have seen CTRs decline (and unsubscribes go up). So we advise to use them strategically and sparingly.

Examples of GIFs in marketing emails

Country Road have used this GIF to reinforce their message of how they turn waste fabrics into new clothing.
How to add GIFs to your marketing emails

Go-To Skincare has used a GIF to show a before and after of their skincare routine.

Sans Drinks has used a GIF to show what’s inside their limited edition pack.

Like everything when it comes to customer communications, it pays to know your audience and your overarching message. 

For the majority of businesses and email types, adding the occasional GIF can enhance your marketing message.

But there are exceptions. If your brand skews towards the professional, use GIFs with caution (or refrain entirely).

And avoid using them for more serious emails, such as those asking for payment for an overdue bill.

And don’t let a GIF get in the way of your message. Use your words. GIFs can be funny, clever, or interesting or insightful. But they can also be overused. Look at how your audience responds to your use of GIFs. You achieve this by consistently testing and monitoring your stats.

Find and create GIFs for your marketing campaigns

The GIFs you choose should complement your overall brand and make sense for your audience. GIFs are like a shorthand for your audience. So look for ones that reference things they’ll know about.

Consider:

• Branded GIFs – instead of inserting a static graphic or image, look at whether you can animate all or part of it to make your email grab attention. 

• Pop culture – is your audience made up of 90s kids who grew up with The Simpsons, Friends and Seinfeld? Do they watch Netflix shows like Schitt’s Creek and The Good Place? Which sports people would they recognise? Knowing this helps you choose GIFs that your audience will actually understand.

• Current events – the ease with which GIFs can be created means they can often take hold of a current event and run with it. Keep an eye out for these trending GIFs, but make sure you consider whether your audience would also be in on the reference.

• Universal themes – think cute kittens, happy dogs and cute kids. These universal themes don’t rely on our audience understanding of an inside joke or reference. Just make sure the mood they capture complements your marketing message.

Where to find GIFs

Giphy

Giphy has a comprehensive library of GIFs with a search function that allows you to browse thousands of GIFs to find the right one.
Type in a feeling (think ‘happy, sad etc.), an action (throwing confetti) or a character/movie if you want to reference a pop culture moment (think ‘Friends, ‘The Simpson’).

Make your own

If you really want to get into using GIFs and set your brand apart, create your own using images or video. You don’t need any fancy video equipment or software to do this – record a short video on your phone and upload it to an online tool to turn it into a .gif file.

Get creative and make your own reaction GIFs. Think, a GIF of your team clapping added to your welcome email or a GIF of your warehouse team packing orders to add to sale confirmations. 

For branded GIFs that showcase a product or message, use an editing tool like Canva to turn a series of images into a moving GIF.

On a final note, there are still some email clients that don’t support the use of GIFs (boo hiss!). If your clients are on versions of Outlooks 2007, 2010 or 2013 only the first loading graphic of the GIF will appear, instead of your crafted, customised and pretty GIF so be aware of this when thinking of your first frame.

Want to know more about creating GIFs and using them in your email or website? Book a 1:1 session with me.