Insights:Are you ga ga for GIFs?

The use of GIFs is rampant online. Literally hundreds of millions of them are uploaded every month. Some are funny, some are lame and some do an amazing job of engaging marketers’ target audiences.

First the basics. A GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format. Even more simply put, they are series of images or video that loop nonstop and do not require the viewer to hit play.

Typically they are short, about 2 to 10 seconds. Which means the audience isn’t asked to strain their attention span to watch. But even in that short time, a story can be told. A mood can be projected. A laugh can be shared. A connection can be made. And a customer can be created.

GIFs’ small file size and visual interest make them ideal for sharing on mobile devices, which is the preferred platform for the majority of internet users. And thanks to GIFs high share-ability factor, they are ideal for use on virtually any social media platform like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

GIFs can also be used in emails and data shows the use of a GIF within an email delivers dramatically higher click rates.

When creating a GIF for your marketing you want to be sure that it is attention-getting, approachable and stays on brand message. A boring GIF is no better than a boring block of text. Remember there are hundreds of millions of these little micro-movies endlessly looping online and consumers are just as good at ignoring GIFs that don’t appeal to them, as they are any other marketing efforts.

If you’re ready to get your GIF on or want to up your GIF game, we’ll put our digital team right on it.

If however you still can’t figure out the correct pronunciation – hard G or soft G (like Jif) I’ll let you in on a secret. The inventor of the Gif, Steve Wilhite says the soft G is the correct way of saying it. Unfortunately for Steve, while he may have invented this technology most people use the hard G pronunciation.

And that’s no Goke.