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GIFs in Email Marketing: How to do it right!

GIFs in Email Marketing: How to do it right!

Beatrice Stefanescu

November 8, 2022 (modified on March 5, 2024)

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GIFs are everywhere these days. You can find them on social media, email marketing campaigns, blogs, and even in pop-up ads. But what exactly is a GIF? It’s an animated image file that can be used to express emotions or moods with little effort.

Let’s dive into the history of GIFs and how they can be used in Email marketing.

What are GIFs?

GIFs are a type of image file that is made up of a series of images. GIFs have been around since 1987 and have evolved into a form of art and entertainment. Since the internet has become more popular, they’ve also been used as a way to communicate messages or thoughts through emotions.

GIFs are most often used to express emotion in text-based communications because they can be easily understood by people who don’t speak the same language as you, which makes them great for international businesses!

The below GIF conveys the message “hello.” Anyone can easily interpret this sign, and there are no language barriers when it comes to GIFs. It is a universal language indeed!

Why should you add GIFs to your email marketing campaigns?

Importance of GIFs in emails

GIFs play an important part in email marketing in today’s digital world. Learn about how it can add value to your emails.

  • Helps you stand out from the rest and create a connection with your customers. For example, if you’re using a GIF to highlight a point or illustrate how something works, it can impact readers.
  • GIFs are also useful for sending out newsletters and promotions because they get people to take action. When used correctly, GIFs can encourage engagement with your brand in a fun way.
  • Engages people and has the potential to put a smile on your subscriber’s face.
  • GIFs can convey the message in seconds
  • Not constrained to a specific audience
  • A video can be broken down into shots with GIFs

Is GIF suitable for marketing?

It’s a big yes! GIFs are revolutionary add-ons to email marketing. GIFs are a great way to engage your audience and can increase the click-through rate of your emails, which will, in turn, help you send more email marketing campaigns in the future. Let me explain it to you with the numbers.

For example, In 2014, Dell used a simple GIF for promotional emails. Do you know what the result of the email campaign was? The results are mind-blowing. Dell managed to increase revenue by 109% through a GIF-centric email campaign.

This is something huge! Wondering how to include GIFs in your email campaigns? Continue reading…

Different ways to include GIFs in your email marketing campaigns

1. GIFs can be used to be witty!

People love to read witty messages. This can increase the chances of reading your emails with a sportive spirit.

2. Use GIFs for countdowns

Countdown GIFs can drive customers to book something before the official launch of a product. You can also use a countdown timer to create urgency among the subscribers.

3. To create blinking icons and fonts

Highlighting key points such as 50% off and flash sales are very important. This can help you convey the important things with flashy fonts and colors. GIFs can throw a spotlight on your email templates.

If you are unsure how to create your own email templates, you can get the help of an email marketing agency for your business. It will definitely take the burden off you!

4. Icons to convey something through GIFs

Different stickers and icons can also be used as GIFs to make your email more engaging and interesting. Complex ideas can be simplified through these stickers and icons.

Here’s an example of a Starbucks email campaign that has used heart stickers as GIFs to show the customers that Starbucks and the customers are a perfect match.

Tips for creating engaging GIFs

You want to be able to deliver a GIF that is relevant to your audience, but how do you know if the GIF is relevant?

  • Short – The ideal length for an animated GIF should be between 10 and 20 frames long. Anything longer than that can get repetitive and boring.
  • Relevant – Whether it’s email marketing for photographers or the IT industry, your animated GIF should correspond closely with the content or objective of your campaign.
  • Catchy– Always stick to the trend.
  • Perform an action – Create GIFs that can drive traffic to your website.

How to create GIFs

Creating GIFs is easier than you think. Let’s start with the basic steps to create a GIF using an online app.

1. Download the app you want to use.

2. Open the app, and click Create Gif.

3. Click on your desired video clip, drag it into the timeline at the bottom of the window, or click Add Clip.

4. Drag your second clip into the timeline as well if you want to add another video clip to your gif.

5. Click on a clip and drag it to where you’d like it to be in your finished product.

6. Click Save when you’re ready!

There are a variety of apps that you can use to create your own GIFs, and they all have different features and capabilities. Let’s have a look at them:

Apps that can be used to create GIFs:

You will need some sort of software. Here are a few options that I have found to be useful:

1. Giphy

This app is great for creating GIFs from videos and photos. You can even use it to create your own GIFs from scratch! You also have access to thousands of free GIFs and stickers.

2. Make A GIF

Make A GIF does wonders as it has the ability to convert any media to a GIF. You can save it easily and use it for your email campaigns.

3. Tenor GIF

Tenor GIFs can help you create GIFs and stickers. They also have free GIFs and stickers based on different categories.

4. GIF Brewery

This is exclusively for Mac users. You can create animated GIFs and brew new things for your email campaigns.

The disadvantage of GIFs in email marketing

GIFs are a great way to stand out from the rest. They help your emails pop off the page and draw people in by expressing your brand personality. Yet it is not suitable for those who are visually impaired. It is important to include every customer when it comes to marketing. This is the only disadvantage of GIFs.

Conclusion

GIFs are an interesting method of grabbing users’ attention in emails. They can be used to illustrate a story or introduce a new product that you’re launching, among other things. These little loops of video art can be a fun way to brighten up an email campaign.

Don’t forget to make your GIFs as short and impactful as possible. They are meant to capture your audience’s attention, not to bore them!