Graphics Interchange Format abbreviated as GIF is a format for image files supporting both static and animated images. This format has been there for nearly 3 decades now and still going strong. This concept was appealing to marketers and they used it in their business. Many brands have found brilliant ideas to get their messages across and engage customers.
1. Using GIFs in E-Mails
Barring Outlook 2007+, other E-Mail client software is GIF compatible. For making your E-mail Marketing campaign more exciting, a static image can be replaced by embedding a GIF in your newsletter.
Newsletter by Litmus is pretty cool. The GIF explains and describes the working of the product. Some great ideas to generate interest, build excitement and relationship with your customers. Thereafter the powerful emotions stay for long. You need to only ensure that your customers are familiar with your brand and the GIF does not appear like a spam making it look awful.
2. Product Illustration
While pictures of your product can only convey a one-dimensional view, an HD video may not fit within the budget. However, it is dynamic images that make people buy. GIFs, which are like a tiny video, are easy to create and the best approach to overcome any shortcomings. Your virtual personality as a brand scales up. You may even go for a 360-degree picture.
3. Teaser Preview of Product Launch
Great hype is seen during a product launch. Normally, live events are ideal but at the same time discreet, mysterious and modest are also not bad. Adding to this tradition is the GIFs that present similar but a more variable functionality.
4. Product Functionality
Animated GIFs aid in capturing the essence of the products and its features with clarity. GIFs’ variability is not restricted to just displaying great looking products that are being offered; you can even show its functions. Fit for products that have obscure technical functioning.
The products that you manufacture could be a complex piece of technology involving a lot of mechanical units working consistently together; such as a large generator set or an automobile engine. GIFs will find its utility in these areas. The internal movements of the parts of your product can create a huge sense of security in the minds of your prospects. All the same, even if you do not have any physical products, you can still apply GIFs to add value.
5. Products’ Tutorials
Tutorials and demo videos are important for SaaS companies as it aids customers to get the feel of the features and functionalities of the software. Although the glitch here is, you will have to rely on your customers to click on the video play button, now this is taken care of by GIFs.
Some business use explainer GIFs for communicating with their customers and also for their every new launch and updates. There will be a GIF on their E-Mails and on their blog, regularly. Though edited this is more or less like a screen-recordings of the dashboard to display only the important frames which can be created by using PowerPoint.
Information on mechanical or physical products can be quickly generated by GIFs which are also clear and quite useful. Short GIF tutorials can be easily developed to benefit the customers for using your products and services which can also be shared on social media etc.
6. Homepage Rendezvous
To attract attention and make your website more appealing, your homepage is any time the right place to include GIFs. The GIFs on the homepage is a nice way to make your site look lively and engaging to your visitors. Nevertheless, caution; avoid too many elements while experimenting which will only defeat the very purpose and distract your customers from your landing page.
7. Prompting CTC
GIF placed on the landing page, like video, works well in directing the users’ attention to the right things. Creating GIFs in explainer articles and present the features is an excellent method to attract the attention of your products or services thereby giving way to visually appealing CTC or calls-to-action. This is a welcome change for the visitors from the boring videos that they are made to hold their attention.
Some GIF series creations are of high quality that builds value in the eyes of the viewer and gains buyer’s trust. In short, GIFs offer a solid case of the products and services offered; you may have a look at the different ones trending presently and take a cue.
8. Role of Social Media
Social media plays a significant role in GIFs related E-mail campaigns. Despite the recommendations by professionals to get GIFs integrated into your E-Mails and homepages, it would be in the fitness of things, to continue to feed GIFs and enchant your prospects through the internet.
This is simple to grab attention but may not sound professional yet can be discounted. Such enterprising ideas on social media websites create a sense of trust, loyalty and helps in promoting interactions for creating good relationships in the future.
In Conclusion
GIFs though are tiny and easy to create, has the capability to offer more than an image. They are quite affordable in comparison to the effort and making of a regular video. In other words, it is between an image and a video although it cannot be replaced in terms of the hi-definition quality picture; just a hybrid version.
However, if you are uncertain about the quality of the GIF that you are attempting, have a professional hired to develop a great GIF that could push your marketing and conversion strategies to the next level.
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