Are you toying with the idea of adding GIFs to your email marketing campaigns? Perhaps\u00a0you want to try it but are afraid it might seem a little unprofessional.<\/p>\n
Well, did you know\u00a0more than half\u00a0of internet marketers use GIFs in emails?<\/p>\n
GIFs are a great way to make your message stand out, catch the eye, inject some humor, and demonstrate concepts. However, you need to be careful about how and when you use them.<\/p>\n
Nail this component, and you\u2019ll be able to leverage the power of GIFs to make your email marketing campaign that much more engaging. In marketing,\u00a0higher engagement = higher clickthrough rates, which in turn means\u00a0more conversions.<\/p>\n
So, don\u2019t go anywhere because we\u2019re about to show you how to achieve this by using GIFs in your email campaigns, the right way.<\/p>\n
One of the most common reasons marketers include GIFs in emails is to\u00a0add humor.<\/p>\n
Research has shown\u00a0that humor is a highly effective element in advertising. It commands attention and keeps targets engaged.<\/p>\n
However, humor should be used\u00a0thoughtfully and appropriately.\u00a0When it comes to GIFs, you should be extra aware of your target audience.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, you also need to make sure that any funny, humourous GIFs fit in with your brand.<\/p>\n
For example, if you are a straight-shooting financial brand aimed at young millennials, or a\u00a0quirky app\u00a0company\u2014the right type of humorous GIF might tie in perfectly with your brand image.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, if you are a company that deals in funeral catering, an irreverent or funny\u00a0GIF is probably\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0going to hit the right note.<\/p>\n To gain leads, you have to stand out. Attention is the new currency and what better way to grab\u00a0it in an email than with movement?<\/p>\n Emails are inherently static. Using a well placed GIF\u00a0can be a creative marketing technique to keep the viewer engaged with your email. Instead of clicking away, the extra stimulation might be the pull they need to stay on your email and\u00a0get absorbed in its content.<\/p>\n Say the word GIF, and most of us think funny, or cute.<\/p>\n However, GIFs can also be informative. For instance, say you are launching a new app. A custom GIF of the application and its menus could be the perfect vehicle for showing readers how the app works and what they can use it for.<\/p>\n Explaining something like this in email campaigns can be tricky and laborious. In contrast, GIFs can provide a quick, stimulating visual that readers can\u00a0absorb\u00a0in an instant.<\/p>\n Do you have a powerful concept that works better as a visual than in words?\u00a0Custom GIFs<\/a>\u00a0can help you get the message across.<\/p>\n For instance, say you have a clothing brand\u00a0that\u2019s marketing a dress that can be worn 5 ways, like\u00a0Sambag\u2019s Allison Dress. You can use a custom GIF to demonstrate the different ways the dress can be worn, all in one eye-catching swoop.<\/p>\n Other ways to illustrate a concept include animated visuals depicting how your service works, or how your brand\u2019s vision helps people.<\/p>\n Speaking of your brand, custom GIFs can also be a creative marketing technique for building your brand personality.<\/p>\n If you have a fun, lighthearted brand persona, GIFs\u00a0are probably an obvious match. At the same time, even more serious-minded brand personas can be enriched by using GIFs.<\/p>\n Brands that are fuss-free, straight to point, informative, educational, or energetic can all be great matches when it comes to using GIFs.<\/p>\n The key here is to customize the GIFs you use so they match your brand personality to the tee. For example, if your brand has a calm and minimal aesthetic, don\u2019t use bright jumpy GIFs. Instead, aim for more subtle options that will still catch the eye.<\/p>\n On the other hand, if your brand persona is bright and energetic, go for bolder GIF choices that tie in your brand colors.<\/p>\n GIFs can add a lot of personality to emails, so use this\u00a0to reinforce your\u00a0unique\u00a0branding.<\/p>\n It is notoriously hard to embed video into emails, which is why a lot of email marketing campaigns don\u2019t incorporate video.<\/p>\n As it happens, GIFs can be an ideal way to work around this issue. Thanks to their format, GIFs will show up in most email clients without a problem.<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t really a time limit on GIFs, except that of file size.\u00a0Although a lot of online GIF-making tools will limit the length of your GIF, you can create a custom GIF\u00a0of any length by simply uploading the video of your choice to a\u00a0video-to-GIF converter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once this is done, include them in your email marketing campaign and they will look like a video, just without a pause\/play function for the viewer.<\/p>\n As you can see, GIFs can be an impactful way to convey concepts, add humor,\u00a0hold attention, and build your brand. They can even function as a workaround for email video embedding issues.<\/p>\n However, before you add GIFs to all your\u00a0email campaigns, here are a few words of caution.<\/p>\n Firstly, don\u2019t forget to stay on brand. Also, consider that GIFs can be irritating to some people, so try to avoid hyperactive-looking or overly distracting GIFs.<\/p>\n Another thing to\u00a0be aware of is that\u00a0fast-moving GIFs can be harmful to people with\u00a0epilepsy or vision problems. Keep this in mind in your GIF creation and opt for gentler colors and smaller, slower movements if possible.<\/p>\n Lastly, while most people love a good GIF, they can become boring if overdone.<\/p>\n If every email you send out is littered with GIFs, this is likely going to desensitize and bore your subscribers. Instead, save GIFs for important messages where you want as much impact as possible, such as a product launch.<\/p>\n Although you do have to use your discretion, incorporating GIFs in emails could be the key you need to optimize engagement and clickthrough rates.<\/p>\n One of the most famous email marketing GIF success stories belongs to Dell, who\u00a0increased their revenue<\/a>\u00a0from a product launch by 109% purely by leveraging the visual power of the GIF.<\/p>\n Who wouldn\u2019t want those kinds of results?<\/p>\n Now that you know how and when to leverage GIFs, it\u2019s time to start experimenting.<\/p>\n A convenient way to\u00a0incorporate GIFs into your email campaigns (that also ensures professional results) is to use Vertical Response\u2019s easy-to-use editor.<\/p>\nTo Catch Readers\u2019 Attention<\/h2>\n
To Demonstrate a Product or Offering<\/h2>\n
To Illustrate a Concept<\/h2>\n
To Brand Yourself<\/h2>\n
In Place of Video<\/h2>\n
What to Be Aware of When Using GIFs in Emails<\/h2>\n
Now You Know How to Use GIFs in Emails<\/h2>\n