What Is a GIF?
In its simplest form, a GIF is just an image file, much like a JPG or PNG. However, GIFs have one special trick under the sleeves; they can be used to create short animated images as seen here.
Although best kept short and sweet, GIFs can be made from rich content such as images, text, textures and short video clips.
Aren’t GIFs Just for Fun?
When thinking of GIFs, you may be lured into thinking they’re purely the go-to file format for social media humour.
You’d be wrong.
Their potential spans the genres, and here we’ll explore a few uses that you may not have thought about previously.
Provide Visual Instructions
What better way to provide important instructions to your audience than by visual stimulus. GIFs can be created to loop endlessly, so the viewer can watch as many times as desired to absorb information at their pace.
Do you have an infographic or ‘how-to’ guide that isn’t performing well as static content? Then this is the perfect opportunity to take it online and add some interaction.
Animate Key Data
Adding motion to your statistics or data is a sure-fire way of getting your audience and stakeholders to take note of what’s important.
This is a superb way to depict your data in what can sometimes be a very dull manner.
Less Expensive Than Video
With COVID19 putting a lot of restrictions and limitations on live-action filming, a lot of our clients are turning to animation and animated GIFs to get their message across. Aside from the obvious cost of ensuring your animator has the necessary skills to make your project look good, GIFs are proving much more cost-effective, especially when looking to repurpose your content.
As file sizes are also vital to keep in check, designers and animators can utilise a myriad of online stock imagery to enhance your health message’s engagement.
Easy To Consume
As we all know, keeping your audience’s attention is one of the biggest commodities going. The short length of GIFs, as well as their limited file sizes, means you’re forced to strip your message down to the bare essentials. This means no waffle, no padding, just your key content; which in turns makes it easier for your audience to digest what’s important. In video production, it’s very easy to get lost in the aesthetics; however, with short animated GIFs, your hand is forced to focus on the vital.
Make Email Campaigns Shine
Marketers are always looking at ways to make their campaigns stand out from the crowd. With email clients now being capable of displaying GIFs and some rich media, comes an opportunity to carefully use animation to support your key content. Just remember, less is more when it comes to GIFs in emails.
Show off your products
GIFs allow you to show off details and motion that static photos simply cannot. IF you have a product launch in the pipeline, why not utilise a looping GIF of your product to show your audience what’s under the wrapper.
Using this simple and quick form of animation allows for a great opportunity to highlight key functions or features within the product.
Could This Help You?
If your email campaign or healthcare message could be supported by animated GIFs, we’d love to hear from you.
