One of the most infamous internet debates is centered around the pronunciation of those fun, animated motion videos often used in social media. Some people prefer to call them “GIFs”, as others insist that the proper pronunciation is “JIFs.” At beMarketing, we really don’t care which way you say it, we just want to teach you how to utilize them correctly in your email marketing campaigns.
GIFs are a fun way to engage with your customers, personalize the voice of your brand, and grab the eye of your audience. They can often be applied in the same ways that standard images are, but they offer a certain flair and can resonate with people beyond still imagery. Below, you’ll find some guidelines we’ve compiled to correctly apply GIFs in your email marketing strategies, and also how not to use them.
How to Use GIFs In Email Marketing:
- Use Appropriate Humor:
There is a reason why GIFs have become so popular on Twitter and other social media channels. They’re funny, and more importantly, they’re regularly used to portray relatable responses, reactions, or emotions of humans. Comedy has long been intertwined with marketing or television commercials, but it’s only effective when you appropriately address your target audience.
For a law firm with older demographics, or a funeral home dealing with extremely serious obligations and services, GIFs might not be suitable for your email marketing. In most industries, however, they can produce laughter, enjoyment, and relatability. These three emotions can capture customer attention and ultimately drive more website click-throughs.
- Apply to Your Service or Product:
There are hundreds of thousands of GIFs out there, so the chance that you cannot find one that is relevant to your product or company is extremely unlikely. GIFs provide a great visual to enhance the core of your email’s messaging. For example, an HVAC company could feature a GIF of someone freezing and trembling to illustrate the value that their heating services provide during the cold winter months.
On the other hand, the addition of GIFs that are irrelevant or random can turn customers away. Excessive use of GIFs can also dilute the actual purpose of your email and distract customers from your call to action. A good rule of thumb is to keep emails to a one GIF minimum and to not use them in every single email.
- Grab Attention Subtly
At the core of email marketing strategy, you want to secure the attention of those in your email list so that they will feel inclined to visit your website. Long paragraphs of text on their own, (however enticing the writing may be), can prove to be ineffective in this regard. Studies have shown that movement captures our attention much more than still images do. With that said, standard video attachments can be difficult to embed and are rarely watched all the way through. A GIF on the other hand appears right away on the email. The user does not need to click “play” anywhere, and the video is only a few seconds long.
In our instant gratification era, GIFs can help tell your story in a matter of seconds. At beMarketing, our team of experts offers immense knowledge in the ever-changing landscape of email marketing. We provide unparalleled email marketing solutions to businesses that want to stay connected with their customers and attract new ones. Give us a ring today at (484) 261-1149 to get started planning your campaign!
