GIFs are those eye-catching, moving stickers that you see sprinkled through all of your fave Insta stories. They add personality and fun to otherwise dull stories and help to convey emotion and entertain your audience, without the need for words – winning! And it’s no secret that I don’t love social media so if I’m going to be on there, I may as well have a bit of flippin’ FUN, eh?
create your own gifs
When I was fully booked doing digital digital illustrations, I quickly learned how to design and publish GIFs (a service I still dabble in from time to time). And created a whole bunch of my own, too – with a quick search you can find them on Instagram: @jessieparkerco. But with so many gifs available on the app, herein lies the dilemma: you love adding a GIF or two when you’ve jumped on to create a story, but you can’t seem to find ones you like! In this post I’ll show you the step-by-step for adding the perfect gif to your Instagram story, my favourite gif accounts for you to search by username and how to make your very own branded gifs to use in your short videos and stories! The GIF format means files can support both static and animated stickers (like the one below). The reason they are so widely available is because their simplicity means they can be used across many applications and operating systems without the need for media playing software. And although GIFs are handy (and awesome), their simplicity also comes with some limitations.
limitations of gif files
Low resolution: The gif file format lends itself to sharp-edged line art like logos. Any intricate/fine line work tends to pixelate without a solid contrasting background colour to support it. Gifs also don’t allow for high-resolution video, meaning quality can be lost when converting a video clip to a GIF file. Limited colour palette: GIFs also have a limited colour palette (256 colours) which means that if your chosen colour isn’t available in the palette, your image will default to the nearest available colour. This can skew brand colours and impact contrast if there isn’t a huge amount of difference between shades.
Not terrible problems but worth keeping in mind if you’re designing or creating custom GIFs. You’ll need to keep them basic and keep in mind that thefinal product may vary. And remember their function: they don’t have to be the perfect gif to be impactful! Instagram stories aren’t the only way you can use these fun graphics. Other social networks also allow the use of gifs in the content you share. GIFs actually have many applications outside of your Instagram feed. These moving graphics and video clips can be used in things like:
Posts on other social media platforms (including Instagram feed posts) Email marketing campaigns Video content (think: YouTube videos) Website pages e.g. a blog post
Sometimes words just don’t do things justice, or can sound a little blunt. GIFs add lightheartedness and fun and are the best way to get your message across without having to type it out. They also add interest, helping with engagement and whether people actually decide to stay on your story for longer. Pro tip: As a business owner, having your own set of custom GIFs is also a great way to boost brand awareness and emphasise your brand’s personality. Many business owners create GIFs of themselves pointing, dancing, clapping and more! These quirky little snippets make for fun visual content for your brand. GIPHY has a massive database of creators and users who upload their own static and animated GIFS for others to use on the interwebs. (yes, you could also be uploading your very own GIFs too – more on this later).
Even better is that it’s completely FREE to create your own collection of these fun graphics. There are many YouTube video tutorials that walk you through how to create your own GIFs. With software like Canva and other third-party apps having a GIF export option, the opportunities are endless!
2. keep your colour palette simple
With the teeny colour range (264 colours) available in the gif file format, you need to keep your colour palette simple.
3. stick to opaque elements only
Due to the low resolution file format of gifs, transparency won’t show up in your designs. Stick to opaque elements and colours only.
3. Use a transparent (see-through) background
Making a gif with a transparent background creates the ‘sticker’ effect that Instagram users gravitate towards.
4. Match your brand colours
Although with the limitations of gifs, this can be tricky – try and match or complimentyour brand colours as best as possible to create a cohesive look.
5. Make sure you upload to GIPHY library
In order for your custom GIFs to be searchable on Instagram, you need to upload your graphics to the GIPHY app so they are available in the giphy library. This is the database that Instagram pulls gif stickers from when you search using the tool.
6. Include descriptive back end tags
When you set up your gifs in the GIPHY app – add descriptive tags and describe what your gif is actually about so it has more chance of being seen and used. For example if you make a gif of a thumbs up, including the tags #thumbsup, #thumbs up as well as your brand gives you more chances of your content being discovered. For example: if you are running a professional, corporate instagram – you probably want to stick to SFW content more than say, an edgy freelancer. Here are some points to consider when selecting gifs to use in your small business stories.
Gestures
Video gesture gifs and videos are super popular on Instagram stories. Think: a slow clap, thumbs up or face palm. These help engage your audience and convey a sense of your brand vibe.
Trending sayings
Sayings come and go from the zeitgeist like the weather – make the most of a funny trending saying by turning it into a gif for your stories to add some fun to your marketing. No cap.
‘New post’ gifs
When you’re sharing a new post to your stories, a branded gif is the perfect compliment to get your audiences attention and encourage them to hop over to your profile and have a look around.
Call To Action
Sometimes you need to give your user a gentle nudge with the action you want them to take on your stories. Some peeps don’t know that story elements are interactive so a ‘tap here’ gif can seriously boost your conversions. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
