[su_heading style=”default” size=”13″ align=”center” margin=”20″]Twitter has announced that it will now allow users to share and view animated GIFs.[/su_heading]
The news was announced via Twitter’s support account in a tweet saying, “Starting today, you can share and view animated GIFs on http://twitter.com , Android and iPhone.”
Previously, GIFs only appeared on third-party apps such as Tweetdeck, but now, users will be able to see the animated images in all of their glory, without leaving Twitter itself.
[su_quote style=”default”]You can share and view animated GIFs on http://twitter.com , Android and iPhone. -Twitter[/su_quote]
Before allowing GIFs, the only way Twitter users could share this type of video content was via the popular mobile app, Vine. Surprisingly, GIFs are the first uploadable video content available to all Twitter users.
The GIF was first developed in the 80s as a way of animating images and has since taken the internet by storm.
GIF files contain a series of changing images meaning that the files are quite large. Because of this, Twitter has opted to convert all uploaded GIF files into a much smaller MP4 format to ensure that mobile devices won’t be slowed down by multiple GIFs on one page.
In reality, this means that your Twitter GIFs aren’t really GIFs at all but a video playing over and over again on loop.
In order to view GIFs on Twitter, users will first have to click on them, as they will not play automatically.
By allowing the uploading of GIFs, Twitter is giving social media marketers yet another fantastic tool to spread their brand’s message.
It has already been proven how much of an impact images can have on Twitter, it only stands to reason that GIFs will also help you make your content stand out from the crowd.
[su_quote style=”default”]By allowing GIFs, Twitter is giving social media marketers yet another fantastic tool to spread their brand’s message.[/su_quote]
In a 2013 study by Marketing Profs, it was found that more than half of marketers had used animated GIFs in email campaigns. The same report also found that 72% of marketers who used GIFs recorded higher transaction-to click-rates, showing just how powerful the GIF can be.
The viral appeal of GIFs is largely down to their functionality. GIFs are a simple, straightforward and useful way of making a point. Like videos, there is something about a moving image that seems to draw people in, however, with a GIF, you don’t have to sit through a boring video to get to the good bit.
GIFs are easily found all over the internet, but making your own unique GIFs is a great way to bring your Tweets to another level.
There are many online tools available for creating GIFs which are relatively easy to use. There are also a number of apps available for IPhone and Android which allow you to make GIFs on the go.
With GIFs already proving their sharing power on the World Wide Web, it’s important that you take the time to make sure that you know how to harness these simple, yet effective, animations to their full potential.
If you have any questions about GIFs and how to use the on Twitter, feel free to contact a member of the TravelMedia.ie team.