The Best Animated GIFs on Twitter so far from Brands

Now that it is happened it seems incredible that it didn’t happen sooner, but Twitter has finally made animated GIFs uploadable and shareable direct through its iOS and Android apps. Previously, users could upload GIFs via third-party apps, but the new functionality makes life easier for all who love these quirky, short animations. Appropriately, the Twitter support team made the announcement in a tweet including a GIF.

Unlike some videos in the likes of Instagram, GIFs in Twitter do not animate automatically as you scroll through your news feed. Users simply click the play button that appears in the middle of the image and the GIF will then play right where it is – no new window pops up.

On the face of it animated GIFs might be just a silly fad, but in fact they open up a whole new world of opportunities for marketers. We take a look at the benefits of animated GIFs and highlight some of the best brand GIFs on Twitter so far.

Stand out from the crowd

Adding still images to your tweets can catch followers’ eyes, and now animated GIFs enhance the click appeal still further. Users are intrigued to see what happens when they click the play button, and marketers must make the most of this curiosity and reward it.

Easy consumption

Text on its own is difficult to digest in a whole Twitter stream of different feeds, but a GIF that does not require a new window or a lot of time to consume are ideal for grabbing attention.

Make a connection

Animated GIFs go a step further than still images in helping to create a connection between your band and users. Use GIFs to encourage people to empathise or feel an emotion linked to your product or service and start to build a relationship that lasts.

Some of the best GIF tweets so far

theofficenbc, the US version of hit UK comedy The Office, used a clip of an in-joke (that’s what she said) to welcome GIFs to Twitter.</p><p>sesamestreet posted a clip of Elmo and a Beluga whale sharing a moment that is too adorable not to retweet.

Ellen DeGeneres TheEllenShow posted a typically fun clip on hearing the news – spitting out her wine in astonishment.</p><p>HuffingtonPost embraced the animals of the internet with a GIF of a dog jumping into a lake.

@TwitterForNews kept it in the family by posting a GIF of Ron Burgundy and his news team jumping for joy.