GIFs for Brands: How to Get Your Business Started on Giphy
Looking to get more organic engagement on Instagram? How about unlocking younger consumers like Millennials and Gen Z?
Now’s certainly the time, as Gen Z shoppers are already accounting for 40% of all consumers in the U.S., and represent more than $44 billion in purchasing power. Plus, that’s only going to go up, so now’s your opportunity to discover how you can best reach them.
Let’s start with getting on Giphy, but there are other ways to unlock the Gen Z consumer, which you can find in a free ebook HERE.
Giphy is a great way in for your brand as it lets you create unique, ownable sticker & GIF content that fans will use naturally. And, best part, it’s free!
What is Giphy?
Giphy is a database for GIFs that attracts over 65 millions users a month with the ability to access over 3 billion GIFs. You’ll see Giphy utilized on many social platforms, which means you make content in one place, and it’s shared across many, including the ability to send them through private DMs.
Get Started
To get started on Giphy, you’ll need to create a brand account and receive approval. To receive approval, you’ll need to upload five stickers or GIFs.
Pro Tip: don’t oversaturate Giphy content with your brand. The effort is not to sell, it’s to infuse your brand in authentic ways. Create Giphy content that people want to use and share — GIFs they appreciate and understand — and let that lead back to your brand.
You’ll also want to make sure that your Giphy channel is lined up with the rest of your social profiles. This means using your brand’s profile photo, as well as descriptions. Providing more information is likely going to help gain approval for your brand page. There is no formal approval process for Giphy, and the approval timeline remains unknown, as it occurs manually. So, to get started, you merely have to get started.
Get Your GIFs Seen
While there is no real algorithm to Giphy, you want to make sure your GIFs are being used. When uploading a GIF, make sure your tags are as relevant as possible. While you can make up to 20 tags, the sweet spot lies around 10 tags to a GIF. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to brand your Giphy channel.
The more creative your GIFs are, the better. Creative GIFs with a lot of movement receive the most engagement, and Story GIFs get the most use.
Three Types of GIFs
The Traditional GIF
This is probably what you’re thinking of when you think “GIF”— a silent loop of video. Whether that’s from a show, movie, or viral clip, this is the most popular form because of it being instantly recognizable and, therefore, understood.
Stickers
Stickers are seen on Snapchat and IG Stories. They’re animated symbols, emojis, or images. These GIFs need to be at least 20% transparent.
Text
Text GIFs are exactly what they sound like: animated text. But don’t put this idea down because it seems simple. Good text GIFs will be used on Stories, so make sure that they are cut out, can stand alone, and don’t need context.
The Future for Giphy
Giphy is on the verge of becoming the biggest content media hub. With its easy-to-access database and continual growth, you’ll find this is a great way to promote your brand without breaking the bank. With the use of your brand’s authentic and engaging GIFs, users will be promoting your brand before you know it.
Now you’re ready to get your brand on Giphy!
Want to explore even more ways to unlock new audiences on emerging social platforms like IGTV and TikTok? Download a totally free ebook HERE on unlocking the mysterious (yet growing fast) Generation Z consumer.
Or, if you’re looking to get started even faster, schedule a free digital marketing consultation HERE. The Digital Surgeons team will connect you with one of their expert strategists to help find solutions that meet your unique challenges.
