How to Add Animated GIFs to Your Emails

What is a GIF?

A GIF, or graphics interchange format, is an image format that allows for moving images or animated pictures that can be embedded into emails, word documents, and other types of content. Unlike other images, a GIF is soundless and loops endlessly. As a result, they add an eye-catching visual element to your communications, help accentuate your brand, and highlight your personality.

When GIFs first became popular, they were considered unprofessional because they were primarily used by younger people. Today, they’re widely accepted in personal and professional settings. GIFs are being seen as more and more of a legitimate form of communication. Whether you want to express frustration, excitement, or how badly you need a cup of coffee, there’s a reaction GIF for any situation.

In today's visual environment, a GIF is a good way to show who your brand is and leave a lasting impression on those looking at your emails.

How to add a GIF to an email

GIFs can enhance your email marketing campaigns by making them more engaging. Adding a GIF to your email is simpler than you might think.

Whether you're looking to make your message more engaging or explain something visually, the process only takes a few quick steps. The best part? It works across most email platforms, giving your communications that extra visual punch that static images just can't deliver. Let's break down exactly how to use GIFs in your emails.

Find and download the right GIF

There are many ways to find GIFs. For example, websites like GIPHY and Tenor have an extensive library of GIFs. You can also look up GIFs with the help of a search engine. Many search engines have advanced filters so that only a specific image file type appears in the results. You can even create animated GIFs by converting your videos. If you choose to create GIFs, make sure they're optimized for email to prevent loading issues when your recipients open your message.

Once you’ve identified the most appropriate GIF, you can download it and insert it into the email.

Insert the GIF into your email

If you’ve downloaded your GIF, you can simply drag it to wherever you’re composing the email. You may also be able to copy and paste the GIF directly into the email.

In general, animated GIFs have pretty awesome support. They work well in all webmail clients and in most desktop and mobile email clients, with the biggest exceptions being Microsoft Outlook 2007-2013. GIFs in these versions of Outlook will display the first frame as an image rather than animating it (not the end of the world but less ideal).

Before you insert an animated GIF into your email, stop and make sure that it reflects the tone and voice of your messaging. Always keep purpose in mind when making GIF selections, which should help ensure that you don’t overwhelm your subscribers.

You also don’t want to go overboard with the GIF usage. Too many GIFs can make your email design look like a ‘90s webpage or an AIM away message. As fun as it is to relive the glory days of MySpace and GeoCities (RIP), a super busy email can turn off your reader. With GIFs, less is definitely more.

Preview and send

After you’ve finalized the placement of your GIF, make sure everything looks good and is working. If you need to preview your email, you can always send a draft to yourself. Some email builders, including Mailchimp, allow you to see how your email will look across different email providers and devices.

When to use GIFs in an email

GIFs aren't just for spicing up your personal messages anymore; they can be used across your digital marketing strategy. These animated images breathe life into a marketing email that might otherwise blend in with dozens of others in your recipient's inbox. Whether you're trying to make your web page more dynamic or looking to boost engagement in your email campaigns, GIFs offer movement and visual interest that static images don't.

While they're versatile enough for almost any type of message, knowing when to strategically use them can make a huge difference in email engagement rates. Animated GIFs work well for just about any document. Here are a few examples of when it’s appropriate to use animated GIFs in emails.

To explain a concept visually/draw attention to key information

An email body packed with information may cause readers to skim and overlook important details. Email marketers use GIFs to make pieces of information stand out—or to help explain concepts. Breaking up information with short, digestible visuals helps users understand challenging ideas without spending much time reading.

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As an alternative to video

Most email clients don’t offer great support for video. On top of poor support, video files can be huge and slow to load if subscribers have a poor connection, which can disengage the viewer. Making subscribers download large files isn’t a great idea either because it can send users over their data plans if they’re not on WiFi.

That’s where GIFs in emails come in: They can be used to provide short previews of your video content that then link to the full video.

To promote your products or services

GIFs are a powerful marketing tool that can help you promote your products and services in a fun and engaging format. Plus, you can upload GIFs to GIPHY or another service, allowing consumers the opportunity to start using them outside of your email. This can be great for boosting your brand’s image and awareness.

Drawbacks of using GIFs in email campaigns

While GIFs can add personality and visual interest to your emails, they're not always the right choice for every situation. Like any design element, animated GIFs come with their own set of potential pitfalls that smart marketers need to consider before hitting send. Understanding these limitations is crucial, especially when you're communicating with professional audiences or sending important information where distractions could undermine your message.

Here are some instances when GIFs can hinder an email or other document instead of improving it.

• GIFs can be distracting. Flashing, brightly colored GIFs can lead to sensory overload and distract from the email message. If all the reader remembers is the GIF and not the message, the point is lost.
• They can look pixelated. A computer only has access to 256 colors. Some GIFs, images, and animations can look pixelated or appear to be of poor quality if they have colors outside the scope of the computer.
• Connectivity issues can interfere with the GIF. If there are connectivity issues, the GIF may be difficult to download, defeating its purpose.

Before adding any GIF to your email, ask yourself whether or not the graphic will actually add value to your messaging. Make sure to consider the drawbacks mentioned above as you weigh the pros and cons of using GIFs in emails.

Tips for using GIFs in email marketing

GIFs can be the secret weapon in your email marketing arsenal when used correctly. Your goal should be to find the right balance between eye-catching movement and professional presentation. What separates amateur email marketers from the pros is knowing exactly how and when to use animated GIFs in email for maximum impact.

When strategically placed, GIFs can guide your reader's journey through your email, highlight key information, and ultimately drive more conversions than static content alone. Let's explore some tips that will help you harness the full potential of GIFs in your campaigns:

• Use GIFs to drive action: Subtle animation that draws attention to your CTA can significantly boost click-through rates. Movement naturally attracts the eye, making your buttons and links more noticeable.
• Create custom GIFs for your brand: Custom animations that incorporate your logo, colors, and visual style help reinforce brand recognition. These personalized touches make your emails instantly recognizable in a crowded inbox.
• Animate only part of the GIF: This technique keeps the file smaller and easier to load while still capturing attention. You'll get the benefit of movement without slowing down email load times for subscribers on mobile networks.
• Make every GIF serve a purpose: Before adding any animation, ask yourself what specific goal it's helping you achieve. Each GIF should be intentional, whether it's explaining a concept, highlighting a feature, or creating an emotional connection.
• Show products in action with GIFs: Short animations can quickly demonstrate how something works far more efficiently than static images. A 3-second demo can replace paragraphs of explanation and multiple product photos.
• Limit the number of GIFs per email: One or two animations per email prevents distraction and maintains professionalism. Too much movement creates visual chaos and can make subscribers click away.
• Choose high-quality GIFs only: Poor-quality animations reflect badly on your brand and make emails look unprofessional. Crisp, clear GIFs signal attention to detail and respect for your audience's experience.

Best practices for designing email-friendly GIFs

Creating GIFs specifically for email requires a slightly different approach than making GIFs for social media or websites. Email clients have their own unique limitations and quirks that can affect how your animated content displays.

Getting your GIFs to perform well across various email platforms and devices means paying attention to technical details that might seem minor but make a huge difference in the user experience. These best practices will help ensure your GIFs load quickly, display properly, and engage subscribers rather than frustrating them.

Keep file sizes small for fast loading

Large GIFs can significantly slow down email load times, especially on mobile networks. Aim to keep your GIFs under 1MB whenever possible, using compression tools to reduce file size without sacrificing too much quality. Remember that every second of loading time increases the chance that a subscriber will lose interest and move on.

Design for the first frame fallback

Some email and mobile clients will only display the first frame of your GIF. Make sure this initial frame contains essential information and looks good as a standalone image. This way, even recipients who can't see the animation will still understand your message and won't miss anything critical.

Use minimal loops and avoid flashing content

Configure your GIFs to loop only a few times rather than indefinitely to prevent distraction. Fast-flashing content can be irritating and potentially trigger issues for people with photosensitive conditions. Choose smooth, subtle animations that enhance your message without overwhelming it or causing accessibility concerns.

Make sure text in GIFs is legible on mobile

Any text included in your GIFs should be large enough to read on small screens without squinting. Test your GIFs on multiple devices to ensure readability, and consider keeping critical text in the email body rather than embedding it all in the animation. Simple backgrounds behind text improve contrast and make words easier to read at a glance.

Measuring the performance of GIFs in email

GIFs should be held accountable to performance metrics to ensure they're actually improving your results. The good news is that many of the same analytics tools you already use for measuring email performance can help you understand the impact of your animated content. Tracking specific metrics before and after implementing GIFs allows you to make data-driven decisions about when and how to use them in future campaigns.

Track engagement with click-throughs and heatmaps

Most email platforms provide data on which links recipients click, but heatmap tools offer even deeper insights into how people interact with your GIFs.

These visual analytics show exactly where subscribers are focusing their attention and can reveal whether your GIFs are attracting eyes to important content or distracting from it. Reviewing these engagement patterns helps refine your GIF placement strategy for maximum impact.

A/B testing GIF vs. static image emails

The most reliable way to measure GIF effectiveness is through direct comparison testing against static alternatives. Create two identical email versions where the only difference is an animated versus a static image, then send each to a random sample of your audience.

This controlled experiment provides concrete evidence of whether the GIF version increases opens, clicks, or conversions compared to its static counterpart.

Use GIFs to guide users toward calls to action

Strategic GIF placement can create a visual pathway leading subscribers toward your most important links and buttons. Measure how different GIF positions affect click-through rates on nearby CTAs to understand their influence on user behavior. The right animation can increase conversion rates by subtly directing attention exactly where you want it.

Enhancing your emails with GIFs

Using GIFs can be beneficial to an email campaign and help potential prospects remember your company and your brand. However, GIFs have the ability to make or break your campaigns. One or 2 of them can spruce up an email or serve as a good alternative to video, but they should be used wisely. Keep your GIF choices intentional, stay mindful of their size, and ensure the first frame could stand alone as its own image if needed.

With Mailchimp, you’ll have access to an array of GIFs from GIPHY, allowing you to quickly and easily source the best GIFs for all your campaigns. Use Mailchimp’s content studio the next time you’re creating an email to add high-quality GIFs and make your campaign stand out

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Key Takeaways

• GIFs add movement and personality to emails. These animated images can transform ordinary marketing messages into engaging content that stands out in crowded inboxes.
• Use GIFs purposefully to guide readers toward important information and calls-to-action rather than as mere decoration.
• Keep file sizes small, design with first-frame fallbacks in mind, and ensure mobile readability for the best results.
• Track how GIFs affect engagement metrics compared to static images through A/B testing and analytics tools.

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