Pinterest Introduces Animated GIF Support: What Marketers Need to Know
Pinterest has jumped on the animated GIF bandwagon, launching support for the popular looping video format in January 2023. Over 1 billion GIFs are served online every day, according to GIF platform Giphy, and Pinterest is the latest major social network to embrace them.
In this post, we‘ll cover everything marketers and content creators need to know about using animated GIFs on Pinterest, including:
- How Pinterest‘s GIF feature works
- Why GIFs are so popular online
- Best practices for using GIFs in your Pinterest strategy
- Inspiration from early adopters
- What‘s next for animated Pins
How Animated GIFs Work on Pinterest
Pinterest‘s GIF support works similarly to other GIF-enabled platforms. When a user uploads a GIF file (with the .gif extension), it will automatically play and loop within the Pinterest feed and on the Pin detail page.
Key things to note about Pinterest GIFs:
- GIFs autoplay in feeds but can be paused by clicking on them
- Pins containing GIFs are marked with a small "GIF" label
- GIF Pins can be saved and shared like any other Pin type
- Animated Pins currently only work on desktop, not in the mobile app
The process for uploading a GIF to Pinterest is the same as uploading a regular image Pin. Simply select the GIF file from your computer when creating a new Pin.
Pinterest recommends an aspect ratio of 1:2.6 for GIF Pins, with a minimum size of 240×240 pixels. As with all Pins, vertical GIFs tend to perform best since they take up more real estate in the feed.
The Explosive Popularity of GIFs Online
Pinterest is a bit late to the GIF party, but the decision to support the format now makes perfect sense given animated images‘ meteoric rise. Giphy alone serves over 7 billion GIFs per day as of 2023.
Here are a few mind-blowing stats on GIF usage across the web:
- Giphy had over 1 billion views per day as of October 2022 (Giphy)
- GIF search engine Tenor serves over 12 billion searches every month (Tenor)
- Twitter users shared over 100 million GIFs in 2021 (Twitter)
- 69% of millennials say they frequently use GIFs in conversations (Time)
So why are GIFs so incredibly popular online? A few key reasons:
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They convey emotion and tone in a way static images can‘t. A well-chosen reaction GIF can express feelings that are hard to put into words.
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They create a shared moment of delight. GIFs often reference relatable situations or pop culture touchstones, sparking an instant connection.
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They work across languages and cultures. While a funny Tweet might get lost in translation, humor and emotion are universal in GIF form.
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They‘re highly shareable. People love passing along GIFs that make them laugh or perfectly sum up a moment. Every share extends the GIF‘s reach.
For brands, GIFs open up a huge opportunity to connect with audiences on an emotional level and create highly viral content. Pinterest introducing GIF support means brands can now tap into these benefits on the platform most known for visual inspiration and discovery.
GIF Best Practices for Pinterest Marketers
If you‘re ready to start experimenting with animated Pins, follow these tips to get the most out of your GIFs:
1. Use GIFs to showoff your brand personality
GIFs are inherently playful and informal. They provide a great opportunity to showcase your brand‘s human side and unique voice. Don‘t be afraid to have fun with your GIF selections!
Example: Clothing retailer Asos uses GIFs on Pinterest featuring cute animals wearing their products. The adorable animations are perfectly on-brand for Asos‘ cheeky, lighthearted vibe.
2. Create original branded GIFs
While there are plenty of pre-made GIFs to choose from, consider investing in creating your own branded GIFs. These could feature your logo, products, or custom illustrations and animations.
Free tools like Giphy Capture and Adobe Spark make it easy to create GIFs from your own images and videos. Spend a day with your design team brainstorming and building a library of on-brand GIFs to use across channels.
Example: Makeup brand Glossier created a series of custom GIFs showcasing their pop-up shop installation. The dreamy animated loops capture the playful spirit of the brand while highlighting their unique IRL experience.
3. Use GIFs to demo products
GIFs are the perfect medium for showing your products in action. A few seconds of motion can be incredibly effective in demonstrating how something works or highlighting key features.
Focus each GIF on a single message or product benefit. Think about how the movement illustrates your product story, rather than just animating for the sake of it.
Example: Kitchenware brand Williams Sonoma uses GIF Pins to show their tools and gadgets in use. Seeing utensils slicing, blending, and flipping helps customers understand how each item works and visualize themselves using it.
4. Provide value with instructional GIFs
Another powerful use case for GIFs is teaching and demonstrating ideas. Short animations are perfect for communicating quick tips, life hacks, or how-tos in a visual way.
Think about what questions your audience has related to your product category. Are there small skills that would make their lives easier? Processes you could demystify or break down into simple steps? GIF it up!
Example: The Home Depot shares looping instructional diagrams on Pinterest for tasks like unclogging a sink or installing a deadbolt. The simplified visual instructions make intimidating home improvement projects seem doable.
5. Lean into trends and timeliness
Part of the fun of GIFs is how they capture cultural moments. Don‘t be afraid to jump on meme-able pop culture events or timely themes with your GIF Pins. Just be sure they‘re still relevant to your audience‘s interests.
Holidays in particular are a great opportunity for themed GIFs. Dress up your GIF with seasonal stickers, animations, and references while showcasing your products.
Example: Skincare brand Versed wished their followers a happy new year with a GIF of hands clinking champagne glasses featuring their Body Oil product.
6. Optimize your GIF SEO
As with any content on Pinterest, keywords are key to getting your GIFs discovered. Every time you upload a GIF Pin, ensure the title and description fields are populated with relevant, targeted SEO terms.
Pinterest also has unique features around visual search. Consider adding overlay text summarizing your GIF to increase the chances of it surfacing for applicable searches and appearing in the "Related Pins" section.
Measuring Your GIF Pin Performance
So you‘ve uploaded your first batch of GIF Pins. Exciting! But how do you know if they‘re working? Pinterest‘s native analytics platform provides data on all your Pins‘ performance, including:
- Impressions: Number of times your GIF Pin was shown on screen
- Engagements: Total saves and clicks on your GIF Pin
- Closeups: Number of clicks to expand and view your GIF Pin close up
- Saves: Number of users who saved your GIF to their own board
To access GIF-specific metrics, go to Analytics > Overview, then filter the Pins chart by "video". From here you can see how your GIF Pins stack up against your static image Pins in terms of impressions, saves, and clicks.
If certain GIF Pins are receiving significantly more engagement than others, try to pinpoint what made them successful. Did they feature an interesting product demo? Capture a relatable meme format? Center on a trending topic? Look for themes to replicate in future GIFs.
You may find that adding animated Pins into your posting mix increases your overall engagement rate on the platform, as Pinterest‘s algorithm tends to reward content that sparks interaction.
The Future of GIFs on Pinterest
Pinterest is still in the early stages of offering GIF support, but we expect the feature to evolve quickly as more users and brands embrace it. A few predictions and wish list items for the future:
- Animated Pins in the mobile app: GIFs currently only work on desktop, but with over 80% of Pinterest‘s traffic coming from mobile devices, in-app GIF support is inevitable.
- GIF stickers and editing tools: Pinterest may introduce ways for users to add animated stickers, text, and effects to their Pins within the platform.
- Shoppable GIF Pins: Pinterest‘s Product Pins make images instantly shoppable by tagging featured items. Extending this functionality to GIFs would be a game-changer for ecommerce brands.
- Branded GIF collections: We‘d love the ability to group multiple GIFs into themed collections, just like regular board sections. This would help users find relevant GIFs from their favorite brands.
One thing is certain: Pinterest‘s GIF support is not a passing fad. Animated images are here to stay on the inspiration platform. Marketers who get on board early have a huge opportunity to delight their audiences in creative new ways and drive meaningful engagement.
Go Forth and GIF
GIFs have taken over every corner of the internet for good reason. They allow us to express emotions and ideas that transcend language. They make online interactions richer, funnier, and more human.
Now, brands can harness this power on Pinterest, a platform perfectly suited for visual storytelling. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can create Pins that entertain, educate, and inspire your audience to take action.
Get out there and start experimenting with GIFs on Pinterest. We can‘t wait to see the creative ways you use this new feature to bring your brand story to life. Happy GIFing!
