Everyone loves a good, appropriate GIF when words fail. While they are famous as a hard-to-pronounce staple of the internet, straddling the nebulous space between image and video, you can now use GIFs as Facebook ads. Rejoice, digital marketers everywhere! Facebook ads just got a whole lot more interesting. At Australian Internet Advertising, we’ve helped hundreds of businesses create and launch catchy, striking Facebook ads in a variety of industries. Today, we’ll discuss why you should use GIFs in your Facebook ads and how you can get started using GIFs to increase your conversions on Facebook right away.
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What is a GIF?
GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. It is an animated image made up of multiple frames in which a web browser will play the animated sequence automatically.
Why are GIFs good for Facebook ads?
Even a well run Facebook campaign won’t generate very high click-through-rates. In fact, current statistics show that CTRs for Facebook ads are down across a multitude of industries. The average CTR for a Facebook ad regardless of the business it’s advertising is 0.90%. And that’s just the average. In some sectors, it is even lower than that.
Why would people choose to advertise on Facebook if CTRs are so low?
Regardless of the low averages, Facebook is still a premier advertising platform. The reason why it is so beneficial for businesses to advertise on Facebook is that Facebook gives you an untold wealth of data on your viewers. Plus dozens of unique and effective ways to target those viewers. If you can get people to see and click on your Facebook ads, you can grow your brand awareness, your customer base, and your conversions at an unprecedented rate.
So what’s the best what to get people to click on your enticing ads?
Well first you have to make the ad enticing, and the best way to do that is by using better ad creative. This is where GIFs come into play. Of course, it’s crucial that you get your targeting right when crafting and launching your Facebook ads, but the creative is what’s going to draw people in and get their attention enough to click on that ad and go to your landing page.
According to recent surveys, short videos get the most views and the most action on Facebook. GIFs fit the bill here. They are incredibly eye-catching, entertaining, and some of them are downright hilarious. Facebook users often see images as white noise in their news feed, and GIFs don’t require the type of hands-on investment or the level of monetary investment that minutes long videos need. And if a several minutes long video is less likely to be viewed in its entirety than a GIF, then what’s the point of using one for your ad anyway? The point is, GIFs are an easier, more effective way to advertise on Facebook nowadays and they don’t require a huge, upfront investment from you.
Do you have existing video assets for your business? You can recreate them into an eye-catching and relevant GIF.
How can you make a GIF?
Head on over to GIPHY, a free platform for finding and creating GIFs. If you have video assets you want to use, it’s simple and easy to get started. Click on the free GIF Maker in the GIPHY dashboard. You can drag and drop your video files, or insert the link to the videos you want to repurpose into a GIF. GIPHY will then give you options for the start time, duration, and your captions. You can create a GIF that’s up to ten seconds long. There are easy-to-use sliders in the GIF Maker that let you find the perfect start and end times for your custom-made GIF.
What should your GIF include?
- A smooth start and stop transition.
- A call-to-action (CTA).
Even though your supporting ad copy will include a CTA, you want one in your GIF, too. If your GIF doesn’t have one already inside of it, you can add one in the GIF maker. Once you’re finished and satisfied with the transitions, then download the finished GIF.
What should you keep in mind when using GIFs for a Facebook ad campaign?
- Tone down the amount of text you use.
You’ll want to use supporting ad copy around the GIF. But when it comes to the GIF itself, less is more. Keep your text limited to the CTA and your brand name or message. GIFs are for seeing and watching, not necessarily for reading.
- Use high-quality images and animation for your GIF.
When it comes to using GIFs effectively, you want to make sure that the transitions are smooth. Choppy animation will kill the creative potential of your GIF, so keep that in mind when editing.
- Use the right file extension.
GIFs are limited to 8 MB, and the extension is always .gif.
- Consider using a GIF series (eventually).
Facebook advertising recommended using GIFs in a series format to tell a larger story. But it’s crucial that you focus on getting the first GIF optimised for your target audience before you invest in an entire series of GIFs. An eye-catching, single GIF ad is much better than a series of dull or low-quality GIFs.
- Stick to desktop, for now.
It’s possible that your target audience members won’t have mobile devices that can play video ads, so they won’t be able to view your GIF ads, either. For now, it’ best to stick to GIF ads on desktop when it comes to advertising to prospects who can’t play video ads. Your industry and where your ideal customers are located will determine whether or not you should stick to desktop viewing for now.
- Make good use of short time.
Your GIFs are limited to 10 seconds each, which isn’t much time to get your point across. Keep it simple, eye-catching, smooth, and to-the-point for maximum effect.
Facebook advertising is still a powerful way to connect with your viewers. Uploading GIFs into your power editor and launching eye-catching, animated images on social media is an excellent way to build your brand awareness. At Australian Internet Advertising, we have years of experience managing Facebook Advertising Campaigns for our valued client. Contact us today and see how we can help you get started using GIFs in your digital marketing campaigns.
