One thing that has changed the way I use social media is my use of GIFs. Remember when there were websites devoted to showcasing GIFs back when they first got popular? (I’m looking at you Neon Fresh). She had a feature every Friday where she would share her favorite memes and GIFs and honestly it was a highlight. 

Now, we have the ability to use GIFs for far more than entertainment. I truly believe they are a marketing tool very much underutilized by small business today. Not only do they provide entertainment, they provide brand recognition in a very short amount of time, follower/client involvement with your brand, PLUS add the additional marketing support that the website GIPHY can provide by having your GIFs on their platform.  Learn more about Giphy HERE!

With that said, getting our custom GIFs into different social media platforms can come with some challenges. Lean more about the easiest methods to personalize your brands online presence below!  

 

Here are 5 Ways to Get Your GIFs on Instagram:

1. Purchase a domain email address:

You get more animation options, plus your followers and others can find your gifs via “tags” instead of typing out “@youraccountname”. This step isn’t completely necessary but it’s definitely recommended! I used GoDaddy to purchase my domain email address.

2. Create a Giphy account:

Or have me do it! There are definitely some tricks to getting your account upgraded later.

3. Upload at least 5 Gifs into the “Sticker” section:

These can be anything, as long as they pertain to your brand and have a transparent background with some type of movement. This is called a “sticker” which is actually what we are making. I love to use Procreate, Photoshop, or Illustrator for the design part, but you can use Canva too (with some stipulations! This is why it’s great to hire an expert!)

4. Keep all names the same:

All your email addresses, socials, websites, etc. need to match.

5. Apply for a Brand Channel:

And wait for Giphy to upgrade you. If you get denied, it just means there are a few tweaks needed. I’m constantly emailing Giphy support for my client’s setup and they are super helpful.

Of course, if DIY isn’t your thing, I offer a complete Custom GIF setup and design. I can make custom phrases, headshots, and products into custom GIFs. If that sounds amazing, you can find more information about working together HERE!