Most people describe GIFs as images that move. That's close enough. Technically, GIF is a lossless image format that supports both static and animated images.
Once you understand what they are, it's easy to see why they work in email. Below are four real examples from well-known brands that show GIFs being used in practical, purposeful ways.
A word of warning before you start
Animated GIF support is almost universal across major email clients, with one notable exception: Outlook 2007, 2010, and 2013. Those versions only render the first frame. If your animation carries important information, make sure that information appears in the first frame, or it won't reach a significant slice of your audience.
Real examples of GIFs in email campaigns
Converse
Converse used an animated GIF to announce their Blank Canvas Monochromatic Collection. The email is colourful, eye-catching, and gives recipients an immediate sense of the product range. The animation earns its place by doing something a static image couldn't do as well: showing the collection in motion.
Birchbox
Birchbox used an animated GIF to highlight items from their latest sample box, with the goal of converting recipients into full-size product buyers. The animation keeps things light and browsable without overwhelming the reader.
Lyft
Lyft used animated GIFs to introduce new features in their app. Rather than writing a wall of text to explain how something works, they let the GIF show it. That's the core use case for GIFs in email: replacing explanation with demonstration.
Pandora
Pandora ran a campaign promoting their iWatch app. The email paired a short list of key benefits with an animated GIF showing exactly how the app works on the watch. Simple, clear, and far more convincing than a screenshot.
GIFs are not a gimmick. Used well, they carry a message with less friction than copy or static imagery alone. The brands above used them to show a product range, highlight sample items, introduce app features, and explain a new interface, all legitimate jobs for animation to do.
If you want to try them in your own campaigns, [TouchBasePro](http://www.touchbasepro.com?utm_source=TouchBasePro Blog&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Blog Link Tagging Campaign&utm_content=How to use GIFs in your email marketing campaigns) supports animated GIFs. Just remember to design with that first frame in mind.
Frequently asked questions
- Do animated GIFs work in all email clients?
- Almost all major email clients support animated GIFs. The exception is Outlook 2007, 2010, and 2013, which only display the first frame of an animation. Design your first frame to carry the key message so Outlook users are not left with a broken or confusing image.
- What are good use cases for GIFs in marketing emails?
- GIFs work well when you need to show something in motion rather than describe it, product demonstrations, app walkthroughs, new feature introductions, and highlighting a range of items are all solid applications. They are less useful when the same job can be done with a single static image.
- How large should a GIF be for email?
- This article does not specify a file size, but general best practice is to keep email GIFs under 1 MB where possible. Larger files slow load times, particularly on mobile connections, which can hurt engagement.