For a while at FullFunnel, using GIFs in emails became somewhat of an obsession. We kept seeing them in various consumer newsletters we subscribed to and we were dying for the opportunity to use this dynamic content in our own sales and marketing emails. Given the right audience, we felt it could be a fun, creative way to drive engagement with the email content. GIFs can be used creatively, to emphasize a point you’re making in the email and to add a level of humor, or they can be used instructively to display features or changes.
Here’s a look at the arguments for and against using GIFs in email, and some of what we learned testing this media.
There are some compelling advantages to using GIFs in emails:
There are also some disadvantages to using GIFs in emails:
So how can you get started with using GIFs in email? First, determine if your audience is the right fit for a GIF. For example, while a sales or HR persona may respond well to a humorous GIF, a time-strapped executive may be irritated. If you’ve determined your audience is a good fit, make sure the GIF aligns with the message you’re trying to convey and truly adds value to the reader. While creating the email, follow technical best practices like making the first frame count, monitoring file size so it loads quickly, and using alt tags as you would with other images. Lastly, measuring the impact of your efforts is a critical piece of any marketing program; try A/B testing GIFs against emails with static images to validate the hypothesis that it will boost engagement.
Using animated GIFs in sales and marketing emails can be an interesting component of distribution to drive engagement from prospects. To learn more about engaging your prospects schedule a consultation with FullFunnel here
This article was originally published on April 28, 2016 and has been republished to provide the most accurate information possible.
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